“I’m Not Like Other Guys”. A quote from Thriller, in case you’re wondering. It’s appropriate. Michael Jackson was truly exceptional. (I’m focusing on the musician here, not the troubled person who unfortunately turned into a bit of a freakshow.)
Well, I feel like a big, bright piece of my childhood died today, and will feel this way for a while. I know it will pass, as it should (one must celebrate life and look forward) but there was so much joy in the music, and so much of it (the album Thriller especially) was so exceptional that it stood way apart from what was around at the time.
Even now when I hear a song from Thriller it sounds like it was created yesterday. This is a tribute to Jackson’s talents (and of course those of Quincy Jones). So much of my childhood into my middle to late teen years is heavily infused with a great deal of that music. I’m quite a bit upset about him dying. It’s just all too soon. Somehow, when an older musical legend of some sort dies, you’ve had time to prepare, as sad as it is. This is different somehow, in its unexpectedness.
Go and watch Thriller here on YouTube, or the masterpieces Billy Jean, or Beat It. Then follow the links to more of his music.
-cvj
Seroiusly, I am at a lost. I am just so upset because of MJ”s, too soon passing. Now he has left most of us missing him and hoping we are in a dream and when we awake, we will see him performing live on our televisions. I know I will never forget MJ”s smile, I just love seeing him smile. Michael J. Jackson was a well loved man, it is a pity I did not get the chance to meet him and be his friend so I could tell him “he is not alone I am here with him” so he would not turn to those drugs he ended up turning. Michael J. Jackson, rest in peace.
???why your gone too soon michael!!!
???i jzt wanted 2 say i lve you!!!!
Michael was a friend a true friend to many through his songs. He motivated he gave groove, he gave his heart. He was a friend of friends and loved making friends. I was around about ten years old when i brought the thriller album. Micheal you gave inspiration to many and you gave something. I’m
at a loss what to say, everyday that goes by i miss you, you were my friend, you were a buddy. You were creative and you brought joy and love to many as well as inspiration motivation to push people to go forward by your songs. Everyday i think what know you’ve gone how do we carry on. Goodby Michael Faithful friend
Goodbye Michael and I promise I will smile everytime when I think of You…
Goodbye King of pop…
Goodbye King of all our hearts.
Today the world said good-bye, but we will never really say good-bye because you are in all of our hearts forever. I hope you are at peace and that you are getting the love you so deserve from God. I love you and the world will never be the same without your music and without you. R.I.P.
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And now for a total treat….even the Bill Cosby intro is kind of charming–and it’s MJ at his most beautiful, Jackson 5-era finest.
Hey now Clifford, if you Wanna Be Startin’ Something….
Belizean: – No problem. I better understand what you’re saying now. Clearly I misunderstood your intent, so I should, on my part, apologize.
Best,
-cvj
“The music wasn’t particularly impressive. Was it a huge hit in 1983 because it had unusually high production values for that era?”
Clifford,
Sorry if I stuck a raw nerve. Perhaps I should rephrase my statement:
The music [in the “Thriller” video] wasn’t particularly impressive in comparsion to the utterly brilliant “Billy Jean” and “Beat It”.
Even as someone more or less exclusively devoted to classical music, I’ve been able to appreciate those two hits.
Hi everyone. We are working on a site to make the biggest signature book for Michael Jackson. We want everyone who want to tell him goodbye, don´t forget to go on the web.
Thanks for you time
http://www.byebyemichael.com
the web will be online along today´s day.
Sad news that prompts a couple of observations. MJ’s talent and career were so spectacular that my daughters and I were captivated by his performances, each of us at an age when we could be ‘pop fans’ with no hint of irony (Thriller/Bad and Rockin Robin respectively). And now we all feel a sense of loss. The speed at which the sad news propagated round the world was astonishing – I received a text from one of the youngsters within half an hour of his death, several hours before the news broke in the media in the UK. Whatever else, he did more than anyone (except maybe Prince) to synthesize ‘black’ and ‘white’ music into something new and uplifting.
No, please, you did not break up the discussion. Carry on. And goodness me, I’d never attack anyone simply for having different views from me. That would go against my entire outlook on life, frankly. On the other hand, I should probably have simply ignored Belizean’s remarks, but I know that several people who are very upset over the whole MJ thing are reading, and it seemed just such an obviously utterly inconsiderate thing to say at this time, so I responded.
Yes, I am English. I thought everyone knew that. 🙂
Best,
-cvj
Clifford, I realize now that I should have caught on that you had some prior experience with Belizean, after rereading the post to which I responded. On first reading, it seemed like you were attacking someone merely because they didn’t share the same musical interests as you. And yes, I agree completely with what you’re saying about the right time for certain discussions. My apologies for breaking up the party/wake. By the way, are you English?
myocardia, thanks for joining the conversation. I’ve had several years of Belizean’s contributions, so you might not know the pattern as I do. They are often thoughtful, which I appreciate, but more often than not, hardly very sensitive to others’ feelings. It seems to me that if you wander into a room with a group of people baring their souls and mourning the loss of an artist that meant a lot to them at crucial stages their lives, it is simply not a classy thing to do to jump into the discussion with your view that the body of work has no merit.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and nobody is obliged to like the music, but personally, I’d bite my tongue and wait for a more tactful time for such a discussion. Maybe it is just me being weird, and nobody else cares, but I was brought up to give a damn about others’ feelings. Call me English, or old-fashioned, or whatever you like.
All The Best,
-cvj
That should have been 3) Borderline- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P_Y0NEE_v0
Dang, my age is showing, I guess. I meant to include a few links to videos of MJ’s #1 rival in 1983-84, Madonna. Her videos looked slightly higher quality than all of her competition (excluding Jackson, of course), yet they look much more like something shot by a junior high student, when compared to Jackson’s videos of the same era.
1) Holiday- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56gX9C9lzjE
2) Lucky Star- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8zilsH4K04&feature=related
3)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P_Y0NEE_v0
Clifford, you should be ashamed of yourself. Belizean did nothing more than respectfully give an opinion, while asking a question. Some people never liked Michael Jackson’s music, even in 1983, at the height of his popularity.
Belizean: Yes, that was most likely some part of his video success. He reportedly was the first recording artist ever to have had a movie studio shoot a music video for him. Admittedly, though, he was so popular at that point, he most likely could have released dog sh*t @ 33 1/3 rpm (and some say that he did), and it would have flown off the shelves.
Belizean:- Thanks for being so remarkably generous in trying to find an explanation. But no, the answer is simple: Once again, you’ve revealed the shocking truth that everyone else’s tastes, values, and life experiences simply suck compared to yours. Got it.
Thanks again for sharing, especially at this time.
-cvj
Michael Jackson is my favorite pop artist ever since i was a child. He is truly the King of Pop and i am saddened by this news.
Thanks for the Thriller link. Somehow, I never got around to seeing it until now. The music wasn’t particularly impressive. Was it a huge hit in 1983 because it had unusually high production values for that era?
It is such a great loss that a man with great talent like Michael Jackson dies. RIP King of POP.
🙁 My first record ever was ‘Bad’. I only made it up to 2 records before CDs took over but I think I still have it.
That I will never share my birthday with him again is sad and strange. I remember finding out at the age of 15, on our birthday, that we shared the same birth date and it was a nice feeling. Although not an out and out fan, I have appreciated his output over the decades. I wish him peace – because he clearly did not have that for most of his 50 years. I will now buy my first Michael Jackson album!
Well said, Clifford, I feel the same way as you do. I am actually even a little surprised at how shaken I am by the news, since I wasn’t a huge fan of his, though like many I did have a sincere appreciation for most of his work. The world just wont be the same without him.