The Day the Music Died
In the late 1980s, my brother bought Michael Jackson's album Bad. We listened to the songs Bad, Dirty Diana and Another Part of Me continuously. My sister and I made up dance routines to Smooth Criminal. We tried for weeks to perfect our "Moonwalk" (very unsuccessful attempts, but we thought we were doing it well). We even wore the white socks and black shoes. Those are some of my fondest childhood memories. Very soon, my siblings and I became obsessed with his music, and started listening to his older songs all the way back to the album Thriller and even further back to when he was in the Jackson 5. In that way, Michael Jackson brought our family together.
Michael Jackson was an entertainer all his life. He began performing with his brothers in the group Jackson 5 when he was only 5 years old. He was the lead singer, and the family act entered contests all over their hometown of Gary, Indiana. The Jackson 5 were good. They kept winning more and more competitions. And their success gave them more and more exposure. In 1968, Bobby Taylor andt he Vancouvers discovered the Jackson 5, and this was how the Jackson 5 got an audition for Motown Records. The Jackson 5 recorded with Motown and became incredibly successful. Their first single "I Want you Back” was released in 1969, followed by "ABC”, “I'll be There" and "The Love You Save". All four of these hits went to the number one position in the charts. Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown records said that the Jackson 5 "were the last big stars to come rolling off my assembly line" The group recorded with Motown for more than a decade and also had a Saturday morning cartoon for their younger fans. At the same time Michael pursued a solo career while still recording with his brothers. However, the peak of Michael Jackson's success came in 1982. That was the year he released the album Thriller. The aim of the album was for every song to be able to stand on its own as a single. Jackson collaborated with former Beatle Paul McCartney and record producer Quincy Jones. The album included hits such as "Billie Jean" and "Beat It”. Michael wrote "Beat It" because he wanted to tell his fans to stay away from violence. Thriller has sold more than 50 million copies and is the best-selling album ever. Despite his success in the entertainment industry, Michael Jackson has had his own share of personal hardships. But why should we remember that? Like any farewell, it's always better to remember the good things. It's funny how someone we've never met could have such an impact on our lives. For many people, Michael Jackson is more than a musician. He's a part of us. And his music will always be the soundtrack for a part of our lives.
67) Read the following essay and answer the questions that follow. Contemporary American Popular Music:
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I was shocked when I heard the news on 25th June 2009. The world famous musician Michael Jackson had died. And so had a piece of my childhood.
