The Way You Made Us Feel

How do you eulogize a guy like Michael Jackson? He's an icon and a joke, a beloved pop star and a reviled public figure. His biography is so schizophrenic that it's like reading about two people. He's been the butt of more stand-up routines than probably any other celebrity ever, but he also the only person in the world to ever sell over 100 million copies of an album (1983's Thriller). But, as this is a music blog, and I am a music fan, I want to focus on the side of MJ that always made me smile - the tunes.

Think about that number. 100 million albums sold. That means that for every 60 people in the world, there is one copy of Thriller. That stat is unbelievable. If coordinated properly, one out of every six cars driving around the world could be playing Thriller. One in 3 people in the US could be bumping to that record. How absurd is that? Oh, and he's got 4 other albums that sold between 20 and 45 million more.

There's only one explanation for that - Michael Jackson was something special. His music had the power to cross generations, cross color barriers, cross genres. I heard a DJ last year remark that anytime he wanted to really get a club bumping, he would spin some Michael Jackson in his set. In 2008. The man could hold babies off balconies and still get people to dance.

My memories with MJ's tunes range far and wide - as far back as elementary school, rehearsing dances to "Bad" in my sister's bedroom. "Man in the Mirror" and "Black or White" are mainstays on playlists and mixtapes. I've had entire room sing-a-longs to "Will You Be There" (the Free Willy song). I remember watching the Super Bowl halftime show where he sang "Heal The World" - I was like 8 or something. Get this: for the first time, when MJ performed at Super Bowl XXVII, the TV ratings were HIGHER for halftime than they were for the game.

He started young, carrying a family of talented performers on his back while being exploited by an abusive father. He bridged the child-star gap in a way that few have ever managed, gracefully transitioning to arguably the most lauded solo career of all time. He was one of the first African American artists to be widely played on MTV. He changed the very idea of the music video. He met dignitaries, wore ridiculous outfits, and was a fantastic pop star.

You know what else? In 2000, he was in the Guinness Book of World Records for supporting the most charities of any entertainer. Yesterday, Poet and Rapper Saul Williams tweeted: "I received a MJ scholarship frm the 25 mill he gave UNCF for performing arts students. Thank u MJ 4 inspiring & funding my dreams & education". Bet you didn't know that.

There are two videos that should be watched, I think, to reflect on Michael Jackson. The first is a video of his performance on 1983's Motown 25. It was one of Michael's early solo performances, and shows just what a performer he was. Recent tags as "this generation's Elvis" ring true when watching the clip, he captivates with a music and dance combination that took the world by storm. The moonwalk set the place on fire, and the rest is history.

The second clip is a favorite of mine. It comes from Dave Chappelle, and features one of the best combinations of humor and sincerity that I've ever come across. Still, skip it if you're not a fan of curses and sexual jokes. Chappelle does the usual mocking of MJ for the first 4:30 minutes, but then gets a little more serious. He gets to the heart of the issue - the place of a performer desperate to have people like him. From Chappelle, an entertainer who has also struggled occasionally with celebrity, it's an interesting take.

Well, there you have it. I set out to talk about Michael Jackson's music, and ended up talking about his public perception and criticism. It's tough to separate out the two personalities, even though the issues rarely show through to his work. Fact of the matter is, I still turn on Thriller and Bad when I need a pick me up. Count me among the millions who will keep listening to the King of Pop.

Michael Jackson - The Way You Make Me Feel (YSI) (filesavr)

Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror (YSI) (filesavr)