Miss you MJ

I am probably the 10 millionth blogger to say this Gosh ,I feel a sense of loss that Michael Jackson passed away. I grew up in Chennai, not exactly the most happening place in the 80’s , but my small taste of “America” was MJ and the Grammy’s. My cousin was back from the US and he had brought back a VHS tape of Thriller

As a 5 year old .I remember wondering what all the fuss was about, till he switched it on. Then after the initial scream when the zombies came out, I couldn’t believe the dance moves. So started the fascination, more for my sister than for me. After that it was late nights waiting to see the Grammy’s airing at 11 PM on DD. But Thriller to me was always special when my cousins used to darken the room, and invert their eyelids, play the song and dance (though I must say that’s the reason, I need to have a light on in my room even now ).I loved the zombie dance and still do that move sometimes when I get totally zonked out at work.

I used to try the moonwalk during Family get-togethers, much to the amusement of my relatives and horror of my parents. The MJ poster on my sisters wall came down, but somehow his music was always played throughout. Right from “Off the wall” to “Invincible” every album was bought and replayed at least 20 times on the first day. I remember breaking the cover of thriller ,with MJ in a white suit on his side, and being worried if my sister would kill me :)!!. Growing up, though his music assumed a significance that went beyond a song and dance routine. “Man in the Mirror” was a study in human introspection and “Heal the World” an anthem for World peace. “Billy Jean” and “Dirty Diana” were details of mistakes made while “Beat it” and “Bad” was a push back against aggressors in life. His music spoke to his personal life from “Leave me alone” against the paparazzi to “Childhood” about his loneliness and child abuse, he said "childhood", was the most honest song of his career.

I love all his songs, but “The way you make me feel” and “Smooth Criminal” can get anyone’s foot tapping. I remember we got the video for Smooth criminal during the holidays when I was 10. I watched it 50 times atleast. The story was crazy, but the dance could make even my dad break a move.There is a part in the video, when he slants to 60 degree angle, and they said it wasn’t through special effects. Tried that out a couple of times and nearly broke my nose. “Black or White “ came out when MTv first came to India, and the morphing technology at the end of the song blew my mind. I didn’t care too much for his History or Invincible albums. But “They Don’t really care about us” Im sure influenced quite a few music directors in Bollywood.

Its sad the last 15 years of his life was intersected with taints of abuse and plastic surgery wackiness, but this is all I say, I loved his music early on. It gave me the basis of western music, through which I developed most of my other tastes. The current artists are good but MJ’s genius comes once in a century, and I don’t think I am going to see another like him in my lifetime

So Goodbye MJ, hope the next life is better for you than this one was.

This song is how I would want to remember Michael - young and full of energy ,his songs hopefully his only legacy which live forever.

Shake a leg today today ppl,

Anu