Michael Jackson, an oddity who lived and sung among us was anything, but normal. His extraordinary musical talent rose him to fame from a very young age; when he used to perform with his siblings, then belonging to Jackson 5, which was later changed to the Jacksons.
However, it was after he started a solo career as a musician that success started knocking at his door, and barged into his life, and that of his admirers for several magical years until that beautiful fairytale was poisoned by wretched fantasies of entities who considered him as nothing more than just an oddball wrecking havoc in an otherwise sane world.
This could perhaps be the very reason as to why his personal life became a target for continuously pestering Media officials, and aspects of his life like his radically changed appearance, complex personal relationships, and unusual behaviour at times led to the development of a very confusing image in the public.
Apparently, Michael Jackson realized the gravity of this situation and set to re-establish his popularity as a true iconic figure. To understand his views regarding this troubling matter, I have selected a song he composed called 'Leave me Alone', which is accompanied by an animated music video of him asking the stalkers to leave him in peace, while trying to break free from their harrowing presence.
Released in 1989 as a part of his seventh music album, Bad, and put together by animator Jim Blashfield, 'Leave Me Alone' does well to present Michael's views about the controversies which had circulated his life.
In this video, the animated Michael Jackson is shown pouted out of a cabin, with a two armchairs flung alongside him. This is then followed by a rapid succession of newspapers on his doorstep, which seek to address the controversies in simple, yet bold headlines. Headings like 'Michael's Space-Age Diet' and 'Bubbles The Chimp Bares All About Michael' are made conveniently visible, signifying yet again to the audience that the now late King-of-Pop did not enjoy his privacy being invaded like that, and that all the rumours revolving his personal life were considered simply as nonsensical to him. Here is the scene, in which all of this happened.
After that, he hangs in mid-air in apparent surprise (or disbelief?) at the nature of those speculative newspapers and is then shown in momentarily switching front-covers, while explaining the audience via the song's lyrics that he doesn't care as to what others think about him, and wants to live his life the way he wants to with no force pestering him.
To make the message on Freedom even more clear, he is shown paddling away in a small boat to his amusement park 'Neverland', based on the concept of a hidden magical island in the novel Peter Pan, by a Scottish Novelist and Playwright called J.M Barrie (1860-1937). During a brief interval, the lyric 'Leave me alone' is repeated oft to further signify to the audience, that Michael Jackson wants to live like an ordinary being with privacy given to him as far his personal life was concerned.
Also the lyric 'Stop dogging me around' mentioned repeatedly during the song, with animated dog-faced reporters does well to address that personal issue he had, which was that he considered them as a nuisance who never quit bothering him, when all he wanted was a little space.
As the song progresses, he is shown escaping his body and making his way from these dog-like reporters. There is also a scene in which he is shown dancing with an elephant's skeleton, his ankle chained to an iron ball. This acts as another sign that he doesn't feel free, and needs more space with the freedom to make decisions on his own accord. In the end, his bigger self destroys the amusement park, and allows him to escape into the abyss with no one trying to stop him.
This song clearly speaks of his public image, as well as what Michael wants it to be. Not only can it be treated as an unrivalled expression of freedom, but acts also as an insight on both the Media's representation of his personal life, as well as his own.
Michael Jackson through singing, songwriting and dancing gave several gestures to the public concerning various matters. A perfect epitome of sensuous singing, and illustrious dancing is his hit song 'Billie Jean' from his sixth album 'Thriller' produced by Quincy Jones, which does well to sum up the excellent talents and desires of the late King of Pop in a very understandable manner. Both on record as well on stage, Billie Jean has captivated audiences in a way no other song has. According to critic Greil Marcus, he "walk(ed) the television stage not as if he owned it, not as if if was built for him, but as if his very presence had called it into being." Marcus has also gone far enough as to say that with Billie Jean, Michael Jackson 'shocked the nation.
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Was it his brilliant dancing, each graceful step nothing short of a roller-coaster ride? Or was it the song itself, an outright acceptance of sheer madness, uncertainty for the world confined to it being expressed in beautiful low moans, and nicely brought high-pitched lamentations? The angry sentiments in this song according to Marcus, were 'not "fierce," but, instead, overcome by dread. And the lyrics about a paternity suit (no paternity suits were ever filed against Michael Jackson until after the release of this record) are a classic study in paranoid confusion complicated by guilt.'
By simply hearing the lyrics, one can understand how appalled Michael in this particular funny little world of his feels about false accusations presented by the lover-cum-accuser-cum-torturer Billie Jean, who claims to have been his lover, and that she bears a child of his. To this, Michael wallows in sweet melody with an underlying sense of agony that, "This happened much too soon/ . . . Billie Jean is not my lover/ And the kid is not my son." In the song, he undergoes a social and psychological dilemma since he attempts to both remember that night with Billie Jean, as well as forget it ever happened as if in constant denial.
What is more surprising is that the song portrays a very 'emotionally unstable' Michael Jackson, but nevertheless stands as a brilliantly composed and stable song perhaps due to the synced performance which accompanies it. It looks as if he is stringed by unseen unbalanced forces, but is breaking free as though bringing his social life back to a set-equilibrium. It is, frankly speaking, quite hard to tell whether he is being controlled or is actually the controller.
According to Marcus, it is the subjective experience of watching the performance which adds to the magnitude of the effect itself. Many Americans live a hard and controlled life, and feel like breaking free at times. Watching Michael Jackson's way of gliding across the stage is perhaps similar to watching a drowning man begin to swim.
Moonwalking with Michael Jackson doesn't always involve complex rhythmic dances, and fast-paced lyrics. With another of his hit songs, 'You are Not Alone', Michael despite slowing down to a great extent touched his audience' heart, and sent them sobbing uncontrollably as if they were trying to project their own feelings of misery and sorrow onto him.
Although not originally his song, belonging to R. Kelly's hit record 'Bump and Grind', who allowed him to record another version for his album 'HIStory', the intensity of the passion displayed by him makes the song look as convincingly his own.
Here is the video of him singing, and performing the song live:
By simply hearing the lyrics, one can understand how appalled Michael in this particular funny little world of his feels about false accusations presented by the lover-cum-accuser-cum-torturer Billie Jean, who claims to have been his lover, and that she bears a child of his. To this, Michael wallows in sweet melody with an underlying sense of agony that, "This happened much too soon/ . . . Billie Jean is not my lover/ And the kid is not my son." In the song, he undergoes a social and psychological dilemma since he attempts to both remember that night with Billie Jean, as well as forget it ever happened as if in constant denial.
What is more surprising is that the song portrays a very 'emotionally unstable' Michael Jackson, but nevertheless stands as a brilliantly composed and stable song perhaps due to the synced performance which accompanies it. It looks as if he is stringed by unseen unbalanced forces, but is breaking free as though bringing his social life back to a set-equilibrium. It is, frankly speaking, quite hard to tell whether he is being controlled or is actually the controller.
According to Marcus, it is the subjective experience of watching the performance which adds to the magnitude of the effect itself. Many Americans live a hard and controlled life, and feel like breaking free at times. Watching Michael Jackson's way of gliding across the stage is perhaps similar to watching a drowning man begin to swim.
Moonwalking with Michael Jackson doesn't always involve complex rhythmic dances, and fast-paced lyrics. With another of his hit songs, 'You are Not Alone', Michael despite slowing down to a great extent touched his audience' heart, and sent them sobbing uncontrollably as if they were trying to project their own feelings of misery and sorrow onto him.
Although not originally his song, belonging to R. Kelly's hit record 'Bump and Grind', who allowed him to record another version for his album 'HIStory', the intensity of the passion displayed by him makes the song look as convincingly his own.
Here is the video of him singing, and performing the song live:
The effect on his audience is simply magical. With his soft sweet high-pitched voice, he showed another side of him; that not only is he a deep and sensitive guy, but also a loving and caring person as well. Unlike his '80s hits like Thriller or Bille Jean, this isn't much of a pumped-up performance video and it is a clear fact that after the 80s, the rhythm in his songs slowed down to a great extent. This could be perhaps due to the increasing complexity of his life during that time-since he underwent several physical as well as emotional changes. These changes eventually led to an overall appearance; he became a depressed albino then faced with heavy paternity suits for mostly child abuse, and a divorced father who kept his children masked in order to keep them safe from the occasional stalkers. The paradox involved in the song is that although he assures his audience 'you are not alone', he sings that in a low melodramatic voice which gives the impression that he on the other hand is lonely. The audience, as if reacting by mere impulse starts crying as if feeling his sorrow a thousand times over. And when one of his screaming female fans rushes up to the stage, Michael hugs her with such passion that she faints due to the triggering of the uncontrollable excitement in her heart.
Thus, looking at both his 80s and 90s hit, one can heavily conclude that the image constructed in both the songs as well as music videos is far more important than both of them. In the early 80s, we had a completely different Michael, one who was lively and a bearer of strong desires (sexual fantasies?). And while there were hints of him feeling controlled, as was observed from his Billie Jean in which he also 'moonwalked' on the stage for the first time. The songs themselves did well to reveal some interesting views he had, such as those on false accusations targeted towards him. What's more important to note is that during that time, no paternity suits had been filed against him. Maybe he feared that the sudden rise in fame would brew similar troubles in the future? One can never know. Even after controversies started poisoning his life, he attempted via both his songs as well through on-stage performances the image he desired for the public as can be observed by the songs; 'Leave Me Alone' and 'You Are Not Alone'. Clearly, the musician-cum-performer placed image as a top priority. The songs did well to represent his thoughts, and issues regarding his personal life.
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