Sunday, June 28, 2009

Michael Jackson: Memories of a Cultural Pop Icon

To hear of the death of Michael Jackson has been a surreal and unbelievable circumstance... Michael's passing brings back so many memories and over the last few days I see how folk all over the world are paying tribute.. At the station, we have been playing all Michael and Jackson Five songs.. it has been quite the trip down memory lane.

I notice that a lot of the "General Market" only remember Michael from Thriller on out... This is a curious reckoning for the King of Pop, because for me and those of my generation he has always, from the very beginning, been an extraordinary artist.

I was in Jr. High when "I Want You Back" came out. I can remember all the girls swooning over the Jackson Five and debating which one would be there boyfriend or husband when they grew up... I can remember seeing them on the Ed Sullivan Show - an appearance that rivaled the Beatles' appearance on the program in terms of magnitude... Michael Jackson was the bomb...

I remember that the Jackson Five cartoon was a staple in my household....

I remember when I went on my first WestPac as part of a fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps, that Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five were revered in Japan... I could not believe how HUGE they were over there.

I remember being stationed in Beaufort South Carolina.. At night, I use to take my radio and try to tune into stations around the land... I remember flipping through the static and hearing a station.... "W-W-D-M the big DM" .... and then I hear this enchanting keyboard line and a voice saying "it makes me feel like... it makes me feel like wooooo!...." I was amazed!!!!

I remember going to the Budweiser Superfest at the Pasadena Rose Bowl,,, Michael Jackson was one of the featured guests... He rocked that stadium to its core.. climbing up the lighting scaffolding and singing from the rafters of the stage... It was phenomenal...

I remember MJ's fascination with the imagineering of Disneyland.. I learned that he made regular visits to the theme park.. and a lot of his technical wizardry came from Disney-like innovations...

I remember We are the World...

I remember being a bit confused by Michael's turn to more Caucasian-like imagery.. The face surgery was a bit much for me, but like a lot of us I never put him down... because I don't care what you say about him... MJ was a baaaaaaad boy!!!!!

I remember his performance at the Super Bowl halftime... It was the largest halftime TV audience in history...

I remember the innovation of the music video... how he made so many mini-movies... Thriller was a 15 minute masterpiece... There are so many, but one of my favorites is "Remember the Time" where Eddie Murphy is the Pharaoh and my favorite Iman is the queen... Magic Johnson is in it too...

I remember sitting third or fourth row and seeing Michael Jackson on BET Awards with James Brown...

I remember seeing Michael Jackson up close and personal at Jesse Jackson's birthday party at the Beverly Hills Hotel...

I remember...... Michael Jackson...

2 comments:

Denise Lee said...

Wow Greg, lots of great memories. I was stationed at MCLB Barstow when "Off The Wall" was released. To this day I can't stand that dance the rock, but I still love that album.

Anonymous said...

His caucasian imagery?He wasnt doing it to be white ,he had vitiligo.