Between clanging gongs at the beginning of Beat It my fellow six-year-old cousins and I would strike star poses, fling our hats, and blast fist-pumps to the sky. As the bass kicked in and the songs cranked up, we’d grab our crotches and form sweaty circles around each other for blazing solo dances, rocking out to Thriller and Billie Jean under flickering fluorescent lights in the hot basement. Energy buzzed through our veins as we closed our eyes, spun in circles, and danced loud and long into the night.
We’ll miss you, Michael. Thank you for showing us the power of passion. Thank you for being
AWESOME!
Photo from: here
34 Comments
June 26, 2009 at 1:42 am
This is so sad about Michael Jackson. I grew up with his music in the 1980s. Thriller (1982) was an album that everyone had to own. Even almost 30 years later, the album is still great. I wish his family and friends the best in trying to recover from this.
June 26, 2009 at 1:55 am
If you look up AWESOME in the dictionary, at the bottom of the entry it says “See also: Michael Jackson.”
Something I wrote on another site:
Did anyone else used to slap band-aids onto their fingers when they were little? Or dance around the living room? Or pretend to be able to moonwalk, but really you just shuffled around in your socks, on the carpet, creating static electricity?
July 2, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I’m there with ya, Meg.
June 26, 2009 at 2:38 am
I was so so so so sad last night (I’m from Europe) when I read the news. I was struck like I have never have been, even when my grandfather died. Michael Jackson is this constant figure in my childhood, so many memories and good times I have related to him. He was, is and will continue to be one of the gods of music. At least, I hope he is at peace right now. R.I.P.
June 26, 2009 at 5:04 am
Thriller.
Beat It.
Bad.
Billie Jean.
Black or White.
Man in the Mirror.
AWESOME!
June 26, 2009 at 5:41 am
Well said.
June 26, 2009 at 5:55 am
My daughter, 14 rang me from scholl to tell me, i’m 54, Iwoke my mother in-law and told her, she’s 72.
Three generations cried.
July 2, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Wow, that’s intense Chris. It’s amazing how much impact he had across countries and generations.
June 26, 2009 at 5:55 am
er school, sorry
June 26, 2009 at 6:58 am
I never mastered the moonwalk, and believe me – 20 years later I’m STILL trying.
I did manage to perfect the Thriller dance, though.
June 26, 2009 at 7:45 am
I did not expect this.
Here’s a video of MJ’s first ever live moonwalk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgPKc9FUC6Y
I added “learn to moonwalk” to my life list yesterday, it’s just so cool.
June 26, 2009 at 7:47 am
I mean do you really think you could walk like that on the moon… I’m pretty sure the space suits are too big.
This is however a perfect excuse to blast ‘Off the Wall’ at work today. :)
http://www.marriageconfessions.com
June 26, 2009 at 9:12 am
i am not good at moonwalking nor dancing…
but when i was 6 i won a thriller single record from a dj at a school dance-off.
i wore sweet 80s clothing and had no clue that my parents were likely playing a joke on me.
yes there was a real live dj spinning…
the single was vinyl.
mj= awesome
July 2, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Nice work, michael!
June 26, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Growing up as a head-banging AC/DC-loving hard rocker, I hated MJ. But 25 years later, I must admit, he was a ground-breaker, a trendsetter, and a musical force. Oh, yeah, and his tunes? Turns out they were pretty damn good after all. Thanks for letting us rock with you, Michael. You will be missed. Even by us metal heads.
July 4, 2009 at 2:47 pm
That’s my story too I always loved AC/DC and hated MJ, but when he died I actually started listening to some of his songs. But I always liked Beat It because of Eddie Van Halen
June 26, 2009 at 12:39 pm
It is great to see kids today that know his music from the 1980s.
June 26, 2009 at 1:17 pm
What a nice and respectful eulogy.
Rest in peace, Michael Joseph Jackson
June 26, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I’ll admit, I’ve accomplished this. But that lean he does in the pic? Well, he made special shoes just to do that.
Awesome.
June 26, 2009 at 4:07 pm
RIP
June 26, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Michael Jackson is one of the biggest influences on music today. He wasn’t known as the “King of Pop” for nothing.
RIP with my deepest respects.
June 26, 2009 at 7:02 pm
A post about MJ?
AWESOME!
I’ve always wanted to learn the Thriller dance.
I got no one to show me though.
RIP MJ, you’ll be remembered.
June 27, 2009 at 12:19 am
Even though he’s all over the ‘net at the moment, I somehow didn’t expect to find him here.
I love, love, LOVE you for posting this.
Thank you.
You are…
… AWESOME! :D
July 2, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Thanks, Nico.
June 27, 2009 at 2:32 am
This blog is one of the awesomeist things. Michael Jackson comes a close second. We will really miss him and his music, here in India too. He was a trendsetter. We grew up seeing his videos. Even our folks loved watching ‘black or white’. He is one of the great immortal icons of our time. R.I.P., MJ.
June 27, 2009 at 7:47 am
That picture looks like it is from his video Smooth Criminal. One of the best videos he made. Loved it.
June 29, 2009 at 1:14 am
Michael,
You’re awesome in the most classical meaning of the word — you inspire awe. That is true in life and death.
You’re unforgettable.
June 29, 2009 at 9:00 am
Thanks for this post, Neil.
Please RIP Michael, and know you are loved and missed by so so many…..
July 1, 2009 at 3:05 am
I will surely miss Michael Jackson, he is really worthy of the name King of Pop and he is certainly one of the greatest musicians of all time…
July 5, 2009 at 2:52 pm
I’m so happy you posted this, Michael Jackson himself is something that should be on this list. I remember doing the moonwalk in camp while watching the Thriller vhs.
He brought so much love and joy in the world, thanks for posting.
July 9, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Even more fun– spinning in socks on a slippery floor!!!
November 6, 2009 at 5:15 am
I’m the odd one out – I despise MJ’s music, totally not my style. I would have likely been the weird kid going to The Stone to thrash out every weekend had I been alive in the 80s. Ah, whatever.
April 20, 2010 at 8:58 pm
http://www.eternalmoonwalk.com/
Godspeed, Michael
July 21, 2010 at 4:07 pm
I grew up with Michael Jackson and especially liked the music from the 90′s. Its amazing how an artist like Michael can have such an impact on the world. Everyone one of us had tried to do the moonwalk at some point in his life. MJ wrote history with his music and his dance moves. He will remain well-known for centuries to come.