Friday Fire: What Was Your Favorite Michael Jackson Track?
I can’t even get into the draft. I had a post I’ve been working on all day, passed out from a lack of sleep the last week and woke up to 100 text messages. Most were friends, associates, co-workers, questioning if Mike had died or not. There was a period where everyone was waiting for confirmation because the first outlet to report his death was TMZ. Ultimately, when I heard it was a shock. I’m still in shock. The majority of the texts said Mike was a big part of my
childhood. Whether you like it or not, Michael Jackson is the greatest entertainer of all time. He was the reason Black folk are on MTV. His videos were events. My family and I would sit around the TV and wait for his world premiers to drop. Thriller’s video was so unique it changed the game. I remember dancing to Rock With You with my first girlfriend in sixth grade. Nothing about his talent was fake or produced in a studio. It was all him. Talent learned from him. Like they say, often imitated, never duplicated. Any video where you see dancing was influenced by Michael Jackson. Remember the cocky dude who couldn’t stay in step at the end of the Beat It video? The magnitude of his death will be felt for decades. He transcended race, class, music, life. I hope his kids were able to learn from his talent and transfer Mike’s gift to whatever potential they have embedded in their soul. God bless the entire Jackson family.
I can’t believe this. He’s really gone?
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June 26th, 2009 at 4:01 am
Never had 1. There were just too many songs associated with so many of life’s greatest joys and deepest hurts. He touched every aspect of our lives with his genius. I’m going to see if I can find ‘Victory’ on vinyl in my dusty uptown crates.
June 26th, 2009 at 5:24 am
Many choices here but my all-time favorite is one of his earliest solo songs from the ’70’s, “Someday In Your Life” from the “Lady Sings the Blues” soundtrack. Touching song which was really sold me because of the beautiful sound of MJJ’s voice.
RIP, King, because we’ll never forget you.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:35 am
Smooth Criminal video. Best one he ever made. Out here in L.A. I am reminded why I love black people. Despite his troubles, issues ect Black folks are celebrating his life and his impact on theirs. My wife told me a party she went to when all they played was “1999″ and “Thriller”. Cats are on the radio talking about how they would skip school to catch a glimpse of him. Chris Brown, Usher, Justin Timberlake and all the rest need to bow down and pay respect to the man they owe their careers to. Directors of videos need to recognize. Down the line we can talk about other stuff. Celebrate his life now.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:38 am
I’m watching “Remember The Time”. Apparently Magic Johnson is imitating Buckwheat
June 26th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
So many to chose from but two of my favorites are “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” and “Human Nature”.
LOL@ awb
Yeah, Magic definitely was a poor choice. Perhaps they should’ve given him a non-speaking part.
June 26th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
The Thriller album was a collection of great songs, Thriller to Billie Jean …it was a “classic”…
When a Michael Jackson debut song came out, it was an event… I remember when Thriller came out, my school had like a Halloween party when I was in third grade..and later on the ‘Bad’ video was a television event on CBS in 1987, and I remember the In the Closet video debuting on MTV in 1991…
Beside the Thiriller album, two other songs that are favorites of mine are You Are Not Alone (1995) and Man in the Mirror (1988)…honorable mention goes to Smooth Criminal…
June 26th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Any woman that says “The Lady In My Life” isn’t her favorite is lying to you.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Oh yeah, “Man in the Mirror” is one of my favorites
June 26th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Human Nature
June 27th, 2009 at 8:44 am
Not to thread jack but maybe the better topic would have been our favorite MJ videos/performances. I’m going to put the extended video for ‘Smooth Criminal’ out there. ‘Remember the Time’ and ‘Thriller’ were great but when Mike did that serious gangsta lean coming out of the bridge I still squeal like a little girl. Great vid.
June 27th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Gosh, I’ve been re-introduced to songs I haven’t heard in 20 years or more.
With A Child’s Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SogvtTPpM60&feature=featured
Enjoy Yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwTsM9w9A9E
5 black boys had their own cartoon in the early 70s…that is fascinating to me
Stop, the Love You Save May Be Your Own
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bc2RuUKcsM
June 27th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
how can yall say that hes the? king of pop!! hes the best ! R.I.P
June 28th, 2009 at 1:13 am
can’t do it… can’t pick just one.
video? can’t do it… can’t pick just one…
June 28th, 2009 at 5:00 am
I guess if I gotta say one, it’s Billie Jean. If that ain’t damn near the perfect pop song, I dunno what is. My brother and I are a year apart in age and were 12 and 11 in ‘87 when “Bad” came out and we quickly became Thriller fans also. We were raised Seventh-Day Adventist and my folks didn’t listen to much popular music when we were younger, but once we heard Bad, it was all over. Damn….I still can’t believe he is gone.
June 28th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Yup, I agree with TC: gotta be Billie Jean. Although the video is kinda underwhelming, but the song itself, as well as the Motown 25 performance… sensational.
June 28th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
It’s just impossible for me to pick one. I think one testament to Jackson is that you have folks that like stuff from different albums and there is no really consensus best song from him like there are for other people.
July 1st, 2009 at 7:48 am
Gotta be “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’ hands down.
November 15th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Michael Jackson - American superstar. I love you is Michael Jackson!!!!!!