RIP Michael Jackson

Written by Dan Mckeown | 01 July 2009
Posted in SOMM Blogs - Music

It’s Friday, June 26, 2009 and I’m sitting at the computer watching every one of Michael Jackson’s music videos on Youtube. Well that is pretty much a normal day for me but this time I’m starring at the legend, with memories playing in my mind. Michael Jackson passed away and it is so surreal to me that he is gone. I had it planned that before I died I would attend one of his concerts and become one of those people being carried away because of fainting from crying so much when he was on stage. I truly can’t express in words how sad I am. No homo. Michael Jackson, an iconic legend that will be remembered forever. He is a pioneer in the music industry and revolutionized the dance scene.

I remember in the 8^th grade when a group of four kids and I performed The Jackson Five’s “ABC” in front of the school for my drama class. You would have thought we were the Hanson brothers the way the girls cheered for us. I think I even had teachers throwing their panties on stage for an encore. That moment I loved being in front of people. Dancing became a release for me. However, it all began as a little kid in home videos as I was grabbing my crotch and screaming “heeee heeee.”

It seemed like only yesterday that I was putting the final touches on my suit for my high school homecomings. As soon as I put on my whites socks I was ready to own the dance floor with my Michael Jackson routine. Even if Michael's song was played once that night, please believe some lucky lady in the crowd around me was going to receive my top hat that I threw. I would kick my one leg up, grab my crotch and screamed. I owned the moment with my white socks peeking out of the bottom of my pants. I pushed my un-tucked button-up shirt back as if a gust of wind hit me and I shook my head as if I had to get the jheri curls out of my face (I really got into character). I bit my lower lip while I moved my head side to side and with my one hand out in front of me telling everybody in the crowd to "jam on." The way I thrust my hips to Billie Jean resulted in many of the girls wanting to dry hump me that night. Michael Jackson has impacted me throughout my life.

When I was little I always envisioned that my future wife and I would meet in a club or a school dance by me following her around as "They Way You Make Me Feel" was playing. I had it all in my head that by my persistence and perfectly choreographed dances moves I would win that girl's heart by the end of the song. Of course that all changed by the time I got into middle school and songs like the "Tootsie Roll" and "Da Dip" were played and freak dancing was introduced.

I had a view in life that I lived in a Michael Jackson soundtrack. If a fight was about to happen I said Just Beat It! If it escalated to something more I would approach the antagonized, challenge him to a duel while I slapped him in the face with an all diamond studded glove. Then I’ll stare at him as I wipe my mouth and tell him Who's Bad. Just before I played into the bully's antics I would look over and see my reflection in a mirror and start talking to the Man in the Mirror. I'd then make peace and collaborate with everybody in a choreographed dance.

Michael Jackson has impacted our lives one way or another. It could have been something as simple as a song that was inspired my Michael Jackson that has gotten us through a tough day. Michael Jackson actually influenced me to go to college. Let me explain this. I went to college because I played football and the reason I really played football was so I could do touchdown celebrations in the end zone. Those celebrations were heavily influenced by Michael Jackson. Granted I only scored one touchdown in college and I was so excited that by the time I decided which dance I wanted to do my teammates had already jumped all over me. Essentially I ended up with a college degree thanks to my desire to dance on a football field.

I'll be the first to say an alcoholic shouldn’t have a fully stocked in their house, or a sex addict shouldn't subscribe to playboy, or a vegan shouldn't have chocolate chip ice cream in the freezer (It's dairy bitch!), and the same goes for Michael Jackson shouldn't have had an amusement park in his back yard. Besides that Michael Jackson is the greatest performer of our time. The music he made will carry on throughout generations. We were able to witness in my opinion somebody larger than Elvis (I still wonder if he ever got down with Lisa Marie). He was a man who realistically had more influence than any world leader. Michael Jackson was larger than life and will greatly be missed. Now I understand I'm one of the millions of voices that are saying we just want one more moon walk but I appreciate what Michael Jackson had given to all of us. Rest in Peace Michael Jackson.

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