"A concert is not a live rendition of our album. It's a theatrical event."
Freddie Mercury
It pretty much sums up what Freddie brought to the stage. But it only begins to tell the story about what Freddie Mercury and Queen mean to music and the world.
To call him a legends would be too little considering how this word is thrown around about everybody who gets on the cover of a magazine
"When I'm dead, I want to be remembered as a musician of some worth and substance."
Freddie Mercury
He used to say his melodies are better than the lyrics but I bet many of you will disagree with him. Both lyrics and melodies are so powerful and have borrowed his style and personality. I do not intend to take anything away from the other Queen musicians - amazing themselves. I will not get into that. This is not an analysis.
This post is simply to remember and honor one of the greatest music entertainers that ever lived.
A man who dedicated his life to bringing joy through music and share his talent with the world.
A lot of ink has been used in writing about his. Controversies, tabloid reports, critics (about his music and his image) and so on - but what remains is the gift he gave to the world - himself.
The show went on through all the good and bad in his life.
My favorite album is "Made In Heaven". I'm sure many will argue with me on this. It might not have the musical force of "A Night At The Opera"' for example.
But it's the simple fact that this last album was finished just based on will power.
While his body rapidly loosing the battle with AIDS he found comfort in recording.
And is his voice that breaks through. Not many rock artists pay attention to that. He used his voice to add depth and character to the songs and the public responded.
In April 1992 took place The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness. At the end of George Michael's rendition of "Somebody To Love" the public offered a wonderful tribute by singing the final phrase of the song exactly like Freddie used to do it.
It wasn't a big surprise to me that he and Michael connected and according to Brian May they became close friends. The two demo songs that we know of that surfaced - "State Of Shock" and there "Must Be More To Life Than This" - left us with just many questions starting in "What if ...?"
I'm going to end up this post with the song Brian May wrote and that I think expresses what we all feel about loosing him. About loosing them ..... our heroes. All of them. Including the unsung ones.
"One by one
Only the good die young
They're only flyin' too close to the sun
Cryin' for nothing
Cryin' for no-one
No-one but you"
When Michael Jackson passed, the feeling of loss and grief was quite overwhelming. I somewhat felt alone in my mourning of MJ; coming a small conservative, reserved town in Virginia, I wasn't sure if anyone truly understood what this lost meant to me:
This was the loss of innocence; I always felt like a young teen singing to my "BAD" poster when I listened to MJ, like I'm frozen in time. When our personal "Peter Pan" ascended to heaven, I had to slowly come to the realization this was the end of an era.
My life changed when I met a certain group of ladies - starting with @doublebeee and @Kiki_MJFan4life, I started to share my personal thoughts of MJ, his music, his style, his buckles...
Then I had interaction with @mike1909, @angelzaroundus, and @ichliebemjj, reflecting on MJ's kindness and gentle spirit.
Finally, I met @Cassarah_ and @Gimevacarezza discussed the charitable work of MJ and the rest was HIStory.
All the elements fore mentioned were a part of a blog, "It's All For Love", I didn't consider myself as a "blogger", but with MJ as the canvass, it was easy to get on board! The blog started discussing children's issues, as we know this was something very close to MJ's.
As the webteam team grew, it became a place of remembrance of MJ's life, career, charity, style, music, and of course, his heart.
Learning more about MJ's suffering has made me aware of my footprint on this planet, meeting the members of the webteam has encouraged me to look deep within myself and try to "make that change".
I'm very happy to be a part of this international sisterhood. I've always said we all have a purpose on this planet; MJ's purpose was to bring us together, for that I'm grateful.
"We all have to give and we all have to do what we can to help end the needless suffering in the world."
Michael Jackson & Friends
The Adventure of Humanity" Announcement
March 23, 1999
[...] children have certain inalienable rights, and the gradual erosion of those rights has led to scores of children worldwide being denied the joys and security of childhood. I would therefore like to propose tonight that we instal in every home a Children's Universal Bill of Rights, the tenets of which are:
• The right to be loved, without having to earn it
• The right to be protected, without having to deserve it
• The right to feel valuable, even if you came into the world with nothing
• The right to be listened to without having to be interesting
• The right to be read a bedtime story without having to compete with the evening news or EastEnders
• The right to an education without having to dodge bullets at schools
• The right to be thought of as adorable (even if you have a face that only a mother could love).Friends, the foundation of all human knowledge, the beginning of human consciousness, must be that each and every one of us is an object of love. Before you know if you have red hair or brown, before you know if you are black or white, before you know of what religion you are a part, you have to know that you are loved.
Michael Jackson
Oxford Union Speech, March 6, 2001
Michael Jackson's music has accompanied me through my life. I have always loved his music and his magical performances. But even more than being a fan of the artist I have been a follower of the man, as a supporter of general welfare and tolerance for people of all colors, races, characters and social statuses, and as active ambassador for children worldwide and their rights.
It is Michael's spirit that brought our webteam together. In november 2009 we started with this blog, which is of course MJ-related. To us this means: never getting tired of caring about whatever is going on in the world.
To run this blog was not really a decision, it was more like something made me starting it. There were more reasons speaking against it - not just my rather limited skills in english. My head said NO - but my heart said YES. Today I call myself being very, very fortunate to have met my sisters, living on 4 continents in 5 countries. Words fail me to express -and this is no matter of language skills- how grateful I am and how much your love and support adds to my life.
Thank you, Ladies, for all the smiles you brought to my face
One comes from the strings of a guitar, the other from the strings of the heart.
One sound comes from a chamber orchestra, the other from the beating of the heart's chamber.
One comes from an instrument of graphite and wood, the other from an organ of flesh and blood.
This loftier music I speak of tonight is more pleasing than the notes of the most gifted composers, more moving than a marching band, more harmonious than a thousand voices joined in hymn and more powerful than all the world's percussion instruments combined.
That ... sweet and sound of love."
Michael Jackson (Carnagie Hall speech)
I was slow in accepting @Cassarah's invitation to team up to build this blog. I don't know to this day how she went past my lame excuses for not saying yes. Truth is it was just too hard for me to deal with my emotions. Trying to write this the words "labor of love" came to my mind - but they would not apply here because being part of the blog required no effort, on the contrary it's been a source of energy and healing. It's wonderful to have this place to share my thoughts and most of all I'm proud to be part of this project aimed at raising awareness about children and other social issues. I have no doubt that the love we share is changing the world for the better.
Beyond this i hope you know how grateful I am to have you sisters.
Words fail me when it comes to my feelings for our blog and the blog team. I can't even begin.
Let me try to put this straight and simple.
I love Michael Jackson, and I feel him loving me back through this sisterhood. We have gathered together because of him. We share our grief of losing him, the pain that is never going to cease, and in the process we help each other to learn and grow in so many levels. By the blog itself, we are a miniature world with teammates from different parts of the world, and we are tightly interconnected,
while at the same time open to the whole world.
It's a miracle. Loving Michael in his death gives me pain, but he rewarded me with much, much more love.
This blog is a manifestation of this love.
Sisters, you are all gifts from him to me. Thank you for being here, and I love you more.
I decided to pull a quote from a review that I did of "This Is It," it feels like a fitting metaphor on how we formed this partnership in the first place.
"Michael had the generosity and heart to elevate those around him. Even when the musicians made errors, he would remind them “This is why we have rehearsal.” When he gave direction and sensed the slightest hesitation from his band or crew, he’d give his direction, punctuated with “God Bless You,” “I Love You” or “Its all for L.O.V.E.”
Michael's presence is everywhere, and he reminds us all the time that everything we do should be in the name of L.O.V.E., but even when it isn't, as human beings, we have the opportunity,and the free will to make it right again.
I've been a fan of Michael's since I was 2 years old, when i think to some of my earliest memories his name appears in all of them. Michael Jackson gave me confidence when I needed it,strength when I needed it....when he died I felt like a part of myself died too. I couldn't put into words how I felt & when I did try it seemed as though people around me didn't get it. I felt lost like no one understood it was then I started meeting the girls that would change my life. I remember talking with @sohappi & @angelzaroundus first & I remember finally feeling like someone got me & someone understood I met the rest of the wonderful sisterhood after that & soon after joined the blog team. I can't believe it's the anniversary of our little blog but at the same time I think to myself, it's only been a year? I say that because it feels like I've known these beautiful girls for so much longer. I don't know what I would do without them, I can't even remember my life without them in it. This blog for me has been kind of a rebirth of the part of me i thought I lost when MJ passed. I feel blessed to be a part of this blog & even more to be part of an amazing sisterhood of ladies that have changed my life forever :)
"In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream. And in a world filled with distrust, we must still dare to believe"
Michael Jackson (Oxford Union Speech, 2001)
Words fail me when I tried to talk about what the blog means to me and what Michael Jackson means to me. I guess the best thing to write about both is by writing about one at a time. I'll start with the meaning of Michael Jackson in my life and his impact on it.
Since I was a child Michael Jackson was a very important part of my life. I remember to see thriller with my brother for the first time and I was so scared but his voice and the rhythm I couldn't stop watching it!. I started to listen to him at the age of 4 and at that age I wasn't into all the philanthropy thing but as I was growing up I was learning more and more from and about him. He taught me about music of course, about respect, about love, about care, about how much doing charitable works and helping people in need can make you feel better but the most important lesson I learned from him was to speak up for those who can't, for what it's right, for uncover the lies and for many more reasons.
Through Michael Jackson I knew a new world full of magic and love.
When he died I was and still am overwhelmed with sadness and pain, I cried so much and I thought nobody would understand me or feel the same sadness but one day I met a wonderful lady @doublebeee who showed me a blog post, after I read the blog I was amazed of how the blog represented Michael's spirit, I automatically knew I wanted to be a part of that act of L.O.V.E so I asked to @doublebeee If I could and when she said she talked to the girls and they all agreed. I met an amazing group of ladies who shared my beliefs and most important the love I feel for Michael and the will to change the world and continue to his legacy. This girls teach me so much everyday and they make me feel so loved that I can't say nothing but Thank you. Thank you for letting me be a part of the blog, for teaching me something new everyday, for being there for me when I need it and lots of other things. Through you and Michael I'm a better person.
Thank you again sisters!.
I feel lucky to have you.
L.O.V.E.
@GimeVacarezza
-----------------------------------------------
"Can it be I stayed away too long? Did I leave your mind while I was gone?"
Michael Jackson - I Wanna Be Where You Are
June 25, 2009 marked a night for me that was changing me in so many ways. I don't even wanna go back there to this night of shock I spent in front of the TV seeing what I never thought I would see... and I never knew what it would do to me.
The weeks that followed I spent reminiscing about what Michael meant to me and to my life over the many years he's in my life. A million memories returned and my grief was just unbearable. I felt lonely and confused and didn't really believe anyone else would feel or even understand what he meant to me. I hardly even recognized myself.
Just out of curiosity and despair I joined Twitter because CNN was reporting that fans all over the world were discussing Michael and his meaning there.
That was the start of something I never expected or thought would be possible... I met some amazing people there who clearly felt the same about Michael and wouldn't judge my feelings.
I now call them my sisters! We're what I think represents Michael's dream he never stopped repeating: An international family of L.O.V.E. joined in the purpose of spreading the love, holding on to Michael's legacy and grow on each other in many different ways.
When mike1909 and Cassarah started the "It's All For L.O.V.E." blog, I was happy to join and have another outlet to read and spread Michael's message and to be a counterpart of what mass media tried to do to Michael over all those years.
Now it's our turn to "make that change"!!! And we do. It's great to see how it works and how we are able to reach people all over the world. With love, not controversy.
Thank you my sweet sisters for letting me being a part of you and this amazing journey. I love you!
"I know that keepin' the faith means never givin' up on love. But the power that love has to make it right, makes it, makes it right..."
As always on the 22th of a month this is also our "Children's Day".
Today I would like to remember 3 little Children in place of millions nameless and faceless children, whose pain and incredibly suffering is caused by their own parents.
I am not writing about the children of Africa or Asia, who have to work hard at a very young age and contribute to their family´s income . It is not about the children in Africa whose parents are missing all essentials and whose children starve. These lines are about children in so-called rich countries of the western world who were tortured and beaten by their parents, imprisoned in dark crates, condemned to solitude and absolute isolation. It´s about have children who die who have not yet really lived. It´s about children, for whom it was probably a relief to pass away.
It´s about children who would still be alive and could enjoy life, if there would have been the LOVE.
Read 3 of the many stories, the shadow share estimated number of non reported cases is high.
• Kevin, a 2 year old boy is found dead in his father´s a small kitchen refrigerator. The child's body is found, after the youth welfare office has made the long overdue decision to take Kevin into a foster family. At this time, Kevin is already five months dead.
The autopsy reveals that the child´s body shows more than 20 old and new fractures. The little boy was exposed to constant abuse. Beats to the child´s genital area have left hematomas and must have caused considerable pain.
The father has neither called for medical help nor asked for education support for raising a child.
Court has to judge the father´s guilt. But what about the guilt of all the persons who have known this little boy, those who have heard the little boy crying? He "lived" in a tower building, proximity close to other people. In opposite to this there was no emotional closeness at all.
Jessica´s funeral
• Jessica dies after years of malnutrition. The girl has even pulled out and eaten her hair. It is the biological mother who has starved her daughter.
The 7 year old child has the weight a child of 2 year should have.
Lea-Sophie´s last resting place
• Lea-Sophie dies of thirst and hunger in her parent´s home at the age of 5 years. The little girl has the weight of a 1 year old baby.
In all it are millions of children who are tormented and abused by their own parents.
They were -although it is prohibited by law- even today still whipped with a belt (like Michael Jackson was wiped as a child by his father). Beside the physical abuse there are also a load of verbal and emotional cruelty that affect the daily lives of many children. Working with children, I learn constantly from their worries, fears, and their boundless desire to be loved by their parents.
In 1972, a little girl who was called Susie was murdered. Michael Jackson composed a song for her and published it in 1995.
Let us walk -or even better dance- through life with open eyes and make sure not to get blind to the needs of children from the neighborhood.S tand up against anything and anyone who is making this earth becoming hell for children. Be someone who cares... for all the little Susies in this world.
Last night @randyjackson8 answered to questions for about half an hour.
Here´swhat Randy wrote on his Twitter, in chronological order, so that you can read from top to bottom.
A shoutout and a big THANK YOU to @randyjackson8 for taking the time and talking to us.
Mr. Jackson, we hear you and want you to know that we will not forget your brother´s message of L.O.V.E. It has become our mission... ~Cassarah
# Hello everyone, let me say for the record my computer has not been hacked, this is me.
# I want to spend some time on as many questions as possible, Feel free to ask whatever you like, there is nothing too personal.
# I want the truth to be known.
# Q: How do you feel about the Oprah interview? A: I didn't watch the interview, im sure everyone saw the show she had prior to my parents.
# Like I said before, no coincidence
# I guess, in Oprah's mind my brother is still on trial, even though he's not here, may he rest in peace.
# Don't be surprised if the Oprah show with my parents air's again during the AEG trial
# Like I said, No coincidence
# Q: How do you feel about the new Album?
# A: I have to give you history behind the project in order to answer this question correctly
# Me and my nephew were the first to say that it wasn't his voice on some of the tracks
# let me go back and say something that you, the public, may not be aware of
# The family and the executers of the Estate, Branca and Mclain are not on the same page
# We don't see eye to eye
# I became suspicious about the album, when I heard when armed guards were involved since my brothers passing, May he rest in peace.
# John McClain insisted that no family members were allowed at his studio where the project was being completed
# My first thought was, what are they trying to hide
# Teddy Riley was brought in just to mix and insisted on switching studios
# At which he called me to come down and hear my brothers music, may he rest in peace.
# Now McClain points the finger at Sony, when he got the tracks before it even went to Sony
# But I think they all know all now it is not him
# Sony has 250 mil reasons to convince the public that it is his voice, if you know what I mean.
# In fact, when I heard about the Sony deal, it made me sick
# Like AEG, they were cutting deals with the Estate before I could get my brother in the ground. May he rest in peace. # I invited McClain to the burial, Ironically, he didn't show up
# Neither of the executors didn't show up to pay their respects
# Maybe they were too busy getting deals done
# Im sorry its taking so long I get emotional
# Okay, after this Sony deal was inked, McClain went to work putting together the first album
# Calling all over the place looking for music with my brothers voice on it
# From what I heard, he didn't care about the quality or how complete the vocals were.
# I found this to be very interesting
# Why would Sony sign a 10 album deal over a period of seven years and
# McClain couldn't find enough product for one album
# I'd like to hear what they played Sony, or did Sony even care?
# If they don't even have enough product for one album how are they going to make 10 albums?
# On a side note, the letter released by the Estate
# I was informed by someone who attended that meeting at the studio
# It didn't happen the way it was mentioned in the letter
# You must understand, Sony is a power house in this business
# And as to the vocal authenticators, they work for pay. And I wasn't there when they did their analysis
# I dont know what they heard, surely not what I heard
# Like I said, Sony and the executors have 250 mil reasons to influence the public.
# Some of the songs are him, and some aren't. I would be my life on that.
# I know this may seem harsh, but this is the truth, as I know it.
# But what's worse then harsh is that my brother isn't here, and all these people are more concerned about making money off his death
# They could care less about why and how he died, or maybe they already know
# one more question
# I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I think my brother would want
# Questions about death conspiracy, whether or not to buy the album, many questions.
# Let me say this in closing about everything
# This story has not ended, things are still unfolding.
# Since my brothers passing, over one billion dollars has been profited.
# I want his legacy to be respected as if he were here.
# It bothers me that they can't get the deals done fast enough.
# My brother was a perfectionists, and they are paying no regards to quality
# We are family. A famous family, but a family whose lost one of its members.
# I will miss his laughter. I will miss his silly jokes. I even miss our arguments.
# Most of all I want all of you to understand that he loved all of you so much. He had a great love for all man kind.
# Thank you all. Goodnight. ~ Randy Jackson
Wednesday,11/17/10 about 7:35 pm Pac time
"Tonight’s story is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction
A monster had arrived in the village
The major ingredient of any recipe for fear is the unknown
And this person or thing is soon to be met
He knows every thought, he can feel every emotion
Oh yes, I did forget something didn’t I? I forgot to introduce you to the monster."
Threatened was my favorite track out of Invincible from the first time I listened to the album. Well that's a bit of stretch. All Michael Jackson tracks are my favorite, each of them are special and tell a different story and raise a different emotion.
I always looked at this song as kind of a hidden track on the album. Or if you like more of a hidden treasure. Well the whole album was forced into a hidden treasure status by Sony.
Beyond all this going back and forth I'll explain my choice now for this Lyrics blog post.
Threatened is Michael Jackson's smart mouth abilities at their best. He was a shy, polite, respectful person. Get on his nerves and he will put you down in the nicest way possible.
The track is a power song - the rhythm is infectious, the lyrics bring the best of rap tradition mixed up with a gospel like intensity, it has a dramatic feel to it.
"You’re fearing me, ‘cause you know I’m a beast
Watching you when you sleep, when you’re in bed
I’m underneath
You’re trapped in halls, and my face is the walls
I’m the floor when you fall, and when you scream it’s ‘cause of me
I’m the living dead, the dark thoughts in your head
I heard just what you said
That’s why you’ve got to be threatened by me"
It might as well be a live performance. One can see the stage, the musicians, Michael dancing - it's visual.
I hope one day to find out the story behind recording it. And I would not be surprised to find out the lead vocals were recorded in one take. The sound effects and additional voice recordings might have taken more work though.
Whatever is the case the finished product is nothing less of AMAZING. Considering the names behind it - Michael, Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins III, LaShawn Daniels, Rod Serling and Bruce Swedien - it's not a surprise. It's business as usual.
It's fierce, and he was right people were fearing him. All the attacks against him were driven by it. Fear of what he stood for, fear he had too much influence on culture, music industry and everyday people.
He dared to brake barriers and taken his art and message beyond all kind of borders. He was a threat for STASI (East German Security Service) and I bet few other Secret Services had their eyes on him.
"You should be watching me, you should feel threatened
Why you sleep, why you creep, you should be threatened
Every time your lady speaks she speaks to me, threatened
Half of me you’ll never be, so you should feel threatened by me"
Listening to the songs is an exiting experience. Still after 10 years every time I listen to it is new to me. I discover something else about both lyrics and sound.
And by that I mean it's a pure MJ song. It doesn't get dusty or rusty. You play it - it rocks your world :)
"You think you’re by yourself, but it’s my touch you felt
I’m not a ghost from Hell, but I’ve got a spell on you
Your worst nightmare, it's me, I'm everywhere
In one blink I’ll disappear, and then I’ll come back to haunt you
I’m telling you, when you lie under a tomb
I’m the one watching you
That’s why you got to be threatened by me."
The lyrics are smart, funny, slick and I think we could all find more adjectives for them. They follow in the same line as few others hidden treasures in Michael's albums (though his albums always generated a long list of hits the songs which where not released as commercial singles are all into this category) such as "She Drives Me Wild","2 Bad", "Superfly Sisters", and list could be much longer but these have the same "smart mouth" lyrics.
It shows Michael in a slightly different light not to be mistaken with me saying it showed him as a different person, rather a view from a different angle.
And if these songs weren't promoted as commercial singles or in his tours I think it was because he chose to promote songs that would fall into the message he wanted to share with the world.
He loved children and loved working for causes supporting children issues, he promoted them without rest and throughout his life and despite of what the media presented him it wasn't all he did.
But the two main reasons why I love this song are the following.
Though is the last song on the "Invincible" album, it sets the tone for it. It's positive, it is energetic and being that it distance the album from the anger, the sadness and the torment of "HIStory".
Second is that it shows off his wit.
Well with 10.000 + books in the Neverland library and his passion for knowledge he was much more then met the tabloids eye.
It leaves both the musical phrase and the reasoning open.
That's why it's maybe strange how the song is now the last of all true Michael Jackson releases and by that I mean the last finished and polished by him.
And judging by the continuous shoots at Michael and his legacy people are still threatened by him.
And they have something else to fear - people payed attention and learned from his message of LOVE. And no one can erase that.
"The unknown monster is about to embark
From a far corner, out of the dark
A nightmare, that’s the case
Never Neverland, that’s the place
This particular monster can read minds
Be in two places at the same time
This is judgement night, execution, slaughter
The devil, ghosts, this monster is torture
You can be sure of one thing, that’s fate
A human presence that you feel is strange
A monster that you can see disappear
A monster, the worst thing to fear."
The song comes as a sequel to both "Thriller" and "Ghosts" as an entertainment (fun and games) piece and of all their deeper meaning.
We tend to reject what we don't fully understand. We do not invest time to educate ourselves and see what brings us together rather then what sets us apart.
Then we will be able to appreciate our differences.
"What you have just witnessed could be the end of a particularly terrifying nightmare.
It isn’t. It’s the beginning."
this is an interview I found of Michael's & it looks like this is right before he started his Bad world tour. I thought it was cute when I found this video the link said "MJ in His Own Words" & It made me think of this blog post I write so i thought i'd post this video. thanks go out to www.ebonyjet.com . they were and continue to be very fair supporters of Michael :)
