News of the gloved one's death on my car radio while driving actually made my eyes well up with tears and after hearing each station pay tribute by dedicating their airwaves to nothing but his greatest hits, I decided I had to commemorate the wonder that is/was Michael Jackson in whatever way I could. The Barack Obama of rock n' roll and pop music, he was one of those few people who managed to achieve immortality while he was still alive and I sincerely feel like America lost one of its greatest visionaries. What a talent, what a genius, what a loss. What a shame.As they played perennial favorites like "Thriller" or "Beat It," they just brought me back to the days of my youth as I can still recall where I was when I first heard those magical songs, dancing around with my sisters in our old basement to my parents' vinyl or cassettes of Bad, Off The Wall, and Thriller. Or when I first heard "Billie Jean" and was completely awe-stricken by that killer music video, as I was/am by most of his dazzling videos that are each, at best, a visual tour de force . Then they played songs I'd long forgotten how much I loved, like "Do You Remember The Time?" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." He was so phenomenal... and I blame the media leeches who focused on his personal life instead of his musical achievements and just plain refused to leave the man alone. A prisoner of his own fame, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually died of a broken heart. I myself don't even have the heart to make any Jesus Juice jokes today, I just hope he's moon-walking his way to a much better place (than Los Angeles, at least).
I attempted the unfathomably difficult mental "Top 5 Favorite Michael Jackson Singles" tribute list while driving, and just couldn't settle on 5. Not only is that another testament to his greatness, but a man of his caliber deserves a Top 6 list. Here goes:
6) "Dirty Diana" / "Smooth Criminal" (it was a tie, really)
5) "Wanna Be Startin' Something"
4) "Man In The Mirror"
3) "Human Nature"
2) "Billie Jean"
1) "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (a great, de facto MJ tribute video)
What say you, QuickCritters? Share your cheers, but spare the jeers (this time only).
16 Comments:
I know it's only June, but I'm thinking this is already going to be the saddest news story of 2009 for me :/
Uh, how was he the Barak Obama of rock n' roll. That's seems contrived.
MJ was great, but not rock n' roll. Obama has potential, but remains unproven. The analogy fails to make a good parallel.
Haha, thanks Brasilliant. My thoughts exactly.
ps- Michael Jackson was definitely as much rock n' roll as he was pop, motown, pop, r&b, you name it. How you gon' pull semantics on me?
A true legend deserves a better and more accurate comparison. I would have gone for the Einstien of pop.
Explain how they are similar.
Haha, I said pop twice.
You're in the quickcrit doghouse. I do not wish to issue further explanation :p
I'd much rather you publish your list and I'll rip it to shreds. But if PYT doesn't even get so much as a nod...
Fair enough.
I like that your top 5 ended up being a top 7 and even then you could have added a couple more. I'm partial to "Beat It".
Favorite sampling of PYT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su_zrW9WBVk
I love the snap shot of MJ on the screen in the video too at the 2:15 mark :(
I know! Seriously, this was the hardest "Top 5" I've ever had to make. I only put "Dirty Diana" on the same line as "Smooth Criminal" since they were both rockier.
"Beat It" def. needs to be on my list, I just didn't know where to put it. Shoulda just made this a Top 10.
I just listened to PYT on my run this afternoon and I have to admit that I hate the song. The UHHs and Ahhh ahhh ahhhs are kind of pervy.
What? That's it. Trip's off! I just can't go to Portland now in good conscience knowing either of you hate PYT.
(uhh's and ahh's are bad, but hiccups and whatever else are fine? sigh)
His hiccups are fine, awesome even. It's the dirty panting that's annoying and the weirdo Mickey Mouse voice at the end. I think "Rock With You" is by far superior.
Oh Brasilliant, but don't you know niiiiiight is the perfect time?
He's just a man who's excited. We're all mammals, let's let that one slide :)
RWY is cool, but it's also more disco-ish. Mickey Mouse, haha, definitely a robotic mouse thing going on there!
I heard "Beat It" 50 times this week on various radio stations. Had no idea Eddie Van Halen was the riff-maker on that one. I totally forgot how much I loved that one, and now there's no room on my Top 5 list. Hands down, the hardest one I ever had to make and technically, I still didn't exactly do one. Impossible.
I think most scientists would agree that Michael Jackson was borderline mammal. However. HOWEVER, Beat it rocked. We're on the same page. You can still visit Portland right?
"I think most scientists would agree that Michael Jackson was borderline mammal." Funniest thing I've read all week.
I suppose the trip is on, but don't expect me to ever forget this PYT-hatred, haha. Just for that, I'm making Awmercy sit down and write his Top 5 MJ list for me or no dessert!
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