Michael Jackson: I am not a fan. Never was. Weirdo, creep, you name it—get him away from me. I couldn’t understand the outpouring of affection, especially as to me, he had no relevance to my generation; I felt we were all pretty young, if alive at all, when he was big. I liked “Billie Jean” (but not the video); that was basically it. But, the week he died, I caught some of the videos, and I sat through them obligatorily. I knew I was the only one in the world who hated "Thriller" (yes, the video)…long, long, lots of boring dancing. I came away unchanged. Michael Jackson preferred dark alleys, menacing looks, bullies and confrontation in his videos, and they all were the same to me. He needed to move on, badly. As superstars go, I am very clearly in Madonna’s camp: She has one hell of an exciting, cool life, she’s rich, not in debt, is not crazy or weird, has in fact a reputation for being a hard-ass, usually credited to her monstrous success, and has a career that is still intact. But in all the eulogies for Michael Jackson’s camp, they keep saying that he was the last superstar left, an argument that is complete bunk. Madonna is his direct competitor, and she most definitely outlasted him in pretty much every measurable way. I will concede one thing, though. Nobody dances like Michael Jackson anymore. He’s the only one who can get away with high-water pants and white socks, and he’s the only one who glides (though he has to ruin it by jerking and touching his crotch). 3Oh!3: Dumb band name, but "Don't Trust Me" is a fun song (and fun video). I am always a fan of people who dress up and make it fun. I am very surprised that my friend at Art at the Auction didn’t rip the Flo Rida, “Right Round”: The universal reaction: OH MY GOD WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THIS SONG!!! Horror. Complete horror, but you listen. This is AWFUL. And SO FILTHY! How is this on the air?!?!? The next time: Oh, it’s that abominable remix. A travesty! Who in the world allowed Flo Rida to do this? Shock. The third time: Ugh, I’m not going to…hmm, it’s catchy. And then: OH MY GOD THIS IS GENIUS. Flo Rida is a GENIUS! Amazing! I love this song!! Beyoncé, "Halo": Considering I’ve been pretty hard here on Beyoncé, I have to admit that she did take my advice and release “Halo”, a song that is male-positive, as she soaringly sings the praises of her baby. The video features lots of nuzzling by a ballerina Beyoncé and her light-eyed boy, but no, absolutely no, kissing… …unlike Kelly Clarkson, who does in fact hook up despite the title of her second single off of All I Ever Wanted. I dislike “I Do Not Hook Up” because it’s one of those songs that girls use as an example; it’ll come on and several of them will find a girl who, in their mind, is the definition of the song and they will point at her, showing the rest of the world, that indeed, she does not hook up. This girl is usually single, and the songs are also usually about single women or opinionated women or independent women or women that need an declarative adjective before being announced. See “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” or other Beyoncé/Destiny’s Child songs. Shinedown: I briefly considered “Second Chance” to be in the running for top song of the year, one of the big hits of the summer, but it peaked already. The video, despite being a basic story, continues to intrigue: I still love the casting of the parents and the daughter, but the young blonde boy? And, we will assume he is her much younger brother, because if he is her son (very possible in music video land), then well, escaping your seafaring
Monday, July 20, 2009
Quick Hits
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
I've heard that Flo Rida song more than 4 times, and it's still a complete travesty. Sure, the original was about sex, but at least it had some degree of subtlety to it. "Right Round," on the other hand, is about as subtle (and as respectful to women) as a c@#%slap. Still, it's not as bad as recent violations of songs like "Tainted Love" or "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger." I'd put it on par with that gawd-awful Kid Rock song that butchers "Werewolves of London" while singing the praises of "Sweet Home Alabama."
As a former MJ fan (right up until the scandals hit) I'm glad people cared when he died, but the coverage of his death was excessive to say the least. A more balanced retrospective on his life would've been more honest and appropriate, but it would've meant dealing with things like the abuse he suffered as a child and the wrongful acts he committed on children as an adult. How much of the guilt for his actions should we as fans have, since it was our rabid adulation that caused Joe Jackson to push Michael so hard and deny him any chance to live a normal life? No one wants to think about that, though, so it wasn't really touched upon.
and by the way, "Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips?" Is that real? If so, the mothers of the members of 3Oh!3 should be ashamed of themselves for raising children that say such things. Now kids are going to think about sex when they hear Helen Keller's name, and that's just creepy.
I am very surprised that my friend at Art at the Auction didn’t rip the Colorado boys apart for their very sexist “Shush girl, shut your lips/Do the Helen Keller, and talk with your hips.”
Until this moment, I had no idea a song with that lyric ever even existed. I'm kind of horrified, but not willing to seek it out on my own. Which explains why I haven't ripped them a new one!
Oh, John, our tastes are so different: Assuming you're referring to "SOS", "Stronger", and "All Summer Long", I really like those songs and think they did a good job of integrating the original song. (A bad example, one I know you will not be aware of, is a current Pussycat Dolls release that borrows "I Will Survive".)
Michael Jackson's death is STILL being covered, which annoys me. The media took the adage "do not speak ill of the dead" to heart, and executives were told explicitly to focus on the positive aspects of his life, which, while significant, are a small part of what he became.
How much of the guilt for his actions should we as fans have, since it was our rabid adulation that caused Joe Jackson to push Michael so hard and deny him any chance to live a normal life? No one wants to think about that, though, so it wasn't really touched upon.
I read a tribute or two that gave lip service to this question, but no, it hasn't really been addressed, and definitely not by the fawning cable news. My first thought was that US (as in, you and me) aren't responsible, because we're not crazy and chasing after every little MJ bone that's thrown. But that's a stupid answer; Michael Jackson was very much in charge of himself, but he was weak and gave in to too many temptations, a story that's been told a thousand times. But their are rabid fans of all groups--what about the Beatles, during their heydey? Or Britney Spears? Are we responsible for her downfall too?
At a certain point, Michael had to grow up--and it was clear, even at 50, that he didn't, despite trying to fake the appearance of one (children, wife, divorce, extravagantly large house, massive debt).
Funny enough, Pet, it didn't occur to me that you haven't heard of the song! I need to remember that; you have awareness of some top hits, but not everything.
Michael Jackson was very much in charge of himself, but he was weak and gave in to too many temptations, a story that's been told a thousand times.
I worry about that narrative. I don't want to take away from any of the weirdness and illegalness and immoralness that Michael Jackson engaged in or was purportedly guilty of - whether or not he was ever convicted.
But I do think the abuse he was subject to and the life he led prior to becoming an adult informed his adulthood. Unlike John, I don't blame the media, because I think Joe Jackson would have been an abusive ass with or without MJ's fans and the public. He was abusive before the Jackson 5took off, and he was abusive long after. But I also think that being rich and famous and idolized took away some of the mechanisms MJ could have used to cope with the trauma he received. For those who live in the normal world, working to move past abuse and destructive behavior is a necessary part of survival. If you don't, your options are to end up in an institution, on the street, or jail. MJ didn't have to work past any trauma in order to survive, and it would be in a great many people's interests if he didn't. So even though it seems from the outside that he had all the tools at his disposal, the one he didn't have but probably needed was the tool of necessity.
Funny enough, Pet, it didn't occur to me that you haven't heard of the song! I need to remember that; you have awareness of some top hits, but not everything.
I don't think I know any of the top hits this summer. I haven't heard any of the songs on your list (absent the originals of the songs that are covered and MJ's collection, obviously).
My explanation was an oversimplification, and I knew that when I wrote it. Truthfully, I know very little about Michael Jackson--I have never been a fan, and so did not seek out any information about him; I can only name maybe three or four songs by him, tops. I read the Times obit of him, hoping to learn a little, which was a mistake, since it was terrible and strange to see it so abbreviated...but that was one my one dip into him, and I was done.
Obviously he was not able to cope with what he was dealt with, and was far hobbled by his success, and I do agree that his issues with his family would still exist absent his fame. BUT, from the little I know, he didn't seek to change himself in a non-destructible way, or try to claw himself out. We are all responsible for ourselves; circumstances do account for some things, but they are not the end. He had enablers to give him drugs, which eventually ruled his life and led to his death. Of course he was hobbled by his past--but he never seemed to overcome it; it just magnified his present. Contrast this to Tina Turner (an admittedly unfair example), a woman who had a far harsher life.
I'm still very much bound by the radio, as that is what I listen to in the car. (I still don't know which stations are NPR-only talk.) With no other source for music in my car on my commute, I do hear the charted music. But no "Halo"? C'mon.
Contrast this to Tina Turner (an admittedly unfair example), a woman who had a far harsher life.
I don't know about that. I am a huuuuge fan of Tina Turner - but I also think that she had a different set of coping mechanisms due to the fact that she had a chance to grow up a bit before she became involved in an abusive relationship. She got to become something of an adult before her life got totally screwed.
I know more about Michael Jackson than I should or that I feel comfortable admitting, but although I agree that people are responsible for themselves, I think there are circumstances that mitigate that responsibility. If someone has a mental disorder, if someone has been mentally scarred from a young age, if someone exists in a world in which s/he does not mature - and is in fact stunted due to circumstances and issues - and that immaturity is then nurtured by those around that person as being perfect and okay, then I think there are a huge amount of those mitigating factors. And I think that MJ falls within that realm. Again, I don't think that excuses any actions he himself may have taken, but I do think it explains the core person he was.
Post a Comment