Taking a walk down memory lane with MJ

It is remarkable to think of how many people all over the world have come to know of this one person named Michael Jackson. Even more amazing is how this fact has been true for decades. Many people all over the world have there own stories to tell of how Michael appealed or didn’t appeal to them. Each most likely will reflect a piece of themselves as they recall moments along the timeline of his life.

As I share my memories in respect to his music,
I will not speak for all fans, but I feel it is very true for many, that Michael is much loved and admired for his works as well as the his one of a kind human spirit. I am proud to be a fan.

So here I go down memory lane with a connecting to his talent and music expressions. Beginning with his youth, for many a little ladies like myself back in the day, when little Michael sang we swooned, when he spun, our hearts swirled, and when he spoke we had listening ears clued to every word. If it wasn’t Michael who captivated a heart, it was one of his brothers, but Michael had mine. The Jackson5 were a different kind of group with great sounds and rhythmic grooves. Rocking robin wasn’t the only one feeling those early day tunes. The whole nation was rocking along with this little birdies sing along tweets.


As time moved on and the Jackson5 had long since left the stage, it seemed as if Michael grew up when no one was looking. All of the sudden there was this young man coming out of the woodwork with ‘Off the Wall’ and it was off the hook. It had a nice fresh upbeat sound that made you want to shake your boogie thing up onto the floor and dance with him. I remember well my little kitchen floor spins that I spun to “whew!” "don't stop till you get enough", and “dance with me”. Those were the day of discovering Michael's magic in making you wanna dance. It was great!

After Off The Wall popped out of nowhere, there came a series of MJ explosions. Between moon walking, Thriller, Billie Jean and all the great music he was throwing at us we didn’t have to think about who was bad, we knew it was Michael. He had it going on! You couldn’t stop even if you did get enough, because he was on fire.

Just when those fireworks were settling down, much to my surprise(again I can’t speak for all his fans but) I was shocked with the grand finale work he put into Dangerous. This album was making statements and breaking records. The Black and White video alone had people memorized with it’s technology with changing faces. That was another “WOW” like the moonwalk, it took you by surprise and kept you there. You couldn’t stop watching it. It took you over the top. That was my experience of it. In addition to that video, there were massive videos to let you visualized the songs as they played. There were great videos such as In The Closet, Jam, Remember the time, Will You Be There, Who Is It, and the Who Is It video making contest for the fans to participate in. But if that's not enough to take into account for the greatness all Michael was doing with this album, let's recall that famous all time greatest and much anticipated interview with Oprah. Now there was the real thriller. It was the world’s first peek at the man behind the talent. Michael was a man in motion. He was busy with his work as an artist and it was undeniable that he took his work seriously as he not only soared the skies, but he was looking like he was getting ready to orbit the moon as well. He was no longer only known for being Bad and a Thriller, but he had transcended into phenomenal.

But what happened in the mist of his beautiful flight was no joke. When I heard that Michael was being accused of molesting a child, my immediate reaction was that of the same as many fans, I thought it was just another one of those outrageous stories media fabricated. But it wasn’t it was a tragedy felt by millions and a blow to people all over the world. I remember thinking, ‘oh my god they are ripping his heart out. Killing him with his dedication and love for children. He went from rise in fame to personal humiliation and shame. It didn’t matter if the allegations were true or not, it would stain him for life. Every adult mind knew this, so even if you felt he was innocent, it was a horror story with no heroes to save the day. MJ was shot out in his flight with a missile targeted for termination. It was awful!

For the very first time in so many years, I saw Michael
on Television reflecting a person looking like a man run over by a truck as he told the world of his woes surrounding the accusations.

Time passed, and you may have begun to think he had more than one man could bare, but that didn’t stop him. He came back with HiStory.

He was angry and we got to hear a side of him that maybe we didn’t quite know existed. I remember my first take on this album when I gasped, 'Did he say sh**?' I almost wanted to stand at attention when I first heard this expression coming from the captain of humanitarianism. This may be because my mother who was also born on August 29th didn’t swear much when I was growing up, but when she did and said the ‘s’ word it was scary. So I don’t know about the rest of the world, but Michael's cursing was a jolt to me. As far as my personal take on the content of HiStory, there was a lot of anger and sadness in it. You weren’t dancing to these tunes, but the music was still very good.

It was a accepting of where else could he go as an artistic other than to were he was. Even though it wasn’t a good place, it was understandable and HiStory was deeply appreciated. The gladness in dance was gone and Michael was coming from a different place now. Changed!

I felt his next album Blood On The Dance Floor reeked of more pain that was evidently turned into anger. Which is a natural defense mechanism for humans when the pain just won’t stop. So with the combination of these two albums I would conclude Micheal was showing his human side. You knew he was hurt and angry and it was pouring out through his music even still after HisTory.

Although I felt for him as a person because of all he had been through, I related to his work like a fan. Blood on the dance floor was the first album I didn’t care for too much at the time of it’s release However later I came to love some of the tracks Michael had on there like History, This time around and Earth Song. Were the dance had fizzled out in History, Blood on the dance floor was spicing the tunes up a notch. The only thing was that it still felt like pain. Then he got quiet.

So then again years later I was just getting a computer and dabbling in some of my interest when I stumbled upon a Michael Jackson fan site. This is were I got wind of the notion that he might retire. I remember vividly sitting there trying to imagine the world without Michael’s voice in it. It wasn’t good!

So it was more than my pleasure to later hear that his next album ‘Invincible would be surfacing. This was the first album I waited for before the release. That’s what thinking about losing what you’ve taken for granted will do to you. This album also came out at what was a difficult time for me so I was more than Thrilled to throw on a set of headphones and get lost in a sing along. I didn’t care that I was off key and couldn’t sing worth beans. After all, I was by myself(most of the time) and wasn’t trying to be a rock star. I was just glad to have the fresh sound of Michael's voice resonating in my ears once again.

Invincible was different than Michael’s earlier works. He was quieter and more mellow. It was a refreshing change of pace from pain and anger, but I still felt it missed elements like his MO(modus Oporandi) for many videos that let you visualise his dance energy to the songs. Yet I sang every song and love this album to no end.

Despite the stigma of Sony’s pulling a fast one with issues such as lack of promotion, sticky fingers for the Beatles catalog, media injustice, the back stabbing Bashire interview, and still more media injustice, and yet another abuse claim, this is where I feel most of Michael’s fan came to love him more. Fans just wanted him to be treated fairly, but were realizing our feelings didn’t matter, much of the world was seeing Michael through news media eyes and they were most often one sided and competing for network ratings. I still feel people are not getting all the information of what really went on in Michael's life because 'news' has become limited to opinions more than just presenting the facts. This without doubt has been the most hurtful part of being a Michael Jackson fan. Most often when we who felt he was innocent spoke out for him, we got put down with him. It wasn’t just his struggle anymore. Fans who were standing up for him, were also taking the blows with him. I often felt that those who spoke of fans idol worshiping him didn’t realize that it was quite the opposite, at least for some of us. He was a person whom many people thought perfectly fine to tear apart, as if being famous made it ok. It wasn’t fans who were forgetting that Michael was human during his trials and tribulations, we knew it and felt for him because of it. I am sure that many if not most of his supporting fans can relate to this.

There were many tugs and pulls along with hope and anticipation when it came to Michael’s work in the last years. Now it has become an unsettling sense of unfinished lingering and an untimely passing on.

Thankfulness is in having been touched by his work and walk in life.

He will be missed as an artist and person. May he be left alone to rest in peace.

Bill Honoring Michael Jackson

HRES 600
111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 600

A tribute to an American legend and musical icon.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 26, 2009

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas (for herself and Ms. WATSON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

RESOLUTION

A tribute to an American legend and musical icon.

Whereas Michael Jackson was not only an accomplished recording and performing artist, he was a noted humanitarian;

Whereas Michael Jackson began his stellar recording career as the featured member of ‘The Jackson 5’, which was the first act in recorded history to have their first four major label singles ‘I Want You Back’,‘ABC’,‘The Love You Save’, and ‘I’ll Be There’, reached the top of the American charts;

Whereas the internationally recognized ‘Thriller’ released in 1982, which became a smash hit yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million worldwide. It was a monumental moment in music history;

Whereas Michael Jackson was labeled ‘The King of Pop’, Jackson’s music is internationally recognized and critically acclaimed;

Whereas Michael Jackson was one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice;

Whereas in the early 1980s, Michael Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as ‘Beat It’, ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘Thriller’--widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form--helped bring the relatively new channel to fame;

Whereas, on January 10, 1984, Michael Jackson visited the unit for burn victims at Brotman-Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, and demonstrated his concern with people suffering from grievous injuries;

Whereas, on April 9, 1984, David Smithee, a 14-year-old boy suffering from cystic fibroses was invited to Michael’s home, in response to a dying request to meet Michael. David passed away 7 weeks later;

Whereas, on April 14, 1984, Michael Jackson was single handedly responsible for equipping a 19-bed-unit at Mount Sinai New York Medical Center. This center is now a critical part of the T.J. Martell Foundation for leukemia and cancer research;

Whereas, on July 5, 1984, during the Jackson’s press conference at Tavern On The Green, Michael announced that his portion of the earnings from the Victory Tour would be donated to three charitable organizations: The United Negro College Fund, Camp Good Times, and the T.J. Martell Foundation;

Whereas, on July 14, 1984, after the first concert of the Victory Tour, Michael met 8 terminally ill children backstage;

Whereas, on December 13, 1984, Michael visited the Brotman Memorial Hospital, where he had been treated when he was burned during the producing of a Pepsi commercial. He subsequently donated all the money he received from Pepsi, $1.5 million, to the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children;

Whereas, on January 28, 1985 Michael and 44 other artists met to record ‘We Are The World’, written by Michael and Lionel Ritchie, a project devoted to fighting global hunger. The proceeds of this record were donated to the starving people in Africa;

Whereas in 1986, Michael set up the ‘Michael Jackson UNCF Endowed Scholarship Fund’. This $1.5 million fund is aimed toward assisting students majoring in performance art and communications, with money given each year to students attending a UNCF member college or university;

Whereas, on February 28, 1986, after having had a heart-transplant, 14-year-old Donna Ashlock from California received a call from Michael Jackson. He had heard that she was a fan. Michael invited Donna to his home following her recovery;

Whereas, on September 13, 1987, Michael supported a campaign against racism. He made every effort to publicly support NAACP, in the fight against discrimination of African-American artists;

Whereas in October 1987, at the end of his ‘Bad Tour’, Michael donated personal items to UNESCO for a charitable auction. The proceeds of his donation were allocated for the education of children in developing countries;

Whereas, on February 1, 1988 The Song ‘Man In the Mirror’ entered the charts. The proceeds from the sales of this record went directly and exclusively to Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a camp for children who suffer from Cancer;

Whereas, on March 1, 1988, at a press conference held by his sponsor Pepsi, Michael presented a $600,000 check to the United Negro College Fund;

Whereas on April 1988, Michael Jackson ensured that free tickets to three concerts in Atlanta, Georgia, were specifically set aside for the Make a Wish Foundation;

Whereas, on May 22, 1988, Michael visited cancer-stricken children in the Bambini-Gesu Children’s Hospital in Rome. He signed autographs and gave away sweets and records to the young patients. He also announced his monetary donation of 100,000 pounds to the hospital;

Whereas, on July 16, 1988, Michael met the Prince of Wales and his wife Diana, where he donated 150,000 pounds for the Prince’s Trust, and a check of 100,000 pounds for the children’s hospital at Great Ormond Street;

Whereas, on July 20, 1988, Michael visited terminally ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. At a unit for less critical patients he stayed longer and to engage in story telling time with the children;

Whereas, on August 29, 1988, at his 30th birthday Michael performed a concert in Leeds, England, for the English charity organization ‘Give For Life’, an organization designed as an immunization charity for children. Michael presented a check for 65,000 pounds;

Whereas on January 1989, the proceeds of one of Michael’s shows in Los Angeles were donated to Childhelp USA, the biggest charity organization against child abuse. In appreciation of the contributions of Michael, Childhelp of Southern California founded the ‘Michael Jackson International Institute for Research On Child Abuse’;

Whereas, on January 10, 1989, upon the winding down of his ‘Bad Tour’, Michael Jackson donated tickets for each concert to underprivileged children, and made contributions to hospitals, orphanages and charity organizations throughout each stop on his tour;

Whereas, on February 7, 1989, Michael visited the Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California, a site of playground violence where 5 children had been tragically killed and 39 had been wounded;

Whereas, on March 5, 1989, Michael invited 200 underprivileged children of the St. Vincent Institute for Handicapped Children and of the organization Big Brothers and Big Sisters to the Circus Vargas in Santa Barbara. Following the event, the children were invited to his ranch to visit his private Zoo at Neverland Ranch;

Whereas in December 1991, Michael’s office MJJ Productions donated more than 200 turkey dinners to needy families in Los Angeles;

Whereas in February 1992, within 11 days Michael covered 30,000 miles in Africa, to visit hospitals, orphanages, schools, churches, and institutions for mentally handicapped children;

Whereas, on February 3, 1992, at a press conference at the New York Radio City Music Hall, Michael announced that he is planning a new world tour, to raise funds for his new ‘Heal The World’ Foundation. This Foundation was designed to support the fight against AIDS, Juvenile Diabetes, the Ronald McDonald Camp, and the Make A Wish Foundation;

Whereas, on May 6, 1992, Michael defrayed the funeral expenses for Ramon Sanchez, who was killed during the Los Angeles riots;

Whereas, on June 26, 1992, Michael presented the Mayor of Munich, Mr. Kronawitter, with a 40,000 DM check for the needy people of the city;

Whereas on July 1992, Michael donated 821,477,296 Lire to La Partita del Cuore (The Heart Match) in Rome and donated 120,000 DM to children’s charities in Estonia and Latvia;

Whereas, on July 25, 1992, at his concert in Dublin, Ireland, Michael announced that he will give 400,000 pounds of the tour earnings to various charities;

Whereas in June 1993, Michael announced a donation of $1.25 million for children suffering as a result of the riots in Los Angeles;

Whereas on October 1993, Michael Jackson donated $100,000 to the Children’s Defense Fund, the Children’s Diabetes Foundation, the Atlanta Project, and the Boys and Girl Clubs of Newark, New Jersey;

Whereas on December 1993, in conjunction with the Gorbachev Foundation, Michael Jackson airlifted 60,000 doses of children’s vaccines to Tblisi, Georgia;

Whereas in 1994, Michael donated $500,000 to Elizabeth Taylor’s AIDS Foundation;

Whereas, on October 1, 1996, Michael donated the proceeds of his Tunisia concert to ‘The National Solidarity Fund’, a charity dedicated to fighting poverty;

Whereas, on December 9, 1996, during the ‘History Tour’ visit in Manila, Michael visited a Children’s Hospital, where he announced that a portion of his concert earnings will be donated to the renovation of the Hospital;

Whereas the Millennium Issue of the ‘Guinness Book Of Records’ named Michael as ‘the Pop Star who supports the most charity organizations’;

Whereas in 2004, The African Ambassadors’ Spouses Association, honored Michael Jackson for his worldwide humanitarian efforts, due to his fiscal contribution of more than $50 million to various charities, including many organizations that feed the hungry in Africa; and

Whereas we today mourn with and send our condolences to the children that Michael Jackson left behind: Prince Michael, Paris Michael, and Prince Michael II and his mother, father, brothers, and sisters: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) recognizes Michael Jackson as a global humanitarian and a noted leader in the fight against worldwide hunger and medical crises; and

(2) celebrates Michael Jackson as an accomplished contributor to the worlds of arts and entertainment, scientific advances in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, and global food security.

Michael Jackson was a giving humanitarian, He has an amazing list of gifts he gave in his time.
A Must Read: http://ping.fm/7HhwU

When muddy contaminated water is the only substance humans have to drink, projects like Dr. Allgood's work give life. http://bit.ly/kXcxO

Anyone Out There Still Smoking Cigarettes?
This is not a healthy alternative, but a healthier one.
Cigana: http://bit.ly/3ZCa5H

When the media 'report' is opinions with supporting images and innuendos instead of facts, it's not freedom of speech, it's abuse.

Fourth of July long distant traveling? Download quality audios books, speakers, and podcasts for hours of safe & alert driving. bit.ly/ywwS3