Mike on Mike

Michael Jackson's Voice

2008-07-26T22:22:00.000-07:00

These are MJ songs with only his voice and the beat (not acapella, as the titles suggest). In my opinion it almost sounds better without the music. You can't say that for many artists. Enjoy!

What Makes Michael Jackson Great

2008-07-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

You know that feeling that you get when you listening to a MJ song? It just feels different, powerful, and unique. There's a charisma to his songs that is hard to deny. The following is my personal analysis on what makes his music so great.

1. Energy
MJ songs are energetic. They have a powerful beat, a powerful baseline, and are accompanied by a powerful voice. All of this just adds up to songs that emanate a positive vibe.

2. Versatility
If you listen to his first album and then his last album, you will see what I mean. He went from a very Motown-disco-funk- influenced sound in Off the Wall and Thriller to a more industrialized and modern sound in Bad and Dangerous, just to give an example. His abililty to adapt and change is part of his wide appeal.

3. Catchy Hooks
MJ is a master at putting hooks throughout the songs that you keep humming or singing to yourself long after the song is done. Listen to the main guitar riff in "Beat It," or the bassline in "Billie Jean" and "Thriller," or even the oriental sounding riff in "In the Closet." His songs are very catchy, there is no doubt.

4. Innovation
From his wacky costumes in his performances, you can tell that he is a leader and not a follower. The same idea is reflected in his music. His sound is different from that of other artists and he is not afraid to try out new things. That is why he is such a trendsetter among musicians.

5. Talent
Face it, he is incredibly talented. You have to be if you dance and sings like he does.

Michael Jackson and the Simpsons

2008-07-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

If you are a Simpson's fan, you are sure to have noticed how Michael Jackson has influenced the show.

In Season 3, "Stark Raving Dad" featured a "a big white guy" who thought he was Michael Jackson (ironic, huh? This was when Michael's skin color change was being noticed). Michael Jackson did the voice himself (except for the ending song) but was not credited due to contract issues.

Leon: Hi. I'm Michael Jackson, from the Jacksons.
Homer: I'm Homer Simpson, from the Simpsons.

Here's the song in the end. It was not sung by Michael but its clearly a tribute to his style. Sounds kinda like "The Girl is Mine" in my opinion.

And then there's "Do the Bartman." From the beat to the dance, its Michael Jackson all over the place. Michael Jackson's name is even in the lyrics. Bart half moonwalks at 3:49.

So apparently birds are fans too

2008-07-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some birds moonwalking:

Awesome Slow Dance

2008-07-17T10:13:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson dances to slow music too.

Check out his mime wall moves.

Thriller Album Review

2008-07-17T09:39:00.000-07:00

Ah, "Thriller." My all time favorite album.

This one was my first exposure to Mike's music. It was an amazing experience. When I first got the album, I would cycle through all the songs about 7-10 times every night. That was a first in my history of music enjoyment.

What struck me as amazing, and as the thing that differentiated this album from others, was that every one of the tracks was very strong and likeable. This is a great contrast to other albums you hear today, where there might only be 2 to 3, at most 4, good songs. But not with Thriller: every one of the songs rocked.

Below I'll share some of my impressions of the songs in Thriller:

Wanna be Starting Something- Have you guys heard the chant (African? somebody help me out here) in the end? So how awesome was that huh?

Thriller- Currently my favorite song. Listen to the subtle, syncopated guitar riff in the middle that comes in during the verses and continues throughout the rap. That is one sick riff, one of the song's many hooks. Can anyone else pull off this song about nonsense but Michael? Didn't think so.

Billie Jean- An awesome dance track. Period. Probably his best-known song.

PYT- Man, this song is just pure energy. Creative, sparking energy. Love it when he pulls out those grunts and huffs in the middle.

Overall: This album is just pure genius. There is a reason why this is the best-selling album of all time. Every single track was good and catchy. It was creative (singing about aliens and PYTs huh) and silly in a good way. In my opinion, the best of his albums.

First Post

2008-07-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Welcome to “Mike on Mike,” a premium resource for all you Michael Jackson fans out there.

Now, I must begin by admitting that I have not been a Jackson fan for too long. In fact, I was only exposed to his music about half a year ago. Since then, he has rocked my world inside-out, upside-down. Such is the power of his music.

So I guess the purpose of this blog is to decode Mike’s life and music. And also to show appreciation for all the great things that his music has done in our lives.

Thank you all.