In November of 1982 when Michael Jackson’s Thriller was released, I was eight. I remember buying the cassette tape with my family while on a day trip. We played the tape in the car and even my parents were groovin’ along to ole’ MJ. The songs were instant classics.
Then the release of the Thriller video came to MTV. We had to make a special trip to my grandparents’ house because we didn’t have cable television. The video was like nothing we’d seen before and when a VHS of “The Making of Thriller” was released a few years later, we rented it from the library on numerous occasions.
My sister and I were such fans that we even bought a Thriller computer game for our Commodore 128! The game was loosely based on the video and the objective was to escape the backyard of the haunted house.
G. and I roller skated in my basement to P.Y.T.and the other songs on the album. Michael Jackson was an icon of my generation and I got to stay up late to watch him moonwalk at the 1983 Grammy’s. He was inimitable. Even Husban-dito had a red leather Michael Jackson jacket.
By 1986, I had given up MJ for Wham! and Duran Duran, but to this day I have several MJ songs on my i-Pod, including my all-time favorite, Rock With You.
In 1995, I saw him live at the MTV Music Awards at Radio City in New York and the man could still dance. Even though he looked much different than the MJ I grew up with, his performance instantly transported me back to my childhood. I stood up and cheered as he moon walked across the stage.
I won’t comment on his perpetually changing look or the lawsuits and charges brought against him. I just want to remember the MJ of my childhood, the guy who made black penny loafers and white socks fashionable, the guy who inspired me to dance like a zombie. I’ll miss that Michael Jackson.
Was P.Y.T. NOT the best roller skating song, EVER??!?!?
okay, Human Nature was probably a close runner-up.
(listening to: The Way You Make Me Feel)
i was not a huge mj fan but many of songs bring up some great memories growing up. my bought me the “off the wall” ALBUM. i absolutely loved it.
we had thriller on cassette. one summer while camping in the forest my sister and i would play the vincent price laugh over and over trying to scare other campers. we played it on a tape deck. you know the old flat ones with the big buttons on the end. that just adds to the greatness of that memory.
Man, could he BRING IT.
I hear ya! I was deep in nostalgia for my 80s childhood this morning as one of the local radio stations was playing Beat It and Billie Jean. What an icon!
Rock with You was one of my faves, too!
OMG, Kamran doesn’t believe me that “P.Y.T.” is a Michael Jackson song. I really only know it from Danny Gokey singing it on this season of “American Idol”, but still! Next time you see him, sing him a few bars so he at least knows we’re in on this together.