What the REAL Michael Jackson Meant to Me.

Hello one and all - again.

My earliest memory of ever listening to a Michael Jackson record was roughly in 1978 when I was 6 years old and a song on the radio kept telling me to "Shicya butty don to a gruhhh!" all the while telling me also to "dance and shout". Little did I realize that I would soon be introduced to musical greatness at such an early age. The following year, 1979, another song kept singing the refrain: "Piddo. Witta buss do stow; don' stop tuh get a mop" in such a high falsetto voice, I almost thought I was hearing a Bee Gees song in fast forward. However, once my family embraced the Seventh-day Adventist church, my secular radio days were over, and I was forced to listen to interminable songs about the "Love of Jesus" and stuff like that.

So, if you guessed my mangled malapropped lyrics, yes, the first was "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" by The Jacksons, and Michael's first solo no.1 as an adult, "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough", off his very adult solo debut album, Off the Wall. By adult, I mean - he wasn't the cute button-nosed cherubic boy fronting his brothers in the Jackson 5. He was on his own. A force to be reckoned with as his smash hit disco classic denoted.

While Off the Wall kept pouring out hit after hit, including his second adult no.1 hit "Rock with You", then, the top-10 hit, "She's Out of My Life", a soulful ballad that found its star shedding a tear and we doing the same - and also the title track; Michael Jackson was proving that audiences were still clamoring for disco and for dancing. His music was clearly distanced from the mostly bubblegum pop/R&B songs he sang solo and with his brothers.

After a brief return with his brothers and me still unable to listen to the radio, it would be about two years till I saw a NYC Subway poster announcing his second Epic Records release, Thriller, in late 1982. I didn't think much of it as my own 10-year-old mind had more pressing issues to deal with.

Then, in 1983 and still unable to get past any song that didn't have "God" or "Jesus" in the title - something happened. Songs were beginning to creep into my consciousness. Songs with titles like "The Girl is Mine", his first duet with ex-Beatle, Paul McCartney, "Billie Jean" which to be fair, made me think it was a song about tennis player, Billie Jean King; not about groupies. The most enigmatic song would prove to be "Beat It" where Michael would incorporate a hard rock sound without flinching or sounding false. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", "Human Nature" and of course, "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" would all hit the soundwaves around me and it became clear that the world got bulldozed by Michaelmania.

I still of course, wasn't allowed to listen to the radio.

But I didn't miss a beat of Michaelmania! His songs, videos, commercials - including the infamous hair-caught-on-fire disaster of the 1984 Pepsi commercial signaling the "Victory" tour with his brothers. "Billie Jean" was the most malapropped song in my pre-middle school class, and yes, I couldn't forget how "Weird Al" Yankovic capitalized on Michaelmania with his song spoof, "Eat It" which turned his rock anthem, "Beat It" into an anthem for those wanting/needing fast food!

I was too young to see the "Thriller" music video ne: couldn't afford or was allowed to have cable TV. I do remember whispers that the video was equal parts scary, funny, dumb, etc. etc., but the church I was a part of, already condemned it as a celebration of the occult because of Jackson's transformation into a werewolf at the beginning of the film. Never mind the fact that Jackson himself had a disclaimer at the beginning that due to his Jehovah's Witness faith - there was no endorsement of the occult and all of it was just for fun.

Also, also, never mind that Michael Jackson wanted horror/comedy filmmaker John Landis: the man responsible for Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, and his recent horror comedy hit, An American Werewolf in London to recreate the infamous David Naughton werewolf transformation scene in a humorous way. So much for factchecking.

The 'BAD' Years.

After a hiatus that included being the co-creator of USA For Africa and scoring a song-credit for his charity single "We Are the World" to combat the famine in Ethiopia, as well team up with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola to create the short sci-fi musical, Captain EO, and was now able to buy secular singles, cassettes and albums - a new Michael Jackson album was always on my radar - and Eureka! Whispers of a new Michael Jackson album was all over the MTV zeitgeist. However, Prince, Madonna, Elton John, Van Halen, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder, Wham!, Whitney Houston, Journey, a-ha, Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, Sheena Easton and even Boy George were becoming fun distractions. Then, I got a great birthday present! BAD, his third CBS/Epic solo release was in the bag and ready to drop at the NYC Tower Records any day now in August of 1987. I went to Fiorello La Guardia High School by Lincoln Center, so clearly - the excitement was palpable!

Oh, and his baby sister, Janet Jackson was already on fire with her Control album which was already catapulting her into musical super-stardom!

Once I bought the BAD album, I was loaded for bear. I sampled every track and imagined myself in his shoes. what he was thinking and what emotions did they conjure. This clearly was a new Jackson - more confident, tougher, grittier, a bit less playful and even more direct with his intent. Groove you, move you and most definitely make you think. This wasn't Thriller, but in the end, it wasn't trying to be.

From the title track, to "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Speed Demon", "Liberian Girl", each song clicked - minus one - the Stevie Wonder duet, "Just Good Friends", which just felt a little bit like filler, no offense to the funky polished sound they were going for. But Side 2, continued the ride: "Another Part of Me", "Man in the Mirror" (the closest thing to gospel he had ever done up to date), "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" his no. 1 duet with session singer Siedah Garrett, who sounds too identical to him. Of course, his sole rock track: "Dirty Diana" with Billy Idol veteran guitarist, Steve Stevens with a rollercoaster solo and his now iconic, "Smooth Criminal" that made it to his movie, Moonwalker, as a Fred Astaire/Guys and Dolls hybrid. Only two tracks didn't fully resonate - "Dirty Diana", I'm sorry, was nowhere in the same caliber as "Beat It" despite Stevens excellent guitar work - but, no carp. BAD rose to the challenge and became Jackson's second 1980s album to be part of my life soundtrack.

Wrapping Up.

Since the movie "Michael" chose to stop at precisely the BAD era, it's here where I will stop. Michael Jackson scored five straight Billboard Hot 100 hits and BAD went multi-diamond (estimated at 35+ million units sold as of 2026) and tied Thriller with the most singles out of one album - 7 singles, breaking the very record Bruce Springsteen tied him with his equally iconic album, Born in the U.S.A. Did he top Thriller? No, but he came awfully damn close which meant the bar was set for the 1990s, which could continue the streak with Dangerous in November of 1991, which had him part ways with longtime producer Quincy Jones and introduce us to his new jack swing sound courtesy of Guy's co-founder, Teddy Riley.

Since I was told there'd be a Part 2 to the first "Michael", I figured I'd wait to delve into 1990s and 2000s Michael Jackson if need be. For now, Michael Joseph Jackson of Gary, Indiana, who came into existence in August 29, 1958, and left us in June 25, 2009, was truly the King of Pop without irony nor hyperbole. His music still runs through radio stations and his videos are streamed by the billions. Yes, as Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and Donna Summer were the respective King and Queens of Rock n' Roll, Soul and Disco, Michael was the King of his kingdom - bar none.

Short List of Michael Jackson/Jackson 5 Favorites 1970-1989.

These are a few of my favorites of MJ/J5 hits...that may not be on your radar.

Maybe Tomorrow - Jackson 5 (1971). A rare soul ballad that was way more adult sounding than it should've been. A minor hit as it only peaked at no. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, but placed top 3 on the Soul/R&B charts.

Got to be There - Michael Jackson (1971). His first solo debut on Motown with very adult lyrics which showcased his killer range and would prove to chart high on the pop and soul charts.

Dancing Machine - Jacksons (1974). Their first real foray into disco and where the "Robot" dance was introduced. Jackson's voice showing a bit of change and they dropped the numerical at the end of their name.

One Day in Your Life - Michael Jackson (1975). The first time we heard his more teenaged near adult voice and a song that upsets me that it wasn't a bigger hit upon its initial release. Would rechart in 1981 and become big in the UK though.

Enjoy Yourself - Jacksons (1976). The disco trend continued and gave us a fun bubbly slappy bop in the bicentennial year.

Workin' Day and Night - Michael Jackson (1979). One of many baubles from Off the Wall that made you want to run out to the nearest discotheque in the city or town and shake you booty down to the ground.

Burn This Disco Out - Michael Jackson (1979). The other one. See aforementioned.

Baby Be Mine - Michael Jackson (1982). One of two Thriller tracks that were considered filler, but of all of them, including the superiorly jazzy "The Lady in My Life", I love this boppy, sweet mid-tempo ballad that could've been a great Valentine's Day staple had it been the eighth hit off that album.

State of Shock - The Jacksons & Mick Jagger (1984). The only real hit on this list, but still largely forgotten by the MJ cataloguers as it felt more like a solo effort/duet with the Rolling Stones frontman - but who cares? You slapped your thighs 'til it hurt, admit it!

Speed Demon - Michael Jackson (1987). A deft mix of rock, danceable funk and overall badassery that reminded me a little bit of Foreigner's 1981 danceable rock/dance hit, "Urgent". Great Claymation video from Moonwalker gives it weight. Finally...

Leave Me Alone - Michael Jackson (1987). A cut not included on the initial Lp or cassette release of BAD but was finally added as it seems to have given us a bit of clue as the fatigue Michael was dealing with prior to "Scream", his 1995 duet with sister, Janet.

To be continued...hopefully.