Everyone has seen those pictorials that mark the change in Michael Jackson's face from adorable little boy to scary elephant man. But isn't it what's on the inside that counts? Of course it is. And that's why I am going to show you the slippery slope of MJ's psyche over the course of his recording career. We'll skip over the Jackson 5 era; obviously his mental state was clearly controlled by his father during those years (which, by the way, lends great explanation to his behavior today).
Let's hearken back to 1972, when the fresh-faced young boy released his first album, Got To Be There. Look at that face, that smile. You just want to pinch his cute little cheeks! At this early point in his career, Michael had yet to develop the large ego that would allow him to build Neverland later on. This is evidenced by the selection of songs on the album. There are quite a few cover songs. Obviously, Michael wasn't self-assured enough to put out a solo album of his own songs. And it's obvious from the song titles that Michael was ready to embrace life on the wings of love.
Just eight months later, Michael released Ben. Already we see signs of stardom going to his head. Eight months? Who releases two albums in the same year? Even more disturbing, the title song is an ode to a rat. An evil, fictional rat. Was this a precursor to his monkey fetish? The rest of the album is filled with covers and generic pop songs but people, enticed by the sweet sound of MJ's voice singing to his rodent, bought the album in droves. MJ had made his solo mark in the world.
And another eight months later (was Michael a workaholic, or was he being forced into Motown slave labor by a cartel of sequined-jacket record producers?) he released Music and Me. Here is where things start to get interesting, as if Michael was leaving a musical trail of his path to child-obsession. Two titles, With a Child's Heart and Too Young clearly show that MJ, just fifteen at the time, was starting on the downward spiral to Neverland.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
excellent Michele, thanks for making this explicit - like you say, it was there all along
2 - Craig Lyndall
I really enjoyed this Michelle. Also if you remember the cover for bad, he was wearing a leather jacket with all sorts of zippers, straps and buckles. Strange 80's fashion, yes, but a little scary if you think about his ensuing relationships with children.
3 - Natalie Davis
Presumed innocent until found guilty? I guess not.
4 - Eric Olsen
Nat, SOMETHING has caused the transformation of this person from this to that, and I don't think it illegitimate to trace the signs back wherever they may appear, if only looking for the origins and expressions of things that aren't in dispute, like his fixation with childhood and all things childlike, the physical mutation, the inability to deal with the "real world," etc.
I hope he is innocent of these charges, I will not be surprised if he is not, we don't live in an informational vaccuum in the meantime.
5 - michele
Natalie, I meant this to be tongue-in-cheek.
6 - Natalie Davis
Oh, yes, I know.
7 - Al Barger
Actually, you're presumed innocent until you start poking little boys. Repeatedly over a period of years.
8 - Chris Arabia
all i would add are gratuitous mentions of "beat it" and "can you feel it?"
on a semi-serious aside: this post doesn't argue that he is guilty--it chronicles a descent of which possible criminality is just the latest and greatest symptom; and the presumption of innocence doesn't bar idle speculation.
9 - deDios
u r sick...u "think" too much...too much for your own good. why can't things just be, why can't things just happen because they are bound to and soppouse to...u really shouldn't go disecting people's lifes, dreams and feelings just because they're popular doesn't give u the right to.
just leave michael jackson alone...care about your own wrong doings and sins...and stop judging and making a mockory of somebody else's name from pure assumptions and ignorance. You should get a life.
10 - Eric Olsen
u think 2 little
11 - Becca
I think u r sick as well u r just tring to find something to do because u have nothing else to do with your own sad little life. Just leave Michael Jackson alone.
12 - M@B
Intereting summary - I thought he was the king of pop and loved his music - but like all good artists there is always a dark side ..... I HATE to say