Remembering Michael Jackson - The Essential Playlist
Michael Jackson passed on to the great beyond on June 29th, 2009. This blog dedicates this month to highlighting his bounteous musical offerings to the world. MJ was a charismatic, magnetic and multi-talented icon- singer, songwriter, producer, director, dancer, choreopgrapher and actor. He was also a lesson in ambiguity developed out of self-preservation. He was vulnerable and delicate, but had a serious demeanour, gentlemanly, but gangsterish; soft-spoken, but assertive; flamboyant, but simple; high-pitched public voice, but deep voice in private spaces.
Many theories have been propounded to rationalize his public vocal presentation. Some say he was medically castrated under the directive of his father to preserve the youthful voice of the Jackson 5 era. Others claim his soft-spokenness was a construct weaponized to mask his black masculinity and present an unthreatening persona to white audiences. His authentic voice, according to family and close associates, was deeper and authoritative. It was displayed based on extenuating circumstances within private spaces.
Regardless, from the cosmopolitan cities of New York and Berlin to remote villages in Uyo, Bali and Tulum, his face was known and his songs were legendary, memorable and celebrated. He is the only artist in history with a avid fanbase emerging from unborn children, children born after his demise in 2009, who relish and savour his musical legacy which seemingly attests to his divinity, humanity, benevolence, musical supremacy and excellence.
Since the 1980s, his private life would be assailed by media warfare and subjected to episodic speculations often coming under scrutiny with persistent allegations of paedophilic activities with children, during his lifetime and even years after his passage. During the height of his media trials, MJ would appear on television in 1993 to say “If I am guilty of anything, it is of giving all that I have to give to help children all over the world. It is of loving children of all ages and races. It is of gaining sheer joy from seeing children with their innocent and smiling faces. It is of enjoying, through them, the childhood that I missed myself”.
However, recently, 60 Minutes Australia released a 53 minute long documentary which ignites a reassessment of his chequered legacy. It shows that MJ was culpable and not quite the benevolent angel, as self-portrayed. Coming on the heels of a biopic about his life which was recently released, the documentary exposes the Cascio family, also known as his secret second family, who reveal that they had been mute for 25 years about MJ’s systematic grooming and sexual abuse of the family’s four children, Aldo, Marie, Dominic and Eddie, each impervious of the other.
As they say, “a picture speaks a thousand words”, the family presents hundreds of photos and reels of videos taken during the years of friendship with him, while indicating the timeframes when the abuse commenced. The pictures reveal the eyes of traumatized children who lacked the words and willpower at the time to convey their experiences. Rather than joy and excitement in his presence, many pictures show an unfeigned sadness and pained demeanour. Their collective experiences went unshared for years because he had manipulated and brainwashed them into protecting his image and concealing his perpetuated abuse which they vehemently denied a year after his demise on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
According to Eddie Cascio, “Michael Jackson isn’t the man that everyone thinks he is. Michael Jackson is a child molester. He sexually abused me and my family and many others. He had a problem and I feel like it is important for the world to know that the person who wrote those songs “Heal the World”, “We are the World” was not that person at heart. He truly was a monster. He truly was a bad person”.
Dominic Cascio notes that “It’s a slap in the face that they are still making him seem like this innocent and amazing person. His talent, unquestionable, his music, yes there is no denying that, but there is more to him than that”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db_zFNmr4qc
On a personal note, MJ was a product or character created for mass consumption with copious amounts of effort invested into the crafting of a morally scrupulous, whitewashed, childlike and innocent persona. The fact remains that the public only knew what was shown to them and not his dark side and rough edges. Having been fed a sanitized version of MJ for decades, the cognitive dissonance and public pushbacks displayed against the incessant narratives of his alleged paedophilic conducts is unsurprising, as it rudely shockens and awakens millions across the world.
But here is what we must remember, celebrities who attain megastardom are not followers and practitioners of ethical conduct and living. In fact, celebrities as we have come to see them in the age of social media demystification are the foulest and most uncouth beings to walk the earth. MJ was known to associate with an “inveterate gonif” like Walter Yetnikoff at CBS Records, while despising Martin Richard Asher, a music executive whose reputation for honesty, loyalty and decency, and addressing artists’ interest made him unlikeable. (Frederic Dannen Hitmen 1991:18-19).
No righteous man takes a photo with Epstein and Trump. No righteous man fraternizes with a Naomi Campbell and includes her in his video (see “In the Closet”). No ethical man fraternizes with King Albert of Monaco, (accused of rape by former Dutch model Karen Mulder in the 1980s) and features his sister in his song (hear the spoken words in “In the Closet”). No righteous man slut shames a former lover in a song (hear the lyrics of “Dirty Diana”). No righteous man shames his brother in a song (listen to “Monkey Business”). No righteous man contests with his younger sister in a song (listen to “Scream” with Janet Jackson).
MJ was not a saint, and that is fine! I appreciate his music and always will, but never have I been preoccupied with his personal life and interests which explains my non-chalant attitude regarding the accusations levelled against him. I guess I was not star-struck enough to become obsessed and psychotic! It has always been the music, that is where it ends !
MJ began his solo career in 1972 which ran concurrently alongside The Jackson 5’s at Berry Gordy’s Motown. In 1979, he would transition to Epic Records where his music collaboration with Quincy Jones began and his future megastardom trajectory would be shaped.
In this post, I share a playlist of 65 MJ songs (1972 - 2001). * and *** signify my favourites, while***** signify most favourite.
“I Wanna Be Where You Are” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu_TUrTsyPkGot To Be There (1972). *
“In Our Small Way” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1N2mgf89kwGot To Be There (1972).
“Got To Be There” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4_w1L_sfcUGot To Be There (1972).
“You’ve Got A Friend” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQF1HMwk1dMGot To Be There (1972).
“Ben” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7TTSzfs2kwBen (1972).
“Greatest Show On Earth” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3oP7pJQEewBen (1972). *
“People Make The World Go Round” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=854EUp0t9kgBen (1972). *
“We’ve Got A Good Thing Going” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e63CbvVrby8 Ben (1972).*
“Everybody Is Somebody’s Fool” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CRf5JPAkOUBen (1972).*
“What Goes Around Comes Around” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU_xhdij6mABen (1972).
“Up Again” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=414dWsr0qg8Music And Me (1973).
“All The Things You Are” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdZ58AUs4FcMusic And Me (1973).*
“Happy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8U620ovLDEMusic And Me (1973).*
“We’re Almost There” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaWUm4GS3acForever, Michael (1975).
“Take Me Back” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SFf4jv_uaI Forever, Michael (1975).*
“One Day In Your Life” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXX6TB6S6J8Forever, Michael (1975).*
“Just A Little Bit of You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypY8hhSealsForever, Michael (1975).*
“Dear Michael” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoJ5WssnQwo Forever, Michael (1975).
“I’ll Come Home To You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVkgWSzZWLUForever, Michael (1975).
“Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3qQtSRmHxoOff The Wall (1979).*
“Rock With You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvzJZTkWYoYOff The Wall (1979).*
“Workin’ Day and Night” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWnyCxva6bAOff The Wall (1979).*
“Off The Wall” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0ViBH7m4XA Off The Wall (1979).*
“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XMvPTFzgVUThriller (1982).*
“Billie Jean” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr4EQDVETuA Thriller (1982).
“The Girl Is Mine” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GB9BULxZ8cThriller (1982).***
“Beat It” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOn-HdEg6AQThriller (1982).*
“Human Nature” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElN_4vUvTPsThriller (1982).*****
“P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZZQuj6htF4Thriller (1982).***
“Bad” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DlMoJ2V6ukBad (1987).***
“Liberian Girl” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UoONw5ABpEBad (1987).****
“Just Good Friends” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt27N-_3HjsBad (1987).****
“Another Part Of Me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeAlVg5uehcBad (1987).*
“Man In The Mirror” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gqMRlN6mAABad (1987).****
“Dirty Diana” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUD0juRwb3IBad (1987).***
“Smooth Criminal” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mMyPJSx8RUBad (1987).*
“Jam” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGT_9ah_YFoDangerous (1991).*
“Why You Wanna Trip On Me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL3oj6aYbrA Dangerous (1991).*
“In The Closet” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6pELkXYt6YDangerous (1991).***
“She Drives Me Wild” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRp_FqCmsVA Dangerous (1991).***
“Remember The Time” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM19eRgOK1Q Dangerous (1991).***
“Heal The World” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyCMuCFCkdkDangerous (1991).***
“Black Or White” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP3W-E0OamU Dangerous (1991).***
“Who Is It” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMsQhR07fsQ Dangerous (1991).***
“Give In To Me” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqjP5rTOQFc Dangerous (1991).***
“Will You Be There” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIuPDFw9dRU Dangerous (1991).*****
“Keep The Faith” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIEiP7kzGjI Dangerous (1991).*****
“Dangerous” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jTq2FXKr0g Dangerous (1991).***
“They Don’t Care About Us” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsHZBisKwxg HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).*****
“Stranger In Moscow” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afi78zv0QHk HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).***
“This Time Around” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXFSjcjK73M HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).
“Earth Song” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbAd62jzrNI HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995). *****
“Come Together” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp_iORAu5q4 HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).*****
“D.S” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHWpLfZzGU0 HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995). *****
“Money” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3XRCfet0Lc HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).
“You Are Not Alone” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02dMNQxwy48 HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).*****
“HIStory” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_dznlX3EAA HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).
“Smile” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQTHBlf-TvwHIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).
“Break of Dawn” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ELJ_Eh8A0Invincible (2001).
“You Rock My World” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiE1inuK5tE Invincible (2001).***
“Speechless” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csARzcsjark Invincible (2001).*****
“The Lost Children” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UoPNNzWUjk Invincible (2001).*****
“Cry” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpwVKcOC3kE Invincible (2001).*****
“Whatever Happens” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rn_pCKFeC8 Invincible (2001).*****
“Butterflies” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csvNBRZfFpo Invincible (2001).
“You Are My Life” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KE0YkNusew Invincible (2001).
