Michael Jackson has left the building for good.
In what would seem to be a very sad ending for a supremely sad man, Michael Jackson will entertain no more.
Regardless of your opinion of him as a human being, you cannot deny The King of Pop's influence on the music of the eighties. When I think about Michael Jackson and his music I can literally map out my adolescence using his music as the soundtrack. Today I will remember the Michael I loved, the Man in the Mirror.
I was 13 years old and at my friends house after school when we saw "the moonwalk". Taped at the Apollo theatre for the Anniversary of Motown, Michael shocked the world when it appeared he could defy gravity. It was exciting. It was special, and when you watched Michael perform this never before seen dance move, you knew you were witnessing greatness.
I was a sophomore in high school, a kid of the MTV video generation, and my brother and I watched in awe as the greatest ever, Thriller music video played out on out living room TV. It was a rare bonding moment for my brother and I, and I still have my red leather jacket, just like Michael's.
Beat It, and the choreography from the video dominated my dance classes. For a brief time, a young girl dreamed of becoming a dancer in Hollywood or a Michael Jackson video. While Michael was King, the possibilities for a career as a dancer were real.
Off The Wall, which I consider to be one of his greatest albums ever, has countless hits that trigger memories of parties I attended and boys I danced with or kissed. Michael Rocked with us All Night.
The Jackson 5's A B C made a little girl Shake Her Body Down To The Ground and feel the joy of their special, soulful sound. It was then that I realized I had the music in me.
There were countless times when I loved Michael Jackson. There were countless times that I hated Michael Jackson. There were times that I was embarassed by him, yet intrigued by his bizarre life. I was never NOT interested with him and today I am sad that he has been taken so soon.
I will always remember him, and when I hear his music, I will dance. And I Won't Stop Until I Get Enough.
17 comments:
i think we are the same age exactly...
those are all my memories (and their corresponding ages) as well..
I think it's sad that Farrah's death is so totally eclipsed my Michael's.
I may have only been six at the time but still tried to dance like Michael with a lycra glove on.
It is sad when anyone dies. But yes as a child of the 80"s all of his music brings back so many memories. Luckily his music iwl live on.
A sadder ending couldn't have been written for MJ's life.
A Michael Jackson poster was the first poster of a boy I ever hung in my room. Next to my bed.
And I kissed it every night.
Wow.
It's amazing how many songs he put out over the years. It's too bad none of that made him happy.
The Michael that the world loved died long ago. After the weirdness that followed, it's tough to get too sentimental about the guy now. Not that I'd wish an early death on anyone, but it's not the tragedy that say, John Lennon's death was.
Yeah, this celeb death came down like a ton of bricks, didn't it ?
I remember not being able to wait for the Thriller video to premiere. I was a little younger when Off the Wall came out, so Thriller was the first big album (do they still call them that?) I got excited about.
I did a lot of introspective work yesterday. Began thinking of my leather zipper jacket, my checkered cap and checkered Vans shoes from the 80's. (Get the visual?)
MJ was my Elvis.
Check out the breaking Bubbles The Chimp news on my blog:
http://www.madtexter.com/2009/06/bubbles-chimp-announces-long-awaited.html
Michael Jackson was my first real link to American culture. Imagine my surprise when I actually came to the States and found that people don't moonwalk on the sidewalks.
Sigh. Back to watching "Remember the Time" on repeat now.
I feel badly for the tragedy that was his life, and I loved and worshiped him when I was 13, but that didn't stop me from mocking him the moment I found out he was dead. I never claimed to be a good person.
LOL at FancySchmancy!
How do you follow up a comment like that?
I've found it kind of disturbing when a few people I know the first thing they had to say was, "Well he'll never molest any kids again" and "Frickin' pedophile" and all that.
I'm certainly not condoning or endorsing pedophilia here but he was a young man at his passing and for people in our age range he was a part of our youth no matter what kind of music you liked or what color you are.
I agree with John though in that Farrah had the spotlight for like 6-8 hours and then Michael had to go and top her, LOL. Poor Farrah, LOL.
I'm with you. Loving the man for his many positive influences on my growth experience while shaking my head at the debacles of recent years don't have to be mutually exclusive. It doesn't mean I can toss away all that came before the madness or that I can't grieve for early death. He was a sad, lonely, complicated man with mega talents. I wanted him to make his comeback. I wanted him to right the wrongs. I wanted him to be my MJ of old. I am sad that he won't have the chance. Now, he is my Elvis.
RIGHT NOW I am watching a special on MSNBC called Living with Michael Jackson, a one hour special. It is sooo sad, but so revealing. It's going to be on again at 10 and 11. So interesting, if you get a chance.(It's Saturday...)
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