My Take on Michael Jackson

My parents kept a pretty close eye on what me and my two brothers listened to when we were growing up; in my opinion, their rules were fair and balanced and they provided some freedom to listen to all types of music within reason. Occasionally, my dad would even pull out his reel to reel of Three Dog Night or his ancient collection of eight tracks. There was also the occasional embarrassing moment in the car when my dad would start beating the steering wheel, as if he were playing the drums, whenever songs such as Magic Carpet Ride or anything by Credence Clearwater Revival (CCR) came on the radio. Those memories are forever etched in my memory.

Recent news has revealed that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, died at the age of 50, but his passing brought back memories of the music of my own younger years. Although Michael Jackson’s music has not graced my mp3 player in quite some time, I can still remember songs such as Beat It, Man in the Mirror, Billie Jean, and the unforgettable Thriller. I say “unforgettable” because I was initially a little freaked out when I saw the music video! I even remember where I was when I first saw it!

Regardless of your opinion of Michael Jackson, he remained popular for 4 decades and influenced people all over the world, even through his ups and downs. I have my own opinions about why he remained influential in every culture over the last few decades, but I’d like to hear from you.

Why was Michael Jackson a cultural icon?

By the way, I used to be able to do the moonwalk.