26 Jun 2009

End of an era...

First thing that appeared on my screen when I turned the computer and opened up Firefox... major unpleasant surprise!

Oh my, Michael Jackson R.I.P.?!

Of the many famous musicians, actors and other celebrities you hear about when they die, this is the first one that kind of hits close to home... not because I was a major fan of the "King of Pop" (I enjoyed his music but didn't like his figure and crazyness), but because he sort of represents my childhood. Thriller and Beat It are the first pop songs I remember hearing (along with my parents' Abba albums), learning the lyrics to, singing along with... and the Thriller music video... *shivers* it had me spooked as a kid! I hear beats of those songs and it sends me back to a childhood in Saudi Arabia with the desert and the heat and the swimming pool (where I learnt to swim) and the markets...

It unfortunately can't be embedded, but here's a link to the Thriller video on YouTube (I just realised I haven't seen the whole thing in years! I just hope the werewolf transformations in New Moon are done better, lol!) for those who want to take a trip down memory lane or discover this short "musical horror film" for the first time. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtyJbIOZjS8

10 comments:

  1. My memories go back farther than his Thriller days. I was a teenybopper loving his lead vocals when he performed with his brothers as the Jackson 5. Sadly, his later in life events have soured many of my fond memories of the guy.

    It was a bad week for celebrity passings with his, Farrah Fawcet and Ed McMahon.

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  2. I too grew up with him with he was this cute little kid! I relate it to how I felt when I heard about John Lennon. I was driving in my old drop-top corvette (ah, my 20's)coming home on a country road in a snow storm. It felt like I had been transported into a surreal world.

    I wore out my tape of Off The Wall. Still got the vinyl of it and Thriller. He was a great talent, but lost his marbles somewhere along the line... RIP Michael.

    I was saddened though at how much media he got and then they saved two sentences for Farrah.

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  3. Yeah, quite a combo of celebrity deaths yesterday!

    And earlier in the week here in Spain we've also been hearing a lot about the death of Father Vicente Ferrer who did work with the "untouchables" in India...

    as they say, "it never rains but it pours"

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  4. The first time that I ever remember hearing anything of his was in music class at St. Andrews some 11 years ago although I must say I never did get into his music.

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  5. I loved some of his songs... and couldn't care less about others. But no one can deny he was a huge influence in the world of Pop music...

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  6. Anonymous27/6/09 01:19

    I'm so sad about this....I cried, and Farrah too...I think he was such a misunderstood and lonely soul. He was so talented...too young to die. In 1985, I waited in line for 7 hours to get tickets to the Victory Tour to see Michael and his brothers show me what they got! I'm so sad... :-((

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  7. Lucky you Rain! Seeing him perform live is one of the things that's going to remain unfinished on my life-long "to do" list... :o(

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  8. Hi:)

    Greetings:)

    I was shocked to read about the sudden death of Michael Jackson. He is a great entertainer and people all over the world enjoyed his music and dance. I loved his songs also.
    He came from a humble background and became a superstar.

    May his soul rest in peace.

    Have a nice day:)
    Joseph

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  9. been a crazy time with all the high profile deaths...sad all the people that will come out of the woodwork to get their piece or 15 minutes of fame. may not have liked all he did but he was an artist.

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  10. I know what you mean about it hitting home - my brother was kind of obsessed with Michael Jackson when we were kids so his music always reminds me of my childhood.

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