The self-proclaimed King of Pop is dead. Not that we ever disagreed about the ‘The Greatest’ being the ‘King of Pop’. And pomp. He was unarguably the greatest showman on earth, and the greatest entertainer of our time. Of all times.
I heard him as a kid first. Saw him is more like it. In our good ol’ doordarshan days, when the western music on the tube was so far and in between, MJ was a rage. I understood nothing of what he was singing. I think, none of my friends did. But what made him special was his presentation. He was one helluva performer. I never was much of a dancer. But I had this next door neighbour who moonwalked into so many young girls' heart with his crotch-grabbing, body-contorting, kicking-the-air MJ style breakdance. At that age, it never occurred to me what a gifted singer and sogwriter he was. Only later I discovered his singing, the ones he did alone and the ones he did as one of, and arguably the most talented of the Jackson 5. And what a delight he was!
Later, when I grew up to more music and different genres, MJ and his music took a backseat. But whatever he did, music or otherwise, never failed to surprise us. Whether it is his music, or Peter-pan acts, or other more serious allegations, ‘Wacko Jacko’ always stayed in news.
It's very very weird to hear about his death. I mean, someone like him doesn't just 'die'. He was 'different', to say the least. I really don't mean it mockingly, but i seriously think that someone like him doesn't die. With MJ, you expect an alien ship to come and take him to the mothership, when he decides to depart. Or he disappearing mysteriously somehow, only to be 'sighted' by fans, even after 100 years later.
I don’t quite remember where was it that I first saw his number, what age was I. But I am sure we will all remember where were we, what exactly were we doing when we heard the news of his death. That’s the legend MJ is!
6 comments:
i love wht you ve written. It is very hard to believe tht mj is gone. Like evryone else, i grew up listening to his songs and imitating his moves..evnthough i didn quite belong his 'era'.
He's the best entertainer th world has evr seen.
'...someone like him doesn't just 'die'. He was 'different'..
how very true. (:p)
At the height of my sorrow is the fact that he couldn't kick dirt in the eyes of his scavengers by doing his comeback tour.
Yet...MJ you POP!
Quite right in your observation. No one expects people like MJ or Elvis or Jim Morrison or Jimi Hendrix to die. They're all spaceship material. It's kind of humiliating to see them go out like everyone else...
Also liked your observation about first 'seeing' MJ rather than 'hearing' him. He was the first guy who used this new thing called MTV to the hilt. Had to be a genius to first realise that music could also be 'seen'. Cheers to that!
i remember my dad buying me a walkman when i was in school. the first cassettes i bought with my own money were the three MJ albums. i still have them and the work fine. i heard them just a day or two back. i still love his music.
@ sheehij: he surely was different
@ manmeet: Yeah, the toll took him in
@ Anirban: yeah babai, the man used MTV to the hilt. Talk about one phenomenon riding on another.
@ Dip: Dude, those tape, together with your tape recorder someday will fetch you a fortune. Total collector's item.
U said it Vimoo. U said it all.
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