Secrets of the City

My most vivid memory is listening to the Thriller cassette while riding the Greyhound as the batteries slowly drained from my Sony Walkman.

When the batteries died I sang each song, in order, until I arrived home.

Also, the song Human Nature often gets stuck in my head.

I have Human Nature stuck in my head right now.

Great story, Max:

Here’s a older song

And here’s my story on the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/jun/26/michael-jackson-fame-death

Michael Jackson v.83 will be the one I remember most. But I think his music diminished the more plastic surgery he had. MJ went way beyond Diana Ross IMHO. Someone posted a note online that said News Hour used a clip of Zombie-MJ, from “Thriller,” when they announced his death. True? Oh, my.

I’ve got one Michael Jackson song on my iPod: Human Nature. Another trifecta!

Michael, right before he broke free from the family, singing Never Can Say Goodbye.

Billie Jean is my favorite song of all-time. I’ve listened to that song on repeat for upwards of an hour. Within the past year.

Then,Bix, this is for you. [via NPR]

(This might be a better link.)

My first memories is sitting in elementary school unable to go outside for recess because of the cold watching the Thriller video thinking to myself – I rather be outside throwing snowballs than watching this crap.

Truly – I never understood the appeal. I can’t think of one song of his I ever liked. Quite frankly he was a damaged human being that never was able (for whatever reason) to reach his full potential and live anything close to a normal life.

I was at a Brownies/Girl Scouts “lock in” party at some community rec center when I first saw Thriller. I was around 7 or 8 years old and totally terrified to watch it for some reason. I puked Cheeseballs and my mom had to come pick me up.

Also, for a brief period of time I was intensely, maniacally, obsessed with MJ’s sparkly glove. Not MJ, just the glove. In retrospect: Weird.

Michall Jackson and I were born just hours apart, and we both spent our early years in Indiana. Other than that, there isn’t much of a personal connection between me and the late entertainer.

The did think today about the contrast between Jackson and another 80s icon, Madonna. Moadonna was (and still is) a master of celebrity and fame. Jackson, it seems, was mastered by his enormous fame.

Both me and Taylor discuss Mr. Jackson in the PiPress: http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_12692938

My remembrances of MJ revolve around two stories.

When I was about six or seven years old, I was sitting around a campfire at my cabin…a rock with moisture inside exploded out of the fire pit. I instinctively caught the rock in my hand only to be burned quite severely. After going to the doctor he applied some salve and sent me on my way…with the instructions to wear a glove over the hand to ward of infection. I had to cut out the fingertips the next day at school to be able to write with a pencil.

Boy did I underestimate the cruelty of six year olds..for almost a week I was made fun of excessively for my “MJ Glove”.

The other memory I have is of riding around in an old station wagon with my parents and aunt/uncle searching every last target and toy store for that stupid MJ cabbage patch kid that my cousin absolutely HAD to have. I think we found it at a target in Roseville right before closing time.

Its crazy how just a few simple lines of text and a beat or melody can unleash so many memories and emotions.

I’m old, so I remember the Jackson Five cartoon which was on right after or before the Osmond cartoon show. Anyone? Anyone? No? I’m not surprised.

Michael was quite a talent. It is just too bad that no one told him no. Thus, his excesses got the better of him.

“Michael was quite a talent. It is just too bad that no one told him no. Thus, his excesses got the better of him.”

Fame and Money are two of the most dangerous forces that exist.

Hey, awesome job Max-imizing your exposure by with the help of a newly deceased famous person!

Hey Spaceman sweet use of the exclamation point to denote sarcasm!

did it work?!

he was a talented guy, that is for sure. His music and showmanship are revered the world over. I listened to him when I was young, thought he was very cool. Once he started butchering himself and bleaching his skin he became just weird to me.
Oh well, he will go down in history as a great entertainer.

Does anyone else read “spaceman” as “spa-che-man” as in Dr. Spa-che-man on 30 Rock?

The day after the Motown 25th performance, all everyone could talk about was Michael moon-walking during “Billie Jean.” The funny thing of it is, I didn’t own a TV at the time and never saw his performance in its entirety until several years later; only the occasional clip on an entertainment show.

Don Shelby once moon-walked for us at the Electric Fetus to show us how it’s done.

Michael was quite a talent. It is just too bad that no one told him no. Thus, his excesses got the better of him.

Excesses … or insecurities? MJ didn’t have a childhood (according to him); what he did have in its place was far from any concept of “ideal” or even “normal.”

Elvis died of excess; MJ died of loneliness and insecurity.

But, you’re right: It was probably impossible to tell him “no!” if it was something he really wanted.

Remember the Moonwalker movie? That was awesome.

Apparently, from 11:30 to 11:50 a.m. today, the bells of Minneapolis City Hall will be rung in musical tribute to MJ.

Awesome, but I don’t think I would recognize many of his songs played in that fashion. “Ben,” maybe.

I had the luck to dine next to Michael Jackson’s table at a place one time. I coulnd’t help but notice he had the veal.

Now everytime City Hall rings a bell another child molester gets his wings

Comment deleted for homophobic slur. Try to communicate like a grown-up, please.