I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change
Goodbye, Michael. Thank you for the music.
Michael Jackson's legacy will be his singing and dancing, which encouraged people to have fun and find joy in music. This theme pervades his masterpiece, Off the Wall. “Rock with You” featured Jackson seducing someone through smooth vocals and an easy beat. He urged listeners to feel the “force” on “Don't Stop Till You Get Enough,” and his voice's lower register and that irresistible percussion further enticed fans. Stop “Working Day and Night” and get lost in the beat, he urged. Perhaps the title song best expresses Jackson's philosophy: “Groove, let the madness in the music get to you/Life ain't so bad at all/If you live it off the wall.” Jackson's life may have been cut tragically short, but Off the Wall's messages of living life to the fullest will be appreciated by generations to come.
For me, there are two iconic moments in Michael Jackson's career I will never forget. The Motown 25th Anniversary is one. I was working at Tower Records, and we tuned in. When he moonwalked, the entire store was transfixed. In the aftermath I witnessed the closest thing to Beatlemania I probably ever will. Thriller just sold and sold and sold. It was unreal.
Just last week I was watching a clip show on VHI called Black To The Future, a look at African-American culture in the 1970s. They showed The Jackson 5 on Soul Train, performing "Dancing Machine." I remembered watching this kid not much older than myself doing The Robot, and being absolutely mesmerized. I always liked the music, but Michael's dancing was simply unbelievable.
My cousins and I were age contemporaries with Michael Jackson. So it was huge for us when the Jackson 5 hit big. Finally, one of our music idols was the same age as we were! Saturday afternoons we would pile on a stack of our Jackson 5 45rpm records and sing along.
Decades later it's still a tradition in my own home. I've traded 7" singles for CDs and sing with my hubby instead of the cousins. But the core feelings have never strayed. Hearing just a few notes is like stepping into a time machine.
Article comments
1 - Karen Stoessel
Thanks Kit...although never a big fan of Michael Jackson's, I did enjoy some of his music. I wish him peace in his spiritual Neverland.
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
He was juuust before my time. But his mark on pop culture was indelible even as an embattled caricature in the nineties. I'm sure a lot of people would like to remember him strictly by his music, but it doesn't do his legacy justice as a tragic figure who never really had a childhood.
3 - tink
Reading this, I am struck again by the breathe and span of MJs life work. Like other greats that have gone on before him, Elvis and Sinatra come to mind, there is no denying the fact that he had the ability to reach different generations of fans. And that he, like them, will continue to do so in the future.
Thanks to Josh and Connie for the opportunity to be a part of this article.
4 - Josh Hathaway
You're probably right, Suss. I don't think any of us can be exclusively defined solely by any one thing be it the best or worst thing we've ever done. Michael Jackson was more than a musician, no matter how significant his achievement in the field. Music made him world famous. Other factors took that fame to a completely different level. All of it is worth reflecting on, I suppose, including the music. Lost in the flood of everything else is that the guy was wicked gifted.
5 - Rosie
He was a game-changing musician, despite his psychological problems. I agree, living life to the fullest is a powerful message for us to take away.
6 - Sherry
Very nice article and thoughts about his music.
7 - The Other Chad
Enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts - thanks, Josh, for letting me contribute.
8 - Jordan Richardson
Well done and beautifully stated stuff, gang.
9 - zingzing
i'm listening to bad for the first time since i was 10 or so right now, and i think "liberian girl" could probably be a hit today. #1: it kicks ass. #2: r&b has stagnated, so the dated qualities, however small, might not matter. #3: if the streets of brooklyn, which have been absolutely filled with mj over the past few days say anything, this shit is hot right now. #4: i'm listening to it again, and it's better than the first time (or 150th, good god knows how many times i listened to it back in the late 80s).
10 - Josh Hathaway
Thanks again go out to everyone who participated and shared their thoughts. Thanks Rosie, Sherry, Jordan, and zing for the comments and kind words.
11 - Kit O'Toole
I enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts as well as readers' comments. I'm glad that you, Josh, gave us a chance to talk about MJ's musical legacy instead of rehashing all the controversial stuff. And zingzing, I agree, "Liberian Girl" is an underrated song.
12 - Susan Keeping
Tink, I love what you said. I am the same age as you and that was it...Michael was our age. I remember them playing ABC at my grade 8 graduation dance. I lost interest later in life but I'll always remember that little boy and his incredible talent.
13 - graham woods
well now the three kings of music are in heven.king of rock and roll elvis.king of contrey johnny cash.king of pop michael jackson.thank you to all..