Jackson is all things to all men. Neither black nor white, neither masculine nor feminine, he looks like a bizarre blend of Napoleonic dandy and star trooper. Disturbingly, Jackson lists among his inspirations Liza Minelli, Diana Ross, and Peter Pan, a catholic enough collection to cover all the angles.
- Deyan Sudjic, Cult Heroes
Smooth Criminal is my favourite MJ track of all time. He uses his voice to varying effects and to portray multiple characters, first starting out as if a machine gun, then sounding like the cacophony of a worried crowd and finally attempting the shrilled helplessness of a victim. I don’t know which other MJ song embodies the pop icon more than this particular one — a criminal, spectacle and victim all at once.
As he came into the window / it was the sound of a crescendo
5 responses so far ↓
thinkinink // June 27, 2009 at 7:03 am |
Michael Jackson was the ultimate superstar. A genius. He wrote, composed and sang most of his songs. He broke boundaries, fused multiple-genres and paved the way for thousands of artists. Without him, R n B wouldn’t be what it is.
I used to be a huge fan when I was a kid, fascinated by this strange man who came up with the most amazing dance moves I’d ever seen. His influence on music is massive.
Also, he is credited with elevating the music video to a whole new level. From his epic Thriller to the Martin Scorsese-directed Bad, he turned the fledging music video into an art form.
My favourite track is Man in the Mirror. :)
Shu Yun // June 27, 2009 at 4:06 pm |
i used to listen to MJ at the backseat of my parents’ car. he would be all over the radio so his music is v much like home for me — a crazy yet familiar tune. why’s Man in the Mirror your fave? :) you never told me you listened to MJ so much hehe.. i’m fascinated with Smooth Criminal also because the video is theatre in itself. here is MJ with a murder plot, insane killer moves and a weapon of a voice. to me, the epitome of a pop music video. that was 1988. two decades on, no one moves and moves us the way he does.
Mum // June 29, 2009 at 9:59 am |
nevertheless he is a lengend
thinkinink // June 29, 2009 at 2:42 pm |
i used to love mj’s short movie moonwalker when i was a kid. liked him since then.
thinkinink // June 29, 2009 at 3:48 pm |
but i do love smooth criminal. its so epic. and jackson looks awesome in a fedora.