Never Can Say Goodbye

RIP Michael Jackson

Yesterday we lost a musical ICON/LEGEND/MEGASTAR when we lost Michael Jackson.  I was shocked into a stupor and into denial, as were many people, because honestly he seemed incapable of death, if that makes any sense.  I just never even thought about him dying.  How do you say goodbye to someone who has decades of music that was the soundtrack to your life?  How do you say goodbye to an era?  From the days of being a cutie pie in the Jackson 5 to being  a revolutionary solo artist, Michael Jackson forever changed music and videos.  Share some of your favorite songs/thoughts/memories of the King of Pop.

Crying as I watched the tribute shows and videos, it really hit me as to how many of this man’s songs were ingrained in me.  It’d be nearly impossible to pick a favorite, as they were so diverse and spaced out.  I’d have to go by age/era or at least by Michael look(young black boy, black teen, hispanic young adult, white man, etc…).   This is  a tribute to my LOVE and admiration for the guy who made music worth listening to for decades.  Not to mention, have you seen that smile? He deserves accolades just for that beautiful smile.

Favorites:

young Michael/Jackson Five era

When Ben came on the radio today as I was driving, I seriously almost had an accident since I was crying so much.  This beautiful song already was a tear-jerker to the inner sap in me, and then with the circumstances?  I was practically inconsolable.  This, with Who’s Loving You; Music and Me; and I’ll Be There have always been my favorites from a young Michael.  They are songs that I can hear 1000000000 times and still perk up in excitement and cherish.  I still can’t believe that he’s gone…that angelic voice of his youth is the stuff that dreams are made of.

Thriller Era Michael

Human Nature is a BEAUTIFUL song on that Cd.  Honestly, I thought it was from one of his later cds, it sounds so mature and wonderful.  Thriller is fun, Beat It is hot,PYT is my FAVORITE and Billie Jean….iconic!  And with 109  million copies sold to date, obviously I’m not the only one who loved that cd.  And the way that the media is now, I don’t think that anyone will ever top his record.

BAD era/young adult hispanic look

My Favorite

My very first foray into Michael Jackson Mania was with my cousin who was in her late teens/early 20s around the time of the BAD and then DANGEROUS cds.  When I say that she was obsessed, it’s an understatement.  It was so bad that as a child (around 4-6), I actually thought that she was dating him because his was the only male name that I heard from her, she had his face plastered all over her walls and dressers, his music was the only thing that she listened to and she called him her boyfriend.  So of course young me really thought he was and I was so happy for her.  BAD still remains my favorite cd of his, from the simple fact of it was the soundtrack of my young years and I saw the videos on total repeat (you know she had every video and his little movies like Moonwalker on vhs).  My favorite song has always been BAD and that video along with him in SPEED DEMON (I can only describe him as beautiful in that video.  His smile was on a whole different level, and this was where the surgery was perfect and where he should have stopped.  Face still moved naturally, everything was gorgeous) set me on my path to being infatuated with light skinned/long haired men all through my teen days years later.  I hadn’t even made the connection until I thought about how many of my exes looked similar to that style.  God, I still want to lick the screen whenever BAD comes on; the clothes, the confidence/swagger, the dances….mmm, he could have SO got it back then.    My other  favorite song from that CD would have to be THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL.  I always get a smile when it comes on.  DIRTY DIANA and ANOTHER PART OF ME are also great hits from that cd.  I like the BAD cd even better than the record breaking THRILLER.

If nothing else, Michael Jackson was distinctive and will never be duplicated (as hard as most try…I’m looking at you, Chris Brown, Usher, and Ne-yo, among others).  His reputation may have been tarnished in the last 15 years, but his music and cultural impact speaks for itself.  He was the first black artist “allowed” on MTV, revolutionized the way music videos were done, spawned fashion trends that defined a decade, and set many a heart afire (well, you know, until a certain point where his appearance became quite…bad).  I wish that his personal life could have been as rewarding as the professional life, but with a rough childhood and what seems to have been body dysmorphic disorder, that goal of peace in life was sadly never to be reached and it saddens me that he was never truly happy even though he made so many happy.

What really saddens me and makes me want to hug him is how misunderstood I feel that he was.  Everything personal conspired against the poor man.  First his dad was an abusive psycho jerk and he was deprived a childhood which made him fascinated with being a kid later in life.  Then came the issues that made him so unhappy with his physical.  Being called “big nose” by his dad, a broken nose and botched surgery to fix it, hair catching on fire  and needing reconstructive surgery, vitiligo….how much can one person take?    So no wonder he liked being around kids, as they were probably the only ones who didn’t judge him or expect something in return for friendship.  Interesting how molestation charges only came up once the kid’s dad and Michael fell out and the dad said “I will ruin his life, it will be a win win for me” meaning he’d get money and destroy Michael’s life.  http://kingofpopmichael.info/the-false-abuse/ Because as we all saw, even if falsly accused of something like that, you never bounce back.  Then that opened the door for other leeches to come forward with the same type of bs.  For a man who is in the guiness book of world records for charitable work, a known patron for children, and a shy sweetheart, I just don’t  see him having touched those kids inappropriately.  I hate that it ruined his life and wish that so many things could have been different.  Such talent and such musical genius and all some can talk about is the weirdness that happened later.  No wonder he felt so alone.

I somehow never thought that this day would come, but goodbye to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.  You were one-in-a-million and I know that I’m not alone in saying that you will be missed.  We may have never understood you and it didn’t seem like you understood yourself, but the passion and dedication you put into your craft was undeniable and inspiring to all.  You “thrilled” us and indeed, are “gone too soon”.  RIP to the gloved one.