I be damned if I dare ask do you know who Michael Jackson is!
And I won’t say was — because legends like him never really leave us. They live on… in music, memories, and countless hearts.
You may know him as the King of Pop, a pop icon, a versatile singer, or a mind-blowing dancer.
(Damn… I still can’t get that moonwalk right!)
Some called him controversial.
Some adored him unconditionally.
But whatever you choose to call him, one truth remains undeniable:
He reigned supreme over the world of music in the late twentieth century.
His aura was so magical that he remains a global phenomenon even today.
A Tribute To The Legend
Fans world over, celebrated his 65th birth anniversary on 29th of August this year, paying tribute to the legend in their own ways.
Today I pay mine.
Not with grand gestures — but with something more personal.
My memories.
My love for MJ!
How It All Began?
But why today? After so many years!
Honestly, I don’t have an answer!
What I do know is this:
My love for his music has never faded.
My generation literally grew up watching him perform those gravity-defying dance moves on his groovy tracks. His music wasn’t just entertainment — it was part of our lives.
He was adored by the young and the old alike.
And I was no exception.
Discovering MJ in 1980s India
In India, during the 1980s, listening to Western pop in a middle-class household was not very common.
Fortunately for me, my home had a liberal cultural outlook, and I was introduced to Western music quite early.
The first MJ song I ever heard was Beat It! from the legendary album Thriller.
And that was it.
I was hooked.
I went on to listen to the entire album, and from that moment onward, there was no turning back.
The Cassette Era
Back then, there was no digital music.
No MP3s.
No iPods.
No streaming platforms.
The only way to listen to music was through pre-recorded audio cassettes. And buying those tapes was considered a luxury.
But I was determined to have MJ’s music in my collection.
Convincing my father to give me the money took some courage… but he didn’t disappoint me.
And that was the beginning of my musical journey with MJ.
MJ – The Only One for Me
Before MJ, my only brush with Western music was Boney M., the disco band that dominated the 80s.
Surprisingly, I never got deeply attached to bands like:
- Metallica
- Guns N’ Roses
- Aerosmith
Or legendary solo artists like:
- Bob Dylan
- Diana Ross
- John Lennon
Occasionally I listened to:
- Madonna
- Elton John
- Billy Joel
- George Michael
But my heart always returned to MJ.
The Songs That Stayed Forever!
Some songs simply never leave you.
For me, these became eternal favourites:
The last album I bought on cassette was HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, just before the digital music era arrived.
The Regret I Still Carry
One of my biggest regrets?
Missing his 1996 live performance in India.
For a devoted fan like me, it was heartbreaking.
That was a once-in-a-lifetime event… and I missed it.
But I never stopped watching him perform.
First through VHS tapes.
Then VCDs.
And eventually YouTube.
Even today, I find myself watching his performances and tapping my feet to his music.
The Day the Music Paused
I never dug deeply into his personal life — the controversies, the mysteries.
I didn’t want anything to dilute my love for his music.
After years away from the public eye, he was preparing for a sensational comeback.
And then…
On 25 June 2009, he left the world stage.
All of a Sudden. Unannounced.
Millions of hearts broke.
Mine was one of them.
Epilogue
You may hate him.
You may love him.
But one thing is undeniable — he was irresistible.
Many tried to imitate him.
But there could only ever be one Michael Jackson.
For me, he was never just the King of Pop.
He was simply MJ.
His music lived within me.
His dance moves had a rejuvenating power.
His songs carried messages that touched the heart instantly.
Whether it was the emotional depth of:
- Gone Too Soon
- Earth Song
- Will You Be There
Or the electrifying energy of:
- Black or White
- Bad
- Beat It
Or the sensuous groove of:
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- She Drives Me Wild
Every song had a soul.
Though MJ is not with us any more, his music still lives in us and he will continue to rule millions of hearts like mine, till the end of time. To quote in his own words –
Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight
– Gone too soon, by Michael Jackson, from the album Dangerous
Here one day
Gone one night
Like a sunset
Dying with the rising of the moon
Gone too soon
Forever MJ!
Just watch the video to get a feel of the enigma named Michael Jackson!
