If you ask me what was
my highlight of 2009, it would not be me graduating from elementary school, or the infamous Kanye West incident at the MTV VMAs. It would be the death of the ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson
which was a shock for many, and life changing for mine. Sometimes you can still
learn from someone even after their death if you pay more attention. Like any
others, I could only see him as the Billie Jean, Beat It, and Thriller singer
with a controversy of changing skin color in his career. But his death put a
single trudge on me to go deeper into his music and less focus on the spotlight
the media gave him in his career. What I found had a deep impact on me and my
music preference until today, and also became the idea of me in setting up this
blog: 80s music artists. Top 10s, favorite artists, or just a pick of the week
and a story behind the chosen song will become the basis of my passion blog.
I was just one of those people who formerly knew him as the man behind the 3 smashing hits from the album Thriller. I started knowing him when the Sony Music celebrated the 25th anniversary of that hit album which was in 2008. A year later, the world was shocked with his death: I never took any interest primarily because I thought everyone dies in the end. But when I got home, I still remember vividly, even channels not related to music interrupted their program to bring this news. "Michael Jackson passed away at the age of 50 from cardiac arrest".
For weeks(or maybe months), radios, televisions were all repeating his songs. Charts were made especially for his songs only. CD stores in Kuala Lumpur made into the headlines, reportedly due to his albums selling out in a matter of 2 days, from the latest to his Jackson 5 days when he was just a lovely little child. I could not help in expressing my curiosity, so I followed my father to a supermarket and bought his 'Dangerous' video album, as well as his concert in Bucarest in 1992 which recorded the most attendance, and all sorts of top 10s and documentaries about his greatness.
The twelve year old me gave one chance only for myself to have a listen because I was superstitious in hearing a dead person's voice, fearing it might haunt me in my sleep. So, I installed the CD in the car for one song only, and the rest is history. I thank my father for introducing good music that is hard to find nowadays, or maybe I was not looking in the right direction, but MJ's music was just the beginning of many good music I found, and the further I look behind, the more it is from the legacy left behind by famous names such as Daryl Hall & John Oates, Kenny Rogers, Paul Young, and many more. Biggest credit goes to the late King of Pop. Your soul is still among us, and I commemorate you every 25th June and 29th August.
I was just one of those people who formerly knew him as the man behind the 3 smashing hits from the album Thriller. I started knowing him when the Sony Music celebrated the 25th anniversary of that hit album which was in 2008. A year later, the world was shocked with his death: I never took any interest primarily because I thought everyone dies in the end. But when I got home, I still remember vividly, even channels not related to music interrupted their program to bring this news. "Michael Jackson passed away at the age of 50 from cardiac arrest".
For weeks(or maybe months), radios, televisions were all repeating his songs. Charts were made especially for his songs only. CD stores in Kuala Lumpur made into the headlines, reportedly due to his albums selling out in a matter of 2 days, from the latest to his Jackson 5 days when he was just a lovely little child. I could not help in expressing my curiosity, so I followed my father to a supermarket and bought his 'Dangerous' video album, as well as his concert in Bucarest in 1992 which recorded the most attendance, and all sorts of top 10s and documentaries about his greatness.
The twelve year old me gave one chance only for myself to have a listen because I was superstitious in hearing a dead person's voice, fearing it might haunt me in my sleep. So, I installed the CD in the car for one song only, and the rest is history. I thank my father for introducing good music that is hard to find nowadays, or maybe I was not looking in the right direction, but MJ's music was just the beginning of many good music I found, and the further I look behind, the more it is from the legacy left behind by famous names such as Daryl Hall & John Oates, Kenny Rogers, Paul Young, and many more. Biggest credit goes to the late King of Pop. Your soul is still among us, and I commemorate you every 25th June and 29th August.
To kick off this week’s
topic, let’s look at 10 Michael Jackson songs you may or may not know, and I
will list my top 10 underrated Michael Jackson's songs.
10. Wanna Be Starting
Something
Title of this blog goes to this song. From the album Thriller in 1982, this is one of the songs I wish could go as famous as the 3 mentioned before. Probably underrated because there is no music video to further promote this song.
9. Dirty Diana
From the album Bad in 1989, this song is pretty great with the use of guitar as the main music. MJ can sing more than just pop. He sounded like a rock star here, except he did not look like one. Pretty emotional song.
8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
A feel good song to listen to if you are on a ride. Pretty fun to sing along with.
7. Dangerous
Song title taken from the album. This was the first of MJ's album I bought, along with others to come. Though not my favourite from the album, but the music is good. Apple to the ears.
6. Gone Too Soon
At this time he was known to be friends with Macauly Culkin (Home Alone) and was also known to be very friendly with kids until he was accused as a child molester. I never agree a single bit about that claim, but this touching song was for a friend of his, Ryan White who died at a very young age from AIDS. Love the piano tune from this. Might make you cry because there is pathos overload in this.
5. Stranger in Moscow
5. Stranger in Moscow
I can barely recognise him in this video. In fact I was afraid to just look at this version of him when I was way younger. What happened to his face? Nevertheless, he still had the touch of masterpiece at that moment, but this had already passed the peak of his career.
4. Who Is It
4. Who Is It
One of the songs in Dangerous. So much hiccups in it which he always got criticised about, but this showed a different side of MJ than we usually know. A more personal side of him.
3. Jam
If you're a basketball fan, check this out! You may miss one of the greatest moment of entertainment at this decade: MJ meets MJ. Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan together in the music video. Apparently, this song is about basketball so that's why Jordan is featured. Real recognises real.
2. Human Nature
A song I would listen on lonely nights or if I have a bittersweet feeling about a memory. Covered by Chris Brown in "She Ain't You". Advocating for the original, this one will remain the best version of the song itself.
1. Give In to Me
Another song that shows a different side of MJ. You will see a lot of this in his album Dangerous and I would recommend that album too if you want to find about more about MJ's music. Also my mum's favourite, that's why it belongs to number one on this list.
1. Give In to Me
Another song that shows a different side of MJ. You will see a lot of this in his album Dangerous and I would recommend that album too if you want to find about more about MJ's music. Also my mum's favourite, that's why it belongs to number one on this list.
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