Today June 25, 2009 is truly a sad day. Today is the day that the world lost a legend as Michael Jackson passed away from a cardiac arrest. People may know him as a lot of things, some good and some bad: a singer, a songwriter, a dancer, an actor, a businessman, a father, a humanitarian, an ailing man, a troubled man, a child abuser. Whatever it is that you thought of MJ, there is no denying the influence he has had on music and millions of people all over the world.
Just like his life, his death has been full of ups and downs. At first there was the uncertainty as the rumors flew and nobody was able to confirm the truth. Then as the news of his death was confirmed there was the overwhelming grief and shock. People all over the world mourned and looked for an outlet for their grief, which they found immediately in his music. Right now outside the Apollo theater in New York (and I’m sure many other places in the world), thousands of fans of Michael Jackson are playing his music out loud and dancing to celebrate his life.
Michael Jackson changed the face of music in many ways. He was the ultimate entertainer and nobody could light up the stage like he did. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He has multiple Guinness World Records such as the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time", 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career and the sales of over 750 million albums worldwide. His influences can be seen even today in musicians such as Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Usher, Ne-Yo and more.
Michael Jackson transcended race, time, borders and pretty much everything else. And no matter how tumultuous and troubled his person life was, it will never mar the icon he was or the light he brought into people’s life. His music is timeless and that is why Michael Jackson will forever live on. Michael Jackson was a true legend and legends like that are immortal, they never die.
We will miss you Michael.
You bet! Every word you say is my thought too. Michael was, indeed is, the greatest musical icon of the last century. He will always live on through his music, which has no parallel. Today is a very, very sad day… for all his fans…but may be in one way it's good that he's merged into the elements and is free from this cruel world — a world that never let him live in peace.
Love and light,
Manoj
So true Manoj…glad he finally has peace even though we will miss him sorely he is in a better place
Same here Prachi. Every word resonates with my thoughts. He will be immensely missed. Finally he has become one with the source in peace. My heart goes to all the fans and admirers. Hope they too shall find peace with the truth.
Garima
King of pop, we will miss you, your music, songs are permanently etched in our soul.
I love you Michael.
Love
Rajesh
http://rajeshmsharma.blogspot.com
I was also rather spontaneously commemorating with about 25 friends Michael Jackson's passing on to Heaven tonight, reading in the late afternoon on Huffington Post he was in the process of leaving his body behind.
His life had not been easy, BUT he created great songs we all love and his moonwalk and the music videos he produced are still a model for all music videos that have been produced ever since and that are still to come.
We sang the song "We are the world, we are the children" in his honour and just wished he will at last enjoy peace and be on a much better and easier road to happiness finally!
We love you, Michael, for what you have given to the world!!!
Deepak Chopra in his obituary has beautifully subsammrized the dichotomies in the character of Michael – his regressive tendencies and loneliness, his addictions to illusions, stardom and drugs, but also his sensitivity and childlike nature and his enthusiasm and talent and genius.
To honour him here the lyrics of his song "We are the world" – love, Margot
"We Are the World" is a 1985 song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, produced and conducted by Quincy Jones and recorded by a supergroup of popular musicians billed as USA for Africa.
During the performance, the solo portions, sung by the lead singers, allowed their distinctive, famous voices to be heard individually, or in pairs, for a short phrase, before the entire group sang the third repetition of the chorus verses.
There comes a time when we need a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can't go on pretending day by day
That someone, somehow will soon make a change
We're all a part of God's great big family
And the truth – you know love is all we need
( CHORUS )
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me
Well, send'em you your heart
So they know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us
By turning stone to bread
And so we all must lend a helping hand
( REPEAT CHORUS )
When you're down and out
There seems no hope at all
But if you just believe
There's no way we can fall
Well, well, well, let's realize
That one change can only come
When we stand together as one
( REPEAT CHORUS AND FADE )
——————————————————————————–
To this day I just love to hear "We Are The World" – the melody is so simple but beautifully arranged and produced by Daddy Q. Here's a list of the singers next to their lyric from the 1985 version. . .
There comes a time when we heed a certain call (Lionel Richie)
When the world must come together as one (Lionel Richie & Stevie Wonder)
There are people dying (Stevie Wonder)
Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life (Paul Simon)
The greatest gift of all (Paul Simon/Kenny Rogers)
We can't go on pretending day by day (Kenny Rogers)
That someone, somehow will soon make a change (James Ingram)
We're all a part of God's great big family (Tina Turner)
And the truth (Billy Joel)
You know love is all we need (Tina Turner/Billy Joel)
( CHORUS )
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let's start giving (Michael Jackson)
There's a choice we're making we're saving our own lives (Diana Ross)
It's true we'll make a better day just you and me (Michael Jackson/Diana Ross)
Well, send'em you your heart so they know that someone cares (Dionne Warwick)
And their lives will be stronger and free (Dionne Warwick/Willie Nelson)
As God has shown us by turning stone to bread (Willie Nelson)
And so we all must lend a helping hand (Al Jurreau)
( REPEAT CHORUS )
We are the world, we are the children (Bruce Springsteen)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let's start giving (Kenny Logins)
There's a choice we're making we're saving our own lives (Steve Perry)
It's true we'll make a better day just you and me (Daryl Hall)
When you're down and out there seems no hope at all (Michael Jackson)
But if you just believe there's no way we can fall (Huey Lewis)
Well, well, well, let's realize that a change can only come (Cyndi Lauper)
When we (Kim Carnes)
stand together as one (Kim Carnes/Cyndi Lauper/Huey Lewis)
(REPEAT CHORUS AND FADE )
(additional ad-lib vox by Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, James Ingram)