Hey Y'all!
When I first came up with this topic to cover for my 80s Friday post, a part of me wondered if it would have been better suited as an MJ Flashback post
and I figured it would have been better in this cotext because that show really did set the stage for Michael Jackson to dominate the rest of the decade, and really, no one can mention "1980s" or "MJ" without someone speaking about ir. It's just that signifigant.
Now we all know the story about my running around after Michael. Became a fanatic overnight at nien years old. But to be honest, I didn't actually see the footage that made Michael so famous until I was 12.
I had read about it and even seen tiny fragements of it whenever Michael would grant an interview here and there, but largely, I had never seen the actual program.
It was another blessed day in the video rental store when I noticed the Motown 25 tape just sitting there. And it was the VHS.
I had intially wanted to fast forward through the program, but something made me say no, watch the entire show.
Which I did, and it was kind of murder for me because I was eager to see Michael Jackson.
I really am glad I did slow down because as I listened to the other people singing, I realized I liked ALOT of the Motown acts--Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Debarge (before the most of the memebers found the wonders of drugs), Hi-Intergy...so many others. And I really loved that Richard Pryor was the master of ceremonies. He was hialrious and it was ncie to see him tak that long without saying the word "fuck".
So you know I'm sitting exactly where I'm sitting writing this blog, on the foor of my bed, all saucer-eyed and bopping along to the music and everything. I was really enjoying myself. (Now you see why I don't like music of today, I was brought up on THE GOOD STUFF THAT MEANT SOMETHING!)
The Jacksons were smack dab in the center of the program.
When Richard mentioned them and it went to the grainy, black and white video of the Jacksons in thier audtion tape for Motown, from way in 1969, my heart leapt, because I recognized them all immediately.
That blur is Michael at 9-10 years old.
There was a little montage of the Jacksons when they were the Jackson Five, and then, the annoucer was screaming to welcome the Original Jackson Five: Jackie, Marlon, Tito, Jermaine and Michael!!!
At some point during the J5 medley, Randy joined his brothers onstage, and all six boogied.
(l-r: Tito, Marlon, Jackie--behind Michael--Randy and Jermaine.)
It was great, the whole place was bouncing and it made me happy to see the entire room coming together.
Cant you feel the love in the room y'all? I'll Be There...
Finally the rest of the Jacksons exited the stage and left Michael to mumble a little speech and thank the crowd before tearing the roof off the damn place:
BILLIE JEAN!
(Michael was the only performer on the show to sing a non-Motown song, as BJ was recorded for Epic records.)
When the music kicked up and Michael started moving on the stage by himself, I was up and clowning and making noise like I was there. It was like a bolt of lightning within me to see Michael doing that song and just doing his thing onstage alone. I had never really seen Michael perform outside of a music video at the point and see that...was just phenomenal to me.
Nothing could be as riveting or excellent or completely astounding as what I saw. Like this sent my ass into maximum overdrive with Michael Jackson, and literally kicked off my three month obsession with all things Thriller.
And who could forget THIS:
The MOONWALK! It took me two years, because I have absolutely no rhythm, to learn to do it, but I can do the moonwalk, as every good MJ fan should do.
It really did help cement me as a fan and see what a big deal Michael IS--IS, not WAS, IS, damn it!--and I really am proud to be into someone like him. Just sheer genius and talent and blessing from God above.
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