Well, it’s already yesterday’s news, but hey, I’ve been busy. That’s right… Ed McMahon is dead. Also, Michael Jackson. And Farrah Fawcett… plus countless others if you want to be pedantic about it (which you clearly do), but I can’t possibly write obituaries for all of these people, so just FREAKING BACK OFF man! Excuse me.
But Michael Jackson. Wow. Who saw that coming? What a guy. At his peak, of course. Back in the early ’80s he was incredible. Just look at the “Thriller” music video. JUST LOOK AT IT!?! Outstanding. It’s in a league of its own. “Billy Jean”: probably the best song of the last 30 years. No one else came close to the greatness of Michael Jackson. I’m talking creatively, of course. As for the scandals, obviously when someone reaches the heights that he did, it turns you a bit peculiar. Like at all the great ones; they work hard for years until they get their big break. They’re amazing. Then they go crazy and die early or turn into a recluse.
But from 1975 to 1992, Michael Jackson was truly great. And although I barely lived through this period, his music has had a definite presence on the soundtrack to my life. I recall listening to “Black or White” in my year 2 class in 1994, followed by a discussion on racism, and then substituting “purple” and “blue” into the song lyrics the following recess, to much amusement. “Beat It” was played at my year 9 social, and I have forever associated it with being awkward around girls. The first time I ever took a drive in my car by myself, I turned on the radio and it was Michael Jackson singing “Bad.” Luckily for me I had just that day acquired my license, so it was all legitimate… So for the next week at least, I’ll be driving around with my windows down, blasting nothing but Michael Jackson from my cassette player and driving like it’s 1983. So in other words, I’ll be doing 60km/h instead of the modern limit of 50, coincidentally, the age of Michael Jackson. RIP.
Yours sincerely,
David M. Green
