RIBS TPTD: Michael Jackson, R.I.P.

July 2, 2009 by
Filed under: Funk, Michael Jackson, podcasts/mixes, R&B, R.I.P., RIBS, soul 

Hey folks, how is everybody doin’ today?

Note: This is part 1 of a 3-part MJ mix here on RIBS (parts 2 & 3 will be available over the next 24-48 hours). Try as I might there just were not enough hours in the day (nor days in the week) for me to get an MJ mix posted last weekend as I originally intended. Now I know that commercial radio has played MJ/J5 music to death over the past week and that everybody and their mother are posting MJ tribute mixes, but to be a music fan/podcaster and NOT celebrate his life at a time like this just wouldn’t be right. Hopefully there are a few things in these RIBS Michael Jackson mixes that you haven’t heard 100 or more times this past week and that the combination of songs chosen is pleasing to your ear.

Oh, and one more thing… I must give a shout out and major BIG props to Honey over on HoneySoul.com. She has done a great job providing information and links to the many, many MJ tribute mixes, video and information that have been posted online. If you want to find good music and info about the “King of Pop” (without all of the negativity those other sites are giving you) check out: Remembering The Time. Michael Jackson (1958-2009) [Audio, Video Links] over on HoneySoul.com

Well, as we are all well aware, Michael Jackson left us one week ago today. It’s still very hard to think of him as being gone. I, like so many others, was really looking forward to his planned tour later this year to see if he could stage a comeback in his career after all of the mess that he had been through these past several years.

The best way for me to describe MJ is this:

“He was one of the cornerstones of the foundation of the "Soundtrack of My Life"

I mean I’m not that much older than Michael, and from the early days with his brothers in the Jackson 5, to their move to CBS Records as The Jacksons, and of course his enormously popular and influential solo career his music was always there somewhere during all of the various trials, tribulations, happiness, sadness and discoveries of my life.

He was, without question, one of the best (if not THE BEST) entertainers that I’ve had the pleasure to see in my lifetime. I say "entertainer" and not just singer or singing artist because MJ could do it all: singer, dancer, actor (a little {smile}), songwriter, producer. The only person who I think comes close in comparison to Michael (that I can think of) is Sammy Davis, Jr. Hmmmm, MJ vs. Sammy, that could make for an interesting discussion in the comments section!

One of things I have been doing during the past week as the reality of Michael’s death has slowly been sinking in is thinking of the various memories that I have of him…

Memories Of Michael

  • 7th grade music class with Mrs. Hoffman. She had us singing "ABC" by the Jackson 5
  • Buying the UK pressing of the Maybe Tomorrow album over in London on the 9th grade class trip during Spring vacation. (forever grateful to my maternal grandfather, God rest his soul, for helping pay for the trip so I could go)
  • How BIG of a J5 fan Jolene White was (girlfriend in 9th grade); she was one of the few girls I knew at that time that liked Marlon better than Michael
  • Seeing the Jackson 5 in Madison Square Garden in 1971 (with Jolene). Opening act: The Commodores! (Hmmmm, wonder whatever happened to THEM? {smile})
  • Watching the Jackson 5ive cartoon (nope that’s not a mis-spelling) on Saturday mornings
  • Hating The Osmonds and the song "One Bad Apple" as they blatantly (but, I have to admit all these years later, very smartly) modeled themselves after the J5 and went on to quite a bit of success themselves during the 70s
  • Hoping and praying that Michael’s solo albums would not cause the Jackson 5 to break up (hey, I was young then. I didn’t know anything about the music business)
  • The changing sound of the group (as the boys naturally grew older) on the albums G.I.T.: Get It Together, Dancing Machine and Moving Violation 
  • The Jackson 5 leaving Motown (for CBS Records) and having to change their name to The Jacksons
  • Jermaine leaving the group and staying at Motown due to his marriage to Motown founder Berry Gordy’s daughter Hazel
  • Youngest brother Randy joining the group to replace Jermaine
  • Michael playing the Scarecrow in The Wiz
  • The monster success of the Off The Wall album (only to be surpassed by the Thriller album)
  • The Motown 25 television special and Michael’s performance of Billie Jean! My favorite MJ moment/performance of all time.
  • We Are The World (song and recording session)
  • Watching the first airing of the Thriller video. Wow!
  • Watching and listening to Marc Jones (a friend I had a short-lived mobile DJ business with after college) mix Billie Jean. Nobody could mix that song like he could!
  • …and so many, many more!

Hopefully Michael is at peace now. Though we mourn his passing, we will always celebrate his life and the happy times he gave us all. He will continue to live on in our hearts and minds and ears via the wonderful legacy of music he has left behind.

RIBS TPTD: "Michael Jackson, R.I.P."

RIBS TPTD: Michael Jackson, R.I.P.

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Playlist: (song – artist – album [time])

  1. I Am Love, pts 1 & 2 – Jackson 5 – Dancing Machine [7:29]
  2. Walk Right Now – Jacksons – Triumph [6:29]
  3. Forever Came Today – Jackson 5 – Moving Violation [2:09]
  4. Can You Feel It (Disconet mix) – Jacksons – Triumph [7:44]
  5. Mama I Got A Brand New Thing – Jackson 5 – G.I.T: Get It Together [7:11]
  6. Feelin’ Alright – Jackson 5 – Goin’ Back To Indiana [4:12]
  7. Man In The Mirror (Instrumental) – Michael Jackson – Instrumental Version Collection [5:06]
  8. Dirty Diana – Michael Jackson – Bad [4:41]
  9. Money – Michael Jackson – HIStory: Past, Present and Future [4:42]
  10. Doctor My Eyes – Jackson 5 – Lookin’ Through The Windows [3:11]
  11. Lookin’ Through The Windows – Jackson 5 – Lookin’ Through The Windows [3:38]
  12. Don’t Want To See Tomorrow – Jackson 5 – Lookin’ Through The Windows  [2:40]
  13. Corner Of The Sky – Jackson 5 – Skywriter [3:40]
  14. Maybe Tomorrow – Jackson 5 – Maybe Tomorrow [4:48]
  15. Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing – Jackson 5 – Lookin’ Through The Windows [2:28]
  16. Can I See You In The Morning – Jackson 5 – Third Album [3:09]
  17. It’s Too Late To Change The Time - Jackson 5 – G.I.T: Get It Together [4:00]

Remember, don’t forget to check back here for parts 2 & 3 of the Rhythms In Black Satin “Memories of Michael” mixes!

Have you missed any of the RIBS mixes we’ve posted? If you have there is now an easy way to catch up on what we’ve been up to. Just go check out the new RIBS Archives Page to see a very easy to read listing of every post (and music mix) we’ve uploaded to the site.

Enjoy!

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Comments

4 Comments on RIBS TPTD: Michael Jackson, R.I.P.

  1. tgrundy (tgrundy) on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 5:41 am

    2. Twitter Comment


    GM Tweeps! Part 1 (of 3) RIBS Michael Jackson is now online: [link to post]

    – Posted using Chat Catcher

  2. El Slick on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 6:41 am

    3. That’s what I like about you “T”.
    You came with pieces that nobody else is playing.
    I heard a song by Troop that Mike covered (over at Dj GrantLove’s MTME) that my friends are buzzing over because young adult Mike rarely did covers.
    Thanks man. Good piece..both music and writeup.

  3. RIBS TPTD: Michael Jackson, R.I.P. on Thu, 2nd Jul 2009 11:22 pm

    4. [...] that everybody and their mother are posting MJ tribute mixes, but to be a music fan/podcaster and click for more var _wh = ((document.location.protocol==’https:’) ? “https://sec1.woopra.com” : [...]

  4. RIBS TPTD: Michael Jackson, Ballads & Love Songs… : RIBS: Rhythms In Black Satin on Fri, 3rd Jul 2009 10:34 am

    5. [...] part 1 of the mix, Michael Jackson, R.I.P., I listed several “memories” I’ve thought about over the past week after Michael’s death. [...]

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