"Mirror, Mirror" is a song by American singer Diana Ross. Written by Dennis Matkosky and

Michael Sembello Michael Andrew Sembello (born April 17, 1954) is an American singer, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, composer and producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sembello was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his 1983 song "M ...

, and produced by Ross herself, the song was released as the second single on December 11, 1981 from her

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-certified album '' Why Do Fools Fall in Love''.

Background

The song talks of a love lost that the singer was going through and her deliberately asking herself while looking in the mirror why she allowed the love "to fall" apart, referencing the Wicked Queen's chant to the Magic Mirror in ''

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...

'': "Mirror, mirror on the wall". "Mirror Mirror" is also notable as one of the few songs that Ross sung both lead and background vocals.

Music video

The accompanying

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

for "Mirror Mirror" was played on

BET Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los ...

, but was rejected by MTV. It showcases the glamorous diva lip-synching the song and during the break, she dances with the video dividing her in double vision as she spins around. Despite the rudimentary production values, it was an early

favorite. However, it was conspicuously left off of her best-selling VHS, and later DVD, compilation ''Visions of Diana Ross''.

Personnel

*Diana Ross − lead vocals, backing vocals, producer *

Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of M ...

− tenor saxophone *

Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was born on No ...

− horn arrangements *Ray Chew − musical arrangements, acoustic piano *

Eric Gale Eric Gale (September 20, 1938 – May 25, 1994) was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. ''Early life and career'' Born in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York, Gale grew up in a diverse household. His paternal grandfather was from Yorksh ...

− rhythm guitar *

Yogi Horton A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297-299, 331 T ...

− drums *

Neil Jason Neil is a masculine name of Gaelic and Irish origin. The name is an anglicisation of the Irish ''Niall'' which is of disputed derivation. The Irish name may be derived from words meaning "cloud", "passionate", "victory", "honour" or "champion".. ...

− bass *

Ralph MacDonald Ralph Anthony MacDonald (March 15, 1944 – December 18, 2011) was a Trinbagonian-American percussionist, songwriter, musical arranger, record producer, steelpan virtuoso and philanthropist. His compositions include "Where Is the Love", a Gra ...

− percussion *Jeff Mironov − rhythm guitar *

Ted Jensen Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' ''Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''. Biography T ...

at Sterling Sound, New York City − mastering * Bob Kulick − lead guitar

Charts

"Mirror Mirror" became another hit for Ross, reaching #2 on the Soul chart and peaking at number eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Whitburn, Joel (2004). ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 8th Edition (Billboard Publications) It became her second top 10 hit after leaving her longtime label, Motown, in the summer of 1981.

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Live performances

*"Mirror Mirror" was performed during Diana Ross' live concert in front of 800,000 people, '' Diana Ross Live in Central Park''. *"Mirror Mirror" was performed on her 2010 concert tour. It was the first time it was performed in over 15 years. *"Mirror Mirror" debuted live on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...

'' (1981)

References

{{authority control 1981 songs 1981 singles Diana Ross songs Songs written by Dennis Matkosky RCA Records singles Songs written by Michael Sembello