Flying Low

Although I watched the slow evolution of MJ’s face and skin, it never occured to me that he was getting older. I mean, I knew that the years were passing. Maybe it was how his appearance was changing. It’s hard to say that MJ aged naturally and perhaps that is why I never thought of him as old.

Hearing of his death was a shock. I wouldn’t say that I am a huge fan of his but I was a fan. His songs were a huge part of my childhood. I never realised how much until I watched the tributes to him on television. Almost every song of his was tied to a specific memory in my life.

I was 5 years old when Thriller came out. I remember the MTV very well because my father and uncles loved to watch it. It both fascinated and scared me. I remember running into the next room whenever it came on, peeking out at intervals to catch bits and pieces of it. Even though I have not seen the MTV in years, I can still remember the red jacket MJ wore and if I see someone doing the dance moves, I recognise where they are from.

Billy Jean was on the same album. I remember watching the MTV and marvelling at how the tiles lit up when he stepped on them. For a period of time, every time I stepped on clear tiles, I wondered if they would light up. They never did. But I imagined anyway. And the starting pose of the song, I doubt I would ever forget that.

If you asked me what my favourite MJ song is, I would have to say Smooth Criminal. The leaning in the music video fascinated me. It never occurred to me then that tricks were used to do it. At that time, I think I believed MJ could do anything. He could moonwalk! Why not lean at an impossible angle? Also, I spent a great amount of time playing the MJ video game Moonwalker, at which I sucked. This meant I was stuck on the second stage while Smooth Criminal played in the background.

My first live concert was his concert back in 1993 at the National Stadium. And when I was in JC, I learnt to sign the lyrics to the song Heal the World (some charity event I think). Most of all, I remember watching tons of his MTVs and enjoying them all. When I was teaching, my students had an assignment in which they had to go out and find a song that best represented the novel they were reading and one group chose Ben.

So I am sad that he is gone. It’s like the end of an era. Despite all the controversy and weirdness, he was a great musician and performer and I think I will always be a fan of MJ.

And now to get my hands on his greatest hits.