Michael Jackson Turns 50 – What Went Wrong?
SharePosted on 25. Sep, 2008 by Gallivanter in Thoughts
A middle-aged man donning pajamas in a wheelchair, looking haggard and fallible. His skin seems to be flaking beneath a surgical mask, covering the bottom half of his face. A pair of large sunglasses shields his resigned eyes. Welcome to the very sad world of MJ. Like most of us, I can’t help but to feel saddened by the way his life has panned out.
What could have been: An experts’ image of Jackson (left) and how he looks today after surgery (right)
His record-breaking career seems like a thing of the past, and he has lost the fire over the years, ridden with debt, and feeling unmotivated. The fall of King of Pop, one of my favorite artistes growing up, and I’ve been lucky to have watched this genius graced Malaysia in 1996 – the greatest live act I’ve ever witness – MJ is a performer in a class of his own.
He has been emotionally devastated, unable to bounce back, from 2 court cases over the years. These days, he seemed more disoriented, his face expressionless. He would never be the same again. MJ, as you know, have never lived his childhood, as a result of his stardom.
He tried to relieve his childhood by creating Neverland, and surrounded himself with children, animals and a false reality – so much so that he never learned how to cope in the real world. Alone in his madness, he became gradually weirder, and no one seemed to care. It didn’t matter that Jackson was found not guilty. He was ruined – not just his reputation, but his self-esteem, too.
No one made records like him. Thriller, released in 1982, remains the biggest-selling album of all time with 100 million sales, and Jackson still commands an audience – if he wants it. In Jackson’s defence, the standards of excellence he set himself so many years ago are so high that they’re practically impossible for even him to meet!
He recently recorded a song with AKON, called “Hold My Hand”. It’s music to the ears when jackson does what he do best. There are still no concrete news about his next album, but I know one thing for sure though, when MJ dies, a lot of us will be in mourning – me included.
HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY, MJ
Phil
Sep 25th, 2008
I am VERY sure now…he regretted doing the surgery
Nick Phillips
Sep 25th, 2008
He’s 50 already? Well, Happy birthday to him. Just like you, I grew up to his tunes, in fact I even danced to his numbers at parties back then.
I’ll mourn right along with you!
Aj
Sep 25th, 2008
happy birthday to him too. i’m a fan of him long time ago.. hope he can make same like the old one..
foongpc
Sep 25th, 2008
It’s a pity he became like this today. It could have turned out differently. He seemed to have lost his motivation to do anything. The Michael Jackson that the world knew is history. But we all still admire him, don’t we?
ethel
Sep 25th, 2008
Michael Jackson is the King of Pop!
(Eh, who quoted that again? That Home Alone boy, no?)
kaDusMama
Sep 25th, 2008
Hey..I’m still his fan what..
No matter what..he is still the best performer of all..
simon
Sep 25th, 2008
ah, if he had stuck to making music rather than get sidetracked in life, it would have been so good.
Gallivanter
Sep 25th, 2008
Phil – Of course he does, just like almost everyone regrets getting tattoos.
Nick Phillips – Same here, the last time I danced to his track, was “Blood on the Dancefloor” back in Langkawi at Sheraton. There were just 4 of us, and when that song came on, in my drunken stupor, I hit the empty dancefloor.
Aj – I don’t think he ever will, but a nice way would be collaborations with current stars. That’ll do him good.
foongpc – Agreed. I still admire him. Most of us do, just that some of us are in denial about him. Wait until he dies. It’s gonna be a sad day.
ethel – MJ is the King of Pop! No idea who quoted that, but he truly is, the King. Not Elvis, but MJ. A true performer.
kaDusMama – High five! That makes the 2 of us.
simon – Well, there’s a lot of if’s in everyone’s life, but it’s not as bad as some artistes, dying of aids, or killing themselves.
Monica
Sep 25th, 2008
I like MJ!!! Hard to believe he’s 50 already!
Fei
Sep 25th, 2008
this has nothing to do with MJ, but man u gotta check this out! been wanting to get the book, 4 hour work week by tim ferriss, so i thought i’d youtube it to see if there’s any reviews, lol…if i can afford it, CHEAP, imma gonna send to my clients, muahahaha…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYpRja0-vrU
Aaron
Sep 25th, 2008
Michael is the man.. the best there ever was/is..
King of Pop is just wrong.. He’s the King.. fullstop!
He makes such diverse music.. not even Elvis or David Bowie can match.. in my opinion:P
Happy Birthday Michael.. The true KING!
Fei
Sep 25th, 2008
hi im back again, no gtalk so mafan.
anyway, the book, sounds inspiring, may have a few tips that may actually work, but eevryone has different life, i just want to read how in the world did he manage to do that, lol… it sound like some get rich quick thingy, but i hope thats not the idea… enriching ur life, thats the idea!!!~ lol
endroo G
Sep 25th, 2008
I played and played his songs on my iPod everyday. Its just timeless.
Yeah, he should do more collaborations with other artistes so that young people of this generation know about him.
Yo
Sep 26th, 2008
aww, yeah, i’d miss him when he dies. i miss him now already.
i blame the media for his recession!
Yo
Sep 26th, 2008
oh yeah:
omg, you have hair.
Aj
Sep 26th, 2008
Maybe he can record same hits like what he did with Paul Mcartney, like Say, Say, Say… sounds good.. or the girl is mine..
Aunty J
Sep 26th, 2008
I am still a great fan of him…love his music, music videos and dance moves…one talented man who went wrong wt his “make over”. But to me he still is a great singer and performer no matter what…a unique and rare one…Happy 50th Birthday MJ!!
jc
Sep 26th, 2008
Call him wacko or what but he’s still the King of Pop. I never get bored of his music and love his music videos a lot. I heard somewhere that he’s spending more time with his kids now. Whatever he’s doing now, I hope he live a happy life… Happy Birthday MJ (was like huh? 50 already??)
Faiez
Sep 26th, 2008
Well that’s what people say about geniuses. I think he’s a music genius and like other geniuses they tend to be weird. They either do a total makeover surgically or cut off their ear like Van Gogh, hehe.
cc of Quaint Melody
Sep 26th, 2008
It really saddens me to look at him, a really disturbed man.
Gallivanter
Sep 26th, 2008
Monica – High five! Yeah, he’s 50!
Fei – Cool, read it and tell me if we could convince mgmt.
Aaron – You’re right – he is the KING of music. Agreed!
endroo G – Yes, that’s the way, damn, I wish I was his PR manager man, I’m sure I would’ve done a better job that all the bozos he hired, who ended up tricking the fella.
Yo – Yeah, the media is partly to be blame for sensationalizing MJ. Let him be. And yes, I have hair, this baldness is by choice btw.
Aj – Exactly, check out his collaboration with Akon, Hold My Hand. Excellent stuff.
Aunty J – High five! MJ, no matter what the world say badly about him, is still someone most of us hold dear to our hearts. FACT.
jc – Yeah, he lives in the Middle East these days, to get away from the Yankee Doodah American press.
Faiez – True, geniuses are flawed to an extent, but we should focus on his talent than anything else.
cc of Quaint Melody – It does to me too. Sigh.
Novendra Jaisi
Oct 29th, 2008
He will always be the King of pop his album Thriller 25 is the biggest selling album of 2008 the fans are still around including me.If he were to perform again his audience would still be there.
Gallivanter
Oct 30th, 2008
Novendra – Agreed.
Rick
Jun 26th, 2009
MJ…. R.I.P…
I guess you are a fortune teller.
Michael Jackson Passes Away :-( | The Gallivantings of Daniel Franklin
Jun 26th, 2009
[...] Michael Jackson turns 50 He recently recorded a song with AKON, called “Hold My Hand”. It’s music to the ears when jackson does what he do best. There are still no concrete news about his next album, but I know one thing for sure though, when MJ dies, a lot of us will be in mourning – me included. [...]
MichaelRIP
Jun 26th, 2009
Michael RIP.. beacuse of the surgery…
Gallivanter
Jun 29th, 2009
Rick – I can’t believe.
MichaelRIP – We’ll know later the cause of death.