Friday, June 26, 2009

MICHAEL (The King of Pop) . . . I'll Miss You . . . Rest In Peace . . .

Yes, even though I plead guilty to having poked fun at the one-glove-wonder and his family over the last several years, I've always had nothing but the highest respect for Michael Jackson's talents as an entertainer, singer and performer.

The first music I ever owned were vinyl albums cut by the Jackson Five, albums I still own to this day. My first school girl crushes were on MJ and his brothers, back when they sported the big 'fros and the bell bottoms. Posters of them from Right On magazine and elsewhere graced my bedroom walls. All it took was for somebody to shout, "The Jackson Five are on TV!" and like all of the other kids who'd been out playing or standing around outside, and I was off and running for the house. I'm old and grown and I still get chills when I see those clips off Mike and his brothers on stage doing those moves and singing those songs . . . "ABC" "The Love You Save" and "I Want You Back."

Damn, he's gone.

An hour before the news of Michael Jackson's death hit the airwaves, my son was upstairs in his room praticing "I'll Be There" on his alto sax. Something tells me that wasn't at all by chance. And I guess it's only fitting that the song is now one I'll always associate with the news of MJ's passing.

I'm sad, but not only about Mike. To be honest, a part of me, the starry-eyed little girl, I suppose, was really hoping Mike would finally get it together and reunite with his brothers for one last concert tour. Seriously. But it won't be until December, when I take my old J5 Christmas album out for a listen and hear that sweet angelic voice, that I'll really break down and cry.

2 comments:

Malcolm said...

Excellent post Lori! I can't remember a time when the music of Michael Jackson in some form (solo or with his brothers) wasn't a part of my life. It's a bit eerie, but last Wednesday because I was off from work Thursday and Friday, I started to write on my Facebook page "My weekend has begun. As MJ would say, "hee hee"". I was hoping for a J5 reunion too. Some of my favorite MJ moments were when he reunited with his brothers at the Motown 25 special and for the last time at the 30th anniversary concerts at Madison Square Garden in 2001.

By the way, one of the songs that induces chills for me is "I'll Be There".

Lori said...

Yeah, it's still hard to believe he's really GONE. Also, seems like everywhere I turn someone is playing "I'll Be There."