any michael jackson fans?

I recently learned of that as well. It reminded me of when he first got into music publishing. He told Paul McCartney that someday, he would own all the Beatles' songs. Paul took it as a joke, not believing for a second he was serious. When those rights came up for sale, Paul was offered them first, but he deemed the price too high, so Michael went forward with it. Paul seemed to think Michael had somehow slighted him, and they never associated with each other again.

So... What did he do with all those songs? Besides Come Together I never heard him singing any of them for an album... And the Beatles did that better, imo.

Well, it's basically fulfilling to do something like that. Any fan of Led Zeppelin would definitely want to own Led Zep given the chance. MJ could afford it, so voila.

Like Mike Tyson's extravagance on buying things on a whim. Jeff Bezos buying off other companies. Just a Takeover sort of thing. There is bound to be profit in it somewhere. Rich people. They own a lot of things they have no use for.

Well in Michael's case, that got him into some fairly hot water during his 2005 trial. Apparently, he had bought several large collections of historic art books, not knowing what each one contained (a big mistake). Tom Sneddon then tried using that as part of his accusations, that Michael had exposed children to pornography. Thankfully, the jury saw through that lie.

His story is tragic in so many ways ... but I regard him as having amazing talent.
He exposed the corrupt underbelly of the music industry and made many enemies.
His album covers and songs tell the story.

I recently found this article online, about Michael's spiritual worldview. I already knew he had been raised as a Jehovah's Witness, but this goes into his overall view of such matters a little more (though admittedly, not very extensively). Still, I'm reminded of a quote by C.S. Lewis - “We do know that no person can be saved except through Christ. We do not know that only those who know Him can be saved by Him.”

https://www.christianwebsite.com/was-michael-jackson-christian/

Another thing - I was searching through some of my old Facebook posts today, and came across one I wrote back in 2016. After reading it over again, I realized it still matched my current thoughts about him, so I'd be interested to know your views...

Today marks what would have been the 58th birthday, of someone who I and many others grew up admiring. For those in the mid-1960s, he was a cute kid from Indiana with a lot of talent and even more heart. He took inspiration from the likes of James Brown, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly...and today, many do the same with their memories of him. He went from the lead singer of a five-man group, all brothers...to a solo artist whose work is still deemed a creative and professional standard. Music aside, he also made lasting impressions on many children and families through his charity contributions, both public and private. He helped further early AIDS research through his friendship with Ryan White, supported the Make-A-Wish foundation, and co-created a song for African relief efforts with Lionel Richie.

Many saw him as someone to emulate, while others even hailed him as a "god" of sorts. But the one title most remember is something he actually came up with for himself: King of Pop. While this certainly changed people's perception of him, it was nothing new; he'd been dealing with that all of his life. His mixing of divergent musical styles and fashion trends attracted people from every age group, ethnicity, and religion on the planet. But for me, there was one thing I liked most: he showed me it was okay to be different, staying young in heart and mind no matter how old you became. He loved so many people, the best he knew how...yet they often mocked and manipulated him in return. Sadly, the last few years of his life were filled with despair, from an insane trial on charges of child molestation (resulting in 14 acquittals), to an extravagant comeback attempt halted by an accidental drug overdose. As such, he is remembered as a polarizing figure...loved by many, yet hated by others with a fiery determination. As for me, I really miss him: he was my favorite musician, and so many of his songs spoke to me. He did have a Peter Pan complex, never wanting to completely grow up...but why is that such a bad thing? I think a lot of people deem innocence so horribly, because it exposes their own corruption.

This man, still loved and cherished by so many, was not God. He never had apostles, never claimed divinity, never performed supernatural miracles, and was by no means perfect. The only crucifixion he ever experienced was a constant form by the media, and the so-called "court of public opinion". He openly loved most he encountered, striving to side with that instead of hate or contempt. The way he lived really had a lasting impact on my life, making me want to be better to those around me. I continue to read books about him, wishing he were still here so I could tell him how much of the real God I saw in him. That's why its my sincere hope, that he's with God and Jesus now, in Heaven. He was no saint or angel, just a man...but far from an ordinary one. He remains missed by his family, friends, and millions of fans like me all across the world. In just over five decades, he tried his best to provide healing for the world and all its people, no matter who tried tearing it down. Michael Jackson was no Savior, or Messiah...but he was someone I still love and admire. My heart goes out to those he left behind, especially his three children. I lost someone I looked up to, but they lost a father. Happy Birthday, Michael; my greatest prayer for you is that you're finally at peace.

Couldn't write a better memoir than that. I listened to Michael more when he passed on than when he was around. He inspired so many. Prabhu Deva from India danced inspired by MJ. Everyone I know, my friends and cousins loved him. Students doing his iconic moon walk on so many cultural events in school year after year. That and MJ spins. His S dance. He may have had his weaknesses as a human being. But He never hurt anyone. Was never proved anyway. And his songs were so pure. Earth song, heal the world, etc. I think MJ was like Bruce Lee. One of a kind. A kind hearted good man and as an entertainer who always loved his fans in return. Rest in peace MJ.

What's your view of Off the Wall? It's my favorite MJ album.

I listened to it for the first time just now. I like the songs. I have listened to only his famous songs and music videos. This is a great album. Listening to Burn this disco out now. It's the last song. Thanks for referring this album. God bless.

My favorite song is "I can't help it" from Off the Wall.

I feel Off The Wall was the pre cursor to Thriller, musically.

I feel like Off the Wall has this innocence and joy to it. He sounded happy.

I think the more appropriate term would be "happier", or at least "more relaxed". In the deepest core of his being, Michael was an all-out obsessive perfectionist. When it came to his music, he wanted every track on every album to be the best, never compromising a thing. That's probably one reason why he only released 7 albums in total, during his post-Motown solo career.

What do people think about the Bad album?

I can't really address it from an historical perspective, since I heard songs from it and Thriller when I was 8 years old. Both albums were my intro to Michael as an artist, and I still enjoy them. I even bought the Bad 25 version, when it was released in 2012. There's some really good songs on it too, like "Abortion Papers", "Price of Fame", plus Spanish and French versions of "I Just Can't Stop Loving You".

I like "I can't stop loving you". I felt like "bad" persona was kinda cheesy, because MJ is not bad.

The context of that song at the time, was that the word "bad" was a synonym for "cool", "tough", or "streetwise". Back then, Michael was trying to change his image a bit, and so he hired Martin Scorsese to direct an 18-minute short film for the title track. Since the song itself is only about 4 minutes, the rest of that story involves a teenager named Darryl (played by Michael), who has just completed a term at an expensive private school. Returning to his neglected neighborhood, Darryl takes the subway but is later greeted by his old gang-friends, led by "Mini Max" (a then mostly unknown Wesley Snipes). At first, relations are friendly but slightly awkward, as the gang starts to realize how much Darryl has changed, and how uncomfortable he has become with their crooked ways. Darryl later takes the gang to the station, in an attempt to show them that he is still "bad" by attempting to rob an elderly man. He has a change of heart at the last minute, and Max says Darryl is no longer bad. Provoked, the film then cuts to the main musical sequence - after which Darryl insists that Max is headed for a fall which is nearly Darryl's undoing. Eventually, Max accepts that Darryl is better off without him and leaves him in peace after a final handshake.

Yes. I love the dancing in Bad. It's very Broadway and jazzy.