And Michael. Oh, Michael. What a brilliant, talented performer. What a crazy, sad, mixed-up life you've led these past 25 years. I first loved you when you looked like this:
That very poster hung in my yellow bedroom. "Thriller" was the first record I ever bought with my own money (pooled with my brother's, we also purchased Billy Joel's "An Innocent Man.").
I had black parachute pants, a white leather jacket, white leather ankle boots, and a pair of earrings -- one was a tiny crystal stud, the other a dangly rhinestone-encrusted white glove. I looked totally awesome, I assure you. LOL
It was sad, the way you descended into some sort of madness in the last 20 years, but Michael? Your songs are the soundtrack of my life. Interspersed with a lot of Springsteen, but you're there. The Motown 25 special and Billie Jean ... we talked about that performance for days! Winning 8 Grammys in one night ... The Thriller video ... Black and White, Smooth Criminal ... even the stuff that was done before I was born with The Jackson Five ... all of it is part of me and part of the culture.
You left an indelible mark on music and the world, Michael. I hope your long tormented soul is at rest now.
I had a Sabrina doll...like a Barbie. She was cool. You're enough older than me that you actually got to watch the show, I just knew about it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I was too young (and my mother too practical I guess) to be as totally awesome!!! as you style-wise, but I remember dancing in the front yard of a friend's house to Michael Jackson...he was THE thing, he surely was.
But indeed, what a life. Hopefully he is moonwalking in a more peaceful place now.
I still have my dolls--but the one I don't have is Jill since she was on the show for just two years.
ReplyDeleteI loved Michael Jackson in high school and had that album too. But, goodness sakes he was so whack as he got older. Hopefully is soul is at rest now.