#735 Doing the moonwalk in your socks

Neil Pasricha

I'll think of you whenever I sweat on the dance floorBetween 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

46 thoughts to “#735 Doing the moonwalk in your socks”

  1. 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.

  2. 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?

  3. 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.

  6. 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.

  8. I never mastered the moonwalk, and believe me – 20 years later I’m STILL trying.

    I did manage to perfect the Thriller dance, though.

  11. 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

  12. 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.

    1. 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

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. 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

  20. 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.

  21. That picture looks like it is from his video Smooth Criminal. One of the best videos he made. Loved it.

  22. 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.

  23. Thanks for this post, Neil.

    Please RIP Michael, and know you are loved and missed by so so many…..

  25. 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.

  27. 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.

  29. 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.

  30. Beautiful tribute.
    Beautiful memories, for me from his earlier years, when “we” were just children…learning our, “ABC’s, easy as 1,2,3’s”.
    Peace.

  31. I don’t usually cry when a celebrity dies (and I admit to having made fun of people who do), but a few tears did spring to my eyes when I heard that Michael had passed away. I think that was the moment I really and truly realized that my childhood was over (and I was 29 at the time). No one can deny that Michael and his music helped to define a generation.

    Rest in peace, MJ.

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  34. I did a dance to mecheal jaksons music 2 years ago when I was nine… Y did he name his kid blanket?? When I grow old and gray I wanna be able to do the moon walk 

  35. I love it because I’m very good at it and it’s funny seeing my sister try to do it

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  39. It is certainly sad the fact that not only Michael has died, but also in such conditions as he was. He wasn’t anymore that young and healthy boy that he was at “Thriller times”. However, he will always be remembered. Also, he will always be imitated. There are few sensations in life that compares with dancing like a completely idiot while hearing a good song. And when it comes to “dancing like a completely idiot” we can’t forget to try dancing moonwalker!

  40. I still remember when he used to come over to our house on weekends, he was a great relative R.I.P Michael Jackson you will be forever remembered……

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