On generational phenomenon - my Michael Jackson post.

[NRaleighLiberal]

At 53, I've been around long enough to get a sense of what a phenomenon Elvis Presley was, though I never did "get it" - not my generation of music. The Beatles were the mania that really made the big impression, make me pick up a guitar - at 7 years old I didn't get the screaming girl thing, but after looking at the body of work that they left, they strike me as profoundly influential. Did Michael Jackson come next? He and the whole MTV music video thing arrived to make things different. I can't say I understand the "King of Pop" label at all - I've never really been into his type of music (I was always happier to see the Dire Straits Money for Nothing video on MTV, instead of any of the MJs, though I can appreciate the ground breaking nature, on many levels), but the beauty of music, or of any of the arts, is that it is about personal taste, not absolutes (well, unless you are talking "Billy don't Be a Hero" or "The Night Chicago Died"...those are pretty dreadful to most, I suspect!)

I am saddened by the deaths of all people who make significant contributions - be it in movies, literature, science, music. Did MJs death impact me any more than John Lennon's death? No, but I can understand how it may impact many others much more deeply. I didn't watch any of the coverage....I confess to watching very little on TV for a long time now. I don't understand why people get so immersed and enmeshed in the lives of those they've never met, but that's fine - it is their lives.

So mostly when I think about MJ, it is that he is now at peace. He was clearly a tortured soul - as are many that are constantly in the limelight. He won't be the King of Pop to me - that will remain the Beatles, in my mind. But he had a great voice, loads of talent, and that moon walk thing was pretty cool to see!

Rest in Peace, Michael Jackson.

[csziggy]

1. K&R

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. thanks. wrote it late...prob. didn't get many eyeballs!

[csziggy]

4. It deserves to be seen, so here is another kick!

[malaise]

3. Nice post

Kick

[bigwillq]

5. K and R!

Good post. :thumbsup:

[LWolf]

6. What jumped out at me, in your post,

was the reference to the Beatles as the King of pop.

You've got 4 years on me, but I was also a huge Beatles fan; I appreciated MJ's talent, but his music didn't resonate with me the same way.

I never, though, considered the Beatles to be "pop," although their early stuff, at least, clearly fits the genre. I never thought of them as a genre at all, but I wasn't aware of that until I read your post just now.

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. Great point! What is and what is not pop has surely evolved over the years.

When the Bs music was a staple on AM radio (I remember calling the station and asking them to play Paperback Writer or Rain!), I suppose it was pop, maybe more rock and roll (British Invasion? categorizing gets tricky). It isn't the label, it is the groundbreaking nature of the art. The Beatles broke the ground in terms of use of the recording studio, use of their instruments, and quality of their songwriting. For MJ (and many will argue on this, which is fine), it was more about the use of video and dance.

[LWolf]

11. I agree.

I sometimes wonder if I'm showing my age, lol, when I find myself looking around to see who is breaking any ground musically in the new millennium, and not finding anything of note.

Or I just don't go looking for enough new stuff. My oldest son is a musician, and I usually count on him to keep me updated, since I don't spend time on the radio any more.

When I was in 6th grade, it was 93KHJ out of Los Angeles. DJs Robert W. Morgan and the real Don Steele. I can still here the station and dj jingles in my head, all these years later, lol. And Casey Kasum.

They were playing the top 40, which I think can be defined as "pop." ;)

I listened to them until they switched to country music.

[CraftyGal]

14. You know I kinda chuckle on this comment.

I enjoy listening to Barry Manilow and other musicians. Barry has done a series of the Best of's featuring the '60s, '70's and '80s. When asked if he was going to do an album for the best of the '90s and his response was no as he couldn't find anything that even remotely resonated with him. I just turned 44. I love MJ's music upto Thriller. I never did get his other music, now I am wondering what I missed out on. I need to find the music to listen to.

CraftyGal

[alsame]

7. Very nice post. And thanks for reminding me of

"The Night Chicago Died" - I used to love that song when I was a kid!

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. Remember "Brandy, you're a fine girl, what a gooood wife you would be,,,"

So many one hit wonders back then!

[alsame]

10. "But my life, my lover, my lady...is the sea"! I just loved growing

up when I did...so many good 'singles'.

[seabeyond]

12. night chicago died one of my favorites. n/t

[BlooInBloo]

13. Understand how others might feel, though you yourself don't feel that way?

Clearly you don't belong on DU. :P

[NRaleighLiberal]

15. I will take that as a compliment! I am guilty of being a bleeding heart liberal..peacemaker type!

It's all my Myers Briggs profile fault!

[Laelth]

16. Here's a 2007 article with a theory about why young folks don't "get" MJ.

You might find it interesting.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/jul/12/popandrock

:dem:

-Laelth