I remember the morning of 25th June, 2009. I had my school that day and I actually had some Quiz conducted by the Music club of my school. It was a shock when the news of Michael Jackson passing away flashed. Well in some way, it is an irony because 25th June is also world Music day. He sure had given the best of him to World music and that was proclaimed again on his last day. RIP, Jackson! I remember I first started listening to MJ songs when I found the Thriller album in my dad’s collection. From then on, I’ve always collected any MJ song that I’ve come across. Here is a list of my favorite MJ songs.
1. Way you make me feel- I had never really had this song in my collection when I saw the video on Vh1. I immediately downloaded it. I liked the spunk in the video and also the thing of street rogue trying to impress a pretty girl. Trust me, I’ve seen a lot of this in Bollywood movies but this kind of thing in Western music was relatively new. I liked it!
2. In the closet: This raunchy video starred the super model Naomi Campbell. Michael made this video when there were rumors about his sexual orientation. This video was a way to shut the critiques. But the video apart, it’s a really good song. The beat and the concept of the video being shot in a desert area are really good. And I think the between female hushed voice works a magic too. “She wants to give it.” It will surely get you grooving especially the chorus part. “Something about you baby makes me want to give it to you...Keep it in the closet”...Yeah!!
3. Stranger in Moscow: This song was also found by me later on Vh1, from the album History, Past, Present and Future. It’s a really moving song especially if you see the video you are bound to like the song even more. The background score is really helpful in creating an atmosphere of pain and loneliness. The video portrays lives of 6 men along with Jackson who feel lonely, isolated from the outer world. –“Stranger in Moscow” It was released during the highly publicized news of child abuse by Michael. He made this video in Moscow itself.
4. Black or White: This is from the album Dangerous. Firstly the starting is really funny where the kid’s dad gets shooted from his living room to a wild African desert or something. The kid is no one else than Macaulay Culkin . It has all the components of hard rock, dance, and rap. Though there is a little controversy related to the some four minutes of the song of showing some sexual indication, still that really doesn’t bother if the song is really nice. I love the concept of him traveling to various parts of the world like Moscow, Taj Mahal, etc. “If you are beautiful my baby, it doesn’t matter if you are black or white!” True.
5. Thriller: One of the cult videos of the 90s, proven time and again. The amount of money put into the making of this video was pretty higher than usually spent in those times. And look at the lyrics. It’s something. No wonder even the zombies start dancing with MJ. All the sounds of door creaking, owl hoots, steps on wooden plank, etc try to bring the ghastly experience in the song. It’s basically a funk disco song. And there is those mid way narrations….it is something. You just can’t get enough of it. I suggest you if you haven’t seen the video, go to You Tube immediately. The video immediately became popular and was the first music video to be inducted by National Film Registry of Congress.
6. Billie Jean: though I am not much of a fan of this song but it is really popular. Do listen to it. It’s another cult video.
7. They don’t care about us- the song was shot in Brail and has been a lot controversial because of supposedly anti-Semitic lyrics. So Michael had to alter the lyrics and rerecord the song many times. It talks about human rights abuses, in an aggressive hip-hop genre. Other songs include Earth song, Man in the mirror, We are the world. These songs attribute to the worldly problems of hunger and victims of natural calamities. Its surprising how these beautiful songs can actually be strong enough to have world issues as its theme. Beautiful!
Well these are my list of songs. Among all his hits, Which one is your favorite? Comment and add your favorite Michael songs to his list:)
