I have trouble believing that "Thriller" came out in 1982. That seems like just the other day except for all the Jackson water that has passed under the bridge. I think just about everyone bought that album. As I understand it, "Thriller" has sold more copies than any other album. I still have a copy. Hmmm. Wonder what that is worth now.
I liked Michael even when he was with the Jackson Five. He has to be the best Moon Walker ever. He invented that, right. Try as I might, white men cannot moon walk, or at least this one cannot.
Michael did really well, but he kind of pooped out a while back. First he messed up his looks trying to look like Elizabeth Taylor (I think he had a crush on her). Then his actions became questionable in regards to some of this dealings with minors, children who stayed over and slept in the same bed with him. I do not know any of that first hand, of course, but I am pretty sure it is all true since he wound up in court several times. Of course, it is politically incorrect to find a black person guilty of anything these days (O.J. leaps to mind) so Michael was never sent to prison, which is a shame. He could have remade "Jailhouse Rock" and outdone Elvis in every way.
I stopped caring about Michael even before all the child molestation accusations started because he was getting a little too Howard Hughes to suit me. I mean the guy was wearing a face mask around for a while to avoid strange particles from outer space, or something. Who knows what the warped mind is thinking in these cases. I think people like Jackson and Hughes get so powerful and rich they lose sight of reality. They start believing the world cannot go on without them so they try their best to live forever. Of course, they usually end up doing themselves in, one way or the other. I am sure we will hear more about all that as time goes on and the media gets down to the autopsy they usually perform on their dearly departed comrades.
No matter what I thought of him, it is still sad to see someone as talented, and as young, as Jackson leave this world. Of course, he made it longer than some of his peers in the music business, like Buddy Holly (dead at 22), Elvis (dead at 42), and John Lennon (dead at 40). Jackson would have been 51 on August 29. Holly died in an accident and Lennon was shot by an assassin. We should know soon enough if Jackson, like Elvis, was the cause of his own death. We can only hope not.
I think maybe Jackson had lost favor with most non-blacks. Most of the gatherings of mourners (if that is a good way to describe the screaming, laughing, sign-waving fans) I have seen on TV are predominantly black. Maybe white people are just reluctant to join in the wake (festivities?) for fear of being blamed for Jackson's death. Again, remembering O.J., that is probably not that far fetched.
However, please remember this, I have a record album by Michael Jackson. I also have Ray Charles albums and a CD by Billie Holiday. I would not give you a nickel for a rap recording, but Michael Jackson was a real musician. I will remember him for that, not the weird lifestyle he fell into in recent years. I would imagine God will forget about all that, too. Of course, Michael may be reporting to Allah. He had turned to Islam the last I heard. So he may be Moon Walking on fire right now. Again, let us hope not. He deserves better for all the entertainment he brought the world.
