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Michael Jackson: No Groundbreaking Genius
Pajamas Media ^ | July 29 | Carol Gould

Posted on 06/30/2009 8:52:45 AM PDT by AJKauf

Am I the only person in the world not moved by or concerned with the death of Michael Jackson? Like all bereavements my heart goes out to his family and close friends.

But — a “genius”? “The greatest entertainer of all time”?

Why am I writing this article at all?

I believe it is important, especially for the young, to understand the true meaning of greatness and to appreciate the real essence of “genius.” This may sound like a sacrilege but, as I write, millions of youngsters are breakdancing to Jackson tunes and evidently thinking this is the be-all and end-all of life’s expectations. If I had a young child now I would want him or her to read books, go to orchestra concerts, and be exposed to selective media under my — and my partner’s — supervision. Whether or not the stars I am about to venerate grew up in such a rarefied atmosphere is debatable, but after hearing Al Sharpton’s pronouncements I would like to reflect on what true greatness entails.

The Rev. Sharpton said this week that Michael Jackson broke down a barrier: he made it acceptable for black entertainers to rise to the top in a white world. What is Al Sharpton talking about? ..

(Excerpt) Read more at pajamasmedia.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
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To: Blue Jays
Which one of your bands has been pivotal in the rock music scene for 30+ years?

The Band. 10 years later, I'm still grieving over Rick Danko's death.

101 posted on 06/30/2009 10:29:53 AM PDT by Dixie Yooper (Ephesians 6:11)
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To: dfwgator
Oh that doesn’t matter.
102 posted on 06/30/2009 10:30:29 AM PDT by angcat (FUBO)
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To: Mr. Mojo

"Hey, you put the ooooh-mau-mau, oh-oh-oh-oh...."

103 posted on 06/30/2009 10:32:21 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Alberta's Child

Right. I’ve still got some questions about Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. LOL.......

Yeah me too
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance_(film)
Ever see “Performance”?
Mick was very gay in that movie

Plus there was nasty rumor which Bowie’s wife spread about her bursting in on David Bowie and Jagger in bed


104 posted on 06/30/2009 10:33:46 AM PDT by dennisw ("stealth tribal warfare" is what the Sotomayor nomination is about)
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To: AJKauf

Michael Jackson was a great entertainer, up until the release of his album “Thriller”, which in my opinion, wasn’t nearly as good as his previous album, “Off The Wall”.

“Thiller” was where he made the turn from actually singing (which he could do ably), to all of the cooing, screaming, and whining that characterized his later “style”.

Much of what MJ was, was a wholly manufactured publicity creation. In my view, his later public persona mirrored the freakish twist in his vocal styling.

His 2001 album (I forget the title) had some of the old MJ magic on it, though I felt the songwriting and arrangements fell short of being up to the level of the Quincy Jones production on “Off The Wall”.

I’ve got mixed feelings about the guy, much as I do about most Hollywood personalities. I love the output of most of the bigger-than-life stars, but can’t stomach their opinions or the way they conduct their lives.

Artists in general are known to have weirder lives than normal people, and their opinions, publicly expressed, often tend to cast ugly shadows over them.

Even though Jackson attempted to live reclusively, his strangeness and perversion couldn’t be contained. His high profile court cases, and the Martin Bashir documentary broke the last remaining veil of secrecy on his bizarre private life.

For what it’s worth, he was utterly damaged goods in most people’s minds after all that. Mine included.


105 posted on 06/30/2009 10:36:24 AM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: AJKauf
The Rev. Sharpton said this week that Michael Jackson broke down a barrier: he made it acceptable for black entertainers to rise to the top in a white world.

I believe that Al was misquoted; what he really said that it was acceptable for a black entertainer to rise to the top as a white woman.

106 posted on 06/30/2009 10:36:28 AM PDT by ninonitti
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To: Dixie Yooper

I’m a huge fan of The Band (especially the “Brown Album” from ‘69), but the fact is their prime was very short. ...around four years (from “Music From Big Pink” through “Stage Fright”). Robbie saw the writing on the wall.

Bob Dylan is the only guy to last nearly a half century with little to no drop-off in (extremely high) quality songwriting and recording. ...although even Bob went through his dry spells.


107 posted on 06/30/2009 10:37:34 AM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: angcat

“...you know how I feel about your singing. That s—t doesn’t impress me. Wanna impress me? Take the wheel mf!”

(I suppose in your little sketch Stevie Wonder crash into a tree, right? Haha very funny mf!)


108 posted on 06/30/2009 10:37:36 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Dixie Yooper

The Band. 10 years later, I’m still grieving over Rick Danko’s death.........

“Big Pink” was so huge back then. Eric Clapton was very affected by and wanted to jam with them.

Rick did some great live versions of “It Makes No Difference” just him on guitar pretty much


109 posted on 06/30/2009 10:37:42 AM PDT by dennisw ("stealth tribal warfare" is what the Sotomayor nomination is about)
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To: subterfuge
...why couldn’t he write a decent song the last 10 years?

Read the life stories of major composers and songwriters. You'll find that on average, most of them hit their peak of creative genius at age 24 (not that I'm agreeing that MJ was a genius).

110 posted on 06/30/2009 10:40:54 AM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: AJKauf
here a lot of musicians I would put ahead of Jackson....
111 posted on 06/30/2009 10:42:41 AM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: Deo volente
I told a friend one time that I thought Frank Sinatra was probably the greatest male singer of the 20th century, and she fell on the floor laughing...

Not to denigrate the great Frank Sinatra here, but I never "got" him, either. He was before my time, and I'm in my mid-fifties.

112 posted on 06/30/2009 10:42:45 AM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: staytrue

She’s doing OK. She has kids now to raise

http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/06/17/susanna-hoffs-cashing-bangles-fame/


113 posted on 06/30/2009 10:42:58 AM PDT by dennisw ("stealth tribal warfare" is what the Sotomayor nomination is about)
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To: AJKauf

B-!! S5!T


114 posted on 06/30/2009 10:44:36 AM PDT by nufsed (. Stay away and I'll stay here. What else needs to be siad?)
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To: GSWarrior

I agree. A lot of posts like “Michael Jackson couldn’t hold a candle to the Andrews Sisters!” “It was all Quincy Jones” “It was all marketing”.
If Michael Jackson had been a republican the same people would be praising him to the stars...


115 posted on 06/30/2009 10:44:55 AM PDT by blowfish
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To: dfwgator

Like all in the entertainment industry, once you attempt to parlay your celebrity into social relevancy, you hae begun a long, slow decline into irrelelvancy.

The Cosby Show come to mind.


116 posted on 06/30/2009 10:45:02 AM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (FreepMail me if you want on the Bourbon ping list!)
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To: dfwgator

Like all in the entertainment industry, once you attempt to parlay your celebrity into social relevancy, you hae begun a long, slow decline into irrelelvancy.

The Cosby Show come to mind.


117 posted on 06/30/2009 10:45:03 AM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (FreepMail me if you want on the Bourbon ping list!)
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To: capt. norm
Of course, if you disagree, Frank's associates might help you change your mind.

"I got chunks of guys like you in my stool!"

118 posted on 06/30/2009 10:45:26 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Mr. Mojo
Robbie saw the writing on the wall

According to Levon Helm's book, This Wheel's on Fire, after Robbie decided to take credit for writing all the hits, on the advise of their manager, his time with the Band was finished. Robbie Robertson still collects royalties from all the songs.

119 posted on 06/30/2009 10:46:03 AM PDT by Dixie Yooper (Ephesians 6:11)
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To: Retired Greyhound
Credit where credit is due. 10 year old Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five were groundbreaking. The kid was a major talent.

His Thriller album was a perfect storm. Quincy Jones was at the top of his game, and MJ could sing and dance.

True, but all that doesn't elevate him to the level so many are claiming for him.

I agree with Carol.

120 posted on 06/30/2009 10:46:03 AM PDT by TChris (There is no freedom without the possibility of failure.)
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