"What More Can I Give" is a song by Michael Jackson and Friends, featuring Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Celine Dion, *NSYNC, and others. It was released as a digital charity single on October 27, 2003, with proceeds benefiting children's charities and victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The song was first performed live at the "United We Stand: What More Can I Give" benefit concert on October 21, 2001, and includes a Spanish-language version titled "Todo Para Ti."
Background[]
"What More Can I Give" was initially conceived by Michael Jackson in 1992 as "Heal L.A." following the Rodney King riots, with further development during the HIStory (1996–1997) and Invincible sessions. The song was finalized in 2001 after the September 11 attacks, inspired by Jackson's 1999 meeting with Nelson Mandela,[1] Jackson envisioned it as a unifying anthem, stating:
| “ | I want the whole world to sing it, to bring us together as a world, to help those who lost their parents, their mothers and fathers. | ” |
– Michael Jackson, via Rolling Stone[2] | ||
Mariah Carey, joined the project to support the 9/11 relief efforts, alongside artists like Beyoncé, Celine Dion, and Luther Vandross. The song was announced in September 2001.[3]
The song was later released digitally on October 27, 2003, for $2 via whatmorecanigive.com and musicforgiving.com, supporting charities like Oneness and the International Child Art Foundation.
Music video[]
A music video, produced by Marc Schaffel, was released in 2003 and premiered at the 2003 Radio Music Awards. It features recording session footage, benefit concert clips, and images of the 9/11 aftermath[4]
Live performances[]
The song debuted live at the "United We Stand: What More Can I Give" benefit concert on October 21, 2001, in Washington, D.C. Carey participated in the ensemble performance alongside other contributing artists.
Lyrics[]
[Celine Dion]
How many people will have to die before we will take a stand?
[Billy Gilman]
How many children will have to cry, before we do all we can?
[Reba McEntire]
If sending your love is all you can give
[Nick Carter]
To help one live
[Usher]
How many times can we turn our heads
[Brian McKnight]
And pretend we cannot see
[Mariah Carey]
Healing the wounds of our broken earth
We are one global family
[Jon Secada]
Just sending your prayers
[Beyoncé]
Is something you'll feel
Helping one heal
[Michael Jackson]
What have I got that I can give?
[*NSYNC]
What have I got that I can give?
[Luther Vandross]
(Tell me)
[Michael Jackson]
What have I got that I can give?
[Justin Timberlake]
(Hey-yeah, oh-oh)
[*NSYNC]
To love and to teach you
To hold and to need you
What more can I give?
Lay down our fears and reach out and make a pact
[Gloria Estefan]
Show him the love that is in our hearts
Let us bring salvation back
[Luther Vandross]
Just sending your love has the power to heal
So let's all give
[Chorus]
What have I got that I can give?
[Luther Vandross]
(Is not allowed to give just a little bit)
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
[Luther Vandross]
(Everyone should be a part of it)
[All]
To love and to teach you
To hold and to need you
What more can I give?
[Michael Jackson]
Say the words
I'll lay me down for you
[Celine Dion]
Just call my name
I am your friend
[Michael Jackson]
See, then why do they keep teaching us
Such hate and cruelty?
We should give over and over again
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
[Michael Jackson]
(We should give over and over again!)
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
[Michael Jackson]
(Oh my God, oh my God)
[Boyz II Men]
(Oh my Lord)
[All]
See, to love and to teach you
To hold and to need you
What more can I give?
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
[Mariah Carey]
Ah
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
[Michael Jackson]
(Give you, give to you)
[All]
See, to love and to teach you
To hold and to need you
What more can I give?
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
[Celine Dion]
(What more can I give?)
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
[Michael Jackson]
(I wanna give to you, give it to you)
[All]
See, to love and to teach you
To hold and to need you
What more can I give?
[Michael Jackson]
(They think I'm wasting my time now)
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
[Michael Jackson]
(To give it to you)
[Mariah Carey]
Ah
[Michael Jackson]
(We wanna give to you!)
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
To hold and conceal you
(Oh, no, yeah, yeah, yeah)
[All]
To love and to heal you
What more can I give?
(Give me, give me one time more)
What have I got that I can give?
[Gloria Estefan]
(What I got, what have I got)
(Say your prayers)
What have I got that I can give?
(Show the world how much you really care)
To love and to teach you
[Celine Dion]
(To love you, teach you)
To hold and to need you
(To hold you, to need you)
(What more?)
What more can I give?
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
[3 Little Women]
(What can I give? Tell me what can I give you)
[All]
What have I got that I can give?
To hold and conceal you
To love and to heal you
What more can I give?
References[]
- ↑ Wikipedia — What More Can I Give
- ↑ The Mariah Network. (n.d.). What More Can I Give. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
- ↑ The Mariah Network. (n.d.). What More Can I Give. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
- ↑ IMDb. (n.d.). Michael Jackson & Friends: What More Can I Give (Music Video 2003). Retrieved June 10, 2025.
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