Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Music: Memories of growing up . . .

Last night, blogging pal AnnieNC tipped me off to American Idol's rerun of the top 13 contestants singing Michael Jackson songs for theme week. That was fun watching the rerun of performances again (especially Adam, he he). And as I watched the show I remembered Annie's comments on my blog about the passing of Michael Jackson and how she was a huge fan of the Jackson 5 and also of his later work as a solo artist. So was I. And then Marta chimed in and we reminisced about how we all grew up with his music. I remember during my clubbing days when a Jackson song started to play, people would crowd the dance floor and you couldn't move. He was and will always be the "King of Pop" to generate that kind of energy! And even today whenever you hear one of his classics from his Jackson 5 days or his more current work being sung (even from new and upcoming stars), you can't help but feel the music and maybe do a little head bob and shoe tap.

Here's a great video of the Jackson 5 performing such hits as I'll Be There and Never Can Say Goodbye as seen in this Motown 25 Years Anniversary Performance! They were really amazing together!

And then as a solo artist from the same Motown Special, here's Michael with his unforgettable singing and dancing performance of Billie Jean.

Thanks for the AI tip and for the walk done memory lane Annie and Marta! Listening to Michael's songs again made me realize that music plays such a huge part in our lives both in the present and while growing up.

Thanks for the memories MJ! Peace . . .

21 comments:

  1. Thank you Trekcapri, this is a special post. Music is so much a part of our lives, marking moments that come back in a second when we hear a certain song. No other magic can work so well to transport us back in time.

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  2. Oh I loved the Jackson 5 as a child.
    ("ABC - easy as 123 - simple as do-re-mi - ABC, 123, Baby you and me!")
    And I confess that I still love the Thriller video, images and music both. My sister and I used to stay up late as teens to watch the only 1/2 hr video show we got on our 3 channels! How amazing his productions were in the early days of video.

    Thanks Kathy, for the reminder of how much music touches us. Enjoy your day!!

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  3. Hi Barb, glad you liked the post. And yes, thank god that music is so much a part of our lives. It inspires, it entertains and it can as you said bring back some very special memories.

    Hi Anne, loved ABC and all those great classic Jackson 5 songs. And I don't blame you for staying up to watch his videos with your sister. He was such a great performer and I think his videos set the bar very high for other artists. Glad you enjoyed the walk down memory lane too!

    Thanks again for your comments Barb & Anne. Have a great day today!

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  4. Kathy, thank you for posting this! He's been on my mind ever since he died. This weekend I watched a little bit of CNN (and it was depressing since it seems the vultures are going to be circling for years now) so I switched over to VH1 Classic which was showing a video retrospective of his career.

    What an amazing catalog of work he created! I still love the Jackson Five and the songs from "Off the Wall" are just clasic dance tunes as are the Thriller songs.

    One song I really like (but I'd never seen the video for) is "Man In the Mirror" - what a great song!

    You are right....there was a period in my life too where every dance party or club was playing his music and it was so much fun to dance to those songs.

    On Sunday, I went over to visit my nephews, and they knew he had died but didn't know his music so we got on YouTube. We watched him singing ABC when he was a little kid, watched the Thriller video (my nephews loved the zombies!) and then we watched that same "Billie Jean" video that you linked to. Well, they were completely captivated by Michael and of course they went bonkers over the Moonwalk and kept trying to figure out how to do it. It was cool to see my nephews respond to Michael's magic.

    But at the same time, the whole thing makes me sad because I feel like he was too young to die and it reminds me of Elvis. I feel like Michael was a gentle soul who became a vicitm of the crazy cult of personality thing that our culture does to superstar entertainers, and it makes me sad for him. I hope he's at peace now and I really hope that his children end up in the best possible place for them.

    Thanks for sharing your memories Kathy, and I love what Barb said about the magic of music tp transport us...

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  5. oh and a P.S.....I just saw the update on your trip planning page. Congrats on the basic itinerary, it looks great!

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  6. Hi Annie, thank you for your great comments! I love the story of watching Michael’s songs with your nephew and then watching them trying the Moonwalk. Very, very cute! It is so cool to hear that they enjoyed watching him perform and I can see them really liking the Thriller video a lot especially the zombies. Thanks so much for sharing that story!

    And yes as Barb pointed out music seems to always mark special moments in our lives. And I bet watching your nephews figuring out the moonwalk after watching Michael’s video will be one of those very special moments for you.

    I think there are so few artists that can be considered timeless and who can appeal to all generations. Michael is one of them. I think his Off the Wall album was my favorite but I do like some from his more recent work as well. I’m trying to remember if I’ve seen a video of him singing Man in the Mirror. Love that song.

    I’ve been hearing some news stories about him too and I agree that it is so sad to listen to it. I would rather concentrate on his legendary work in the music industry and all the charity work that he did to tru to make this world a better place. Like you I wish his children well and hope his soul can rest.

    And yes, my planning is coming right along. I can't believe I'm going to attempt to drive on the left side of the road through the highlands, but if I must, I will! :)

    Thanks again for the inspired topic Annie! Have a wonderful 4th of July (extra long weekend)!

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  7. Hi Kathy: I'm joining everyone here and thanking you for a thoughtful reminder about how powerful and trend setting his music and style was. Where would the music world be without his music? Thanks and Happy 4th to you too, menehune

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  8. Oh my gosh, I forgot about the whole left side of the road thing! Well, when I was England I did not want to try it (and I didn't have to). But for some reason, I think it might be easier in Scotland because I don't think there will be as much traffic there? I wonder if Deborah and her husband have rented a car? It will be an adventure for sure and I bet you will do fine since you have experience with all those crazy LA freeways!

    The Man in the Mirror video is really cool because it's all these clips of amazing people and events from our lives, like JFK, MLK Jr., John Lennon...people who brought positive change. It's very well done and inspiring.

    And you are right, I wish there was more focus on Michael's music and charity work rather than all the weirdness. I think he was an eccentric genius and there's nothing wrong with that but boy, the media has been hard on him his whole life.

    It was really cool watching my nephews response to him. They don't have very long attention spans but they were glued to the computer and really loved the songs.

    I hope you have a great 4th of July weekend too. I am really looking forward to it!

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  9. Kathy,

    Although I grew up in a post "Michael Jackson" period, and when I was realizing music, he was already the King of Pop,I remember me and my friends and siblings practicing the moon walk, and dancing to the Thriller album. I really believe he is timeless, even though he did "hide" for the past decade or so, many of this generation are discovering ,and I am re-discovering, his music.He was truly a brilliant performer, and his legend will last.

    It is fun, and sad, to watch his transformation through the years, from the little cute boy to the troubled man. I feel bad that he lost his life so young, he was under too much pressure in many aspects. I hope the best for his kids. And I have to say, I REALLY don't like his dad and hope he stays away.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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  10. Hi Menehune, glad you liked the post. You're so right, Michael is a very trend setting artist and I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like without his influence in the music industry. Happy 4th to you too. Have fun at the Cape!

    Hi Annie, I keep forgetting that Scotland is part of the UK and so initially I was like no big deal. I drove a couple of times in Europe already. I still prefer using trains but Scotland is very different. Getting from city to city there are train connections but to be able to really see and appreciate what Scotland has to offer, I learned that I really need a car. Deborah rented a car for her trip and now I understand why. And yes, LA driving is good training. Although I think while in Scotland, I will have to look out for sheep or Rabbits on the roadway! (Remember Trudy in Local Hero)

    I’ll have to check on that Man in the Mirror video now. It sounds pretty cool! You hit it on the nose, Michael was a sheltered eccentric but I don’t believe that he would do any harm to anyone.

    That is so cool that your nephews were so glued to Michael’s performance and loved his songs. That will be Michael’s legacy, the joy his music brings to people around the world.

    Have a fantastic 4th of July and enjoy your extra long 4 Day weekend!

    Hi Candi, glad you liked the post. It’s great to hear that although you grew up in Post Michael Jackson period, that you enjoyed his music while growing up along with your friends and family. Kudos to you for learning the moon walk! I could never do it.

    I agree with you that he is a legend and his music will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come, just like Annie’s nephews are discovering. That what’s so great about music and artists who are timeless like Michael Jackson.
    As you said it could not have been very easy to grow up under such intense scrutiny. Fame and fortune is great but I think there can be a price to pay for it. I was hearing some stuff on the news and I just really hope for the best for his children.

    Thanks again everyone for your comments and have a great 4th of July long weekend!

    Thanks again everyone! I really enjoyed the discussion.

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  11. Great links, Kathy. MJ was a great performer! I loved the Jackson 5 as well as his solo work.

    I remember when Thriller came out, it was such a great album and perfect for the new rock videos going up on MTV (man, am I old!)

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  12. I also just checked out your travel itinerary for Scotland and it looks like so much fun! A balance of rural and cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh (which would be so cool to visit!)

    Mary T., who blogs from Umbria, was in Edinburgh for a week earlier this month, loved it, and says she is going to blog about it when she gets a moment. That should be very interesting!

    I'd be a bit nervous driving on the opposite side of the road to what I'm used to, but what an adventure! And I'm sure that once you get into the flow of traffic, it'll seem very natural!

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  13. Hi Sandra, welcome back from your trip! Thank you so much for taking time out of your travel to share your experiences with us. I look forward to reading more about your wonderful trip. And sorry again for your tooth pain but glad to hear that you are doing better.

    Glad you enjoyed the post. His videos really did set the stage for the MTV generation and all the great videos which were almost like mini movies. And btw, we're not old for remembering the MTV generation, just well informed music enthusiasts. :)

    Thanks also for your comments on my trip. I remember reading that Mary was headed to Edinburgh. I'm so glad that she loved it. I can't wait to read about her impressions. I can't wait to see it myself. It sort of reminds me of Prague.

    I'm usually pretty fearless when traveling and am game to try just about anything, but a little part of me is a tad nervous about the prospect of driving on the left side. I'm going to have to print a big sign and tape it to my dashboard to keep reminding myself! I think I'll be fine. My plan is to travel by train to a smaller town like Fort William to rent my car which should help. It should be interesting!

    Thanks again Sandra. Have a great evening!

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  14. Kathy,

    I forgot to mention that I checked out your Scotland planning page, I really like your basic itinerary. You will have to let me know how driving in Scotland is. I am always hesitant about renting cars and driving overseas, luckily for me though, Bill doesn't mind at all doing all the driving. so it ends up working out fine.

    I will be following your trip planning closely, because I see Scotland in our future. Bill has already been there couple times, but they were golfing trips. Can you imagine going all the way to Scotland and just doing golf, golf and more golf.My addicted husband:)

    Oh, I wanted to say, regarding the moon walk, I never really could do it, I kept practicing to do it, but never could. My brother did well though, of course not as good as MJ, but not bad. I remember in one of our family trips, I must have been 8 or 9 maybe. We were at the airport for a long layover, and there were the conveyer belts right in front of us, and we had the brilliant idea of trying the moon walk on the converyer belt, I remember people laughing at us.But I must say, I think that was the best moon walk I did:)

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  15. Hi Candi, thanks for checking out my trip planning page. Your husband is like my sister and brother in law, they absolutely love to golf. I've noticed that Scotland has some golf courses around so it must be pretty big there and a major tourist attraction for them. I bet it must've been very nice to golf there. That is an advantage for you to start planning your Scotland trip! You won't have to do any convincing.

    Lucky you that Bill doesn't mind doing all the driving. :) I am a big public transportation traveler too and will only drive a car when I need to in order to see what I want to see. I've driven twice already, once in Siena and the other in Salzburg and found it pretty easy, even kind of cool. But to drive on the left side, opposite of want I am programed in doing is a whole other story. But as the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Plus I narrowed the drive portion to just the Road to the Isles with a detour to Donrie to see the Eliean Castle. The remainder of the trip between Glasgow, Fort William and Edinburgh will be by train.

    I think you would really like Scotland because you are hikers and there are so many places to hike, kayak (and golf). I would love to do an organized hike but I'm going in November and the weather will be very iffy. So I am going to do some research and then wing it when I am there.

    That's a very cute story about you and your brother at that young age moonwalking on the conveyer belt. Airports are so boring anyway, I bet your moonwalk gave the other travelers some fun entertainment. :) A moonwalk even with a little conveyer belt help is a successful moonwalk! :)

    Thanks again Candi for your comments. Have a great 4th of July Weekend!

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  16. Did you see who is on top of the Billboard Album Chart? MJ! And he has become the first artist to sell over 1 million downloads in one week. It is sad that it had to happen after his death but it is a testament to how great of an artist he was.

    http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/07/michael-jackson-first-to-sell-over-1-million-downloads-in-a-single-week/

    Another song that I really like is "Remember the Time". The video was pretty crazy with that Egyptian theme but I love the song.

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  17. Hi Marta, thanks so much for the link. That is incredible! Top three spots on the billboard. I also liked that cool Remember the Time video and that song too. He was such an innovator and through the years he never really lost his dance moves. I don't think there will be another artist like him for many, many years.

    I remember Annie mentioning Elvis in one of her comments and I think Michael's loss is at that same level. The other celebrity that I can remember having this kind of similar impact would be Princess Diana. I remember being so sad when she died so early and suddenly.

    I just saw another video of Michael performing several songs at a concert in Bucharest and the audience was going nuts, crying, fainting ... it will definitely be a very long time before we see another artist to match what Michael has been able to accomplish in the music and entertainment business.

    Thank you so much for your comments Marta and for that link. Have a great 4th of July Holiday weekend!

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  18. Kathy,
    Did you see MJ's final rehearsal? He was wonderful! It is released and CNN(and I am sure other channels) played it in full. He looks so healthy and fit. I can't believe this was the night before he died, so sad.

    And I am so proud of you for taking the drive in Scotland, I think it will be a great experience.
    I can't wait to hear all about it.

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  19. Hi Candi, wow I haven't seen that video clip yet. I'll have to search youtube to see if I can find it. It would have been cool to have seen Michael's return to stage...I'm sure altough out of the public eye his creative ideas were still working and we may have seen another reinvention of himself or another trend sitting performance. Thanks so much for the tip Candi, I'll definitely check it out.

    Thanks so much also for your encouragements about driving. I think it'll be a great experience too. I'll stick to driving during the day time and will print out a big yellow sign that'll say "KEEP LEFT" and tape it on my dash board, just as an added reminder. :)

    Thanks again and have a great 4th of July tomorrow!

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  20. Kathy, you are right, this whole event has been right up there with Elvis and Princess Diana's death. I'm really amazed at the level of media coverage. I can understand it because it's such a compelling story, with some mystery about why he died so suddenly.

    But some of the media hoopla is just silly. The other night Anderson Cooper (of all people) did a story about the whereabouts of MJ's pet chimp Bubbles. I had to laugh!

    I'm glad the music is selling and people are either remembering how much they loved it (like us) or just discovering how great he really was.

    My nephew Mason came for a couple of days so I bought a Greatest Hits CD for us to listen to in the car. He really likes the song "Rockin' Robin" (he's only 8 years old, LOL)!

    And off topic, yesterday I took my nephew to the Goathouse Refuge cat sanctuary. We played with cats and kittens for two and a half hours. And I met Cheerio and Yvette and held them both! It was wonderful.

    Happy 4th of July!

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  21. Hi Annie, I can remember that I felt so sad when I heard about Diana's death, because she did so much charity work and really loved her two boys so much. I just heard on the news that they're holding a public memorial service in Los Angeles next Tuesday for Michael Jackson, which I also heard will be televised. Since I'm at work, I'm going to have to try to record it. The media coverage has been quite the spectacle. And I'm totally surprised that Anderson Cooper did that story. I don't blame you for laughing.

    I'm so glad that his music is selling too. That is very cool that you bought Michael's Greatest Hits CD to play in your car for your nephew. He's got great taste. I really like "Rockin Robin" too.

    How fun that you took your nephew to the sanctuary yesterday. What a fun activity for him. And how exciting that you got to hold Cheerio and Yvette during your visit. That is so cool. I just love that photo of them and especially the one with Cherrio sleeping standing up leaning on that tree. You're very lucky. I bet they are even more cute in person.

    Thank you so much for your comments and for sharing your wonderful stories Annie!

    Happy 4th of July tomorrow!

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It's me Trekcapri (aka Kathy). Thanks so much for visiting and leaving a comment.