Anybody want to share a good MJ memory?

[vegasnative]

In 2003 I worked at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino (Vegas) in the baggage storage room. He had been staying at the hotel for a few days, coming in and out through our baggage room. One night, late, it was just me, 1 other girl working and a few bellmen. He walked passed us, smiled, walked into the elevator, then walked back out and came over to us and asked if we ever rode the electric wheelchairs. We said, no we didn't other than to move them from place to place. He kept staring at them, and the girl I worked with (she was a little crazy) jokingly asked him if he wanted to ride one. (these are the wheelchairs that look like 3-wheelers with the basket on the front). MJ said yes he did want to ride one, so my co-worker and MJ rode these electric scooters/wheelchairs around our baggage room giggling like 2 little girls for about 20-minutes. That was pretty cool. I got to see him 1 other time when I worked at New York, New York but that was only for a few seconds as he walked in/out the hotel...sure wish I could have seen him perform in concert.

 

[dismom2]

Does anyone remember the "Free Willy" movies? MJ's song, "Will you be there" was in one of them (I think the first one). Great song. I remember seeing him sing it on TV one day with a full choir---it was very moving. Not a lot of people remember that song, but it's one of my favorites.

 

[Robinrs]

Though I have thousands of memories of MJ since I basically remember him since 1968 one of my best memories happened YESTERDAY.

My son is 16yo and a tenor. He's always hated the fact that his singing voice has not changed. The other day a commercial came on with "I'll Be There" as the music background. Michael asked me who was singing that song. I told him THAT was the Michael Jackson I remembered.

The only one HE knew was the strange light person with the mask!

Yesterday when I came home from work I picked him up and we went for a ride. I was visibly upset, the loss sort of shook me to the core. My son sat in silence most of the ride then broke out in song. He sang "I'll Be There" in the most beautiful light tenor I'd ever HEARD! He sounded EXACTLY like Michael at the age of 10!!!

When he was finished (and I was in tears) he said he'll NEVER hate his voice again. He also noted that he hoped his kids would just listen to that song and they'll have their Dad back.

It was just beautiful.

You and I must make a pact, we must bring salvation back
Where there is love, Ill be there

Ill reach out my hand to you, Ill have faith in all you do
Just call my name and Ill be there

Ill be there to comfort you,
Build my world of dreams around you, Im so glad that I found you
Ill be there with a love thats strong
Ill be your strength, Ill keep holding on

Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter
Togetherness, well thats all Im
after
Whenever you need me, Ill be there
Ill be there to protect you, with an unselfish love that respects you
Just call my name and Ill be there

If you should ever find someone new, I know hed better be good to you
cause if he doesnt, Ill be there
Dont you know, baby, yeah yeah
Ill be there, Ill be there, just call my name, Ill be there

(just look over your shoulders, honey - oo)

Ill be there, Ill be there, whenever you need me, Ill be there
Dont you know, baby, yeah yeah

Ill be there, Ill be there, just call my name, Ill be there...​

 

[XTinabell]

My wife is involved in local music theater. about 5 years ago the choreographer for a few plays was one of the dancers in the thriller video.


Mikeeee

I took a weekend workshop with a choreographer who choreographed one of Michael's videos (I can't remember which one anymore) and even this amazing dancer didn't compare to Michael.

He was such a good dancer that he was better than the people who came up with his moves.

 

[alldiz]

I was a teenager in the mid80s in a small whitebread Midwestern town. I will NEVER forget when, for a special treat, our band teacher brought in the Thriller video and let us watch it during band. It blew my mind. I don't think kids nowadays, with internet and hundreds of cable stations can begin to imagine what an experience that was.

Anyone else?

Terri

I had the same experience......forgot about that. We got to watch the Thriller video in school......UNBELIEVABLE. My friend and I used to do the dance to the video every day after school. He was my 1st love.......My wall was plastered with his posters.
Kerri

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Watching Moonwalker with my brother over and over again when we was little.

 

[Pixiedust34]

My favorite MJ memory is when my cousin and I were at my grandparent's house and we were showing the older generation the Moon Walk in my grandmother's kitchen. : )

Just a couple of weeks ago, dd danced to Black Or White at her dance recital.

 

[vettechick99]

It makes me so sad that he was so bizarre (his word!) over the last years. For me, it has tainted his memory.

Anyway, I love the song Thriller! Hands down, the best video ever - and it can never be topped. My friends and I watched and listened to the song over and over. That is my best MJ memory.

 

[disney1990]

When Bill Clinton was elected President, Michael Jackson performed at the inagural concert. While I didn't get to see the concert, I did get to see the dress rehearsal of the concert. Michael was awesome!

 

[Cherta]

On hearing of his death, I cried last night, but not specifically because he died (although my heart goes out to his family-especially his children). I cried because his music has been the “soundtrack” of my life and each of his songs remind me of special times and special people (some of whom have since passed on)….

I remember my mom playing the song “ABC” on our record player as we danced around the living room. I still smile when I think of getting up early with my brother and sister on Saturday mornings to watch the Jackson 5 cartoon series. I can still feel the butterflies in my stomach as I watched him on Soul Train doing the robot to “Dancing Machine”. And who hasn’t tried (at least once) to mimic the dance moves to “Thriller”? (that was the highlight of my high school graduation party!). Now that I’m all “grown up”, hearing those songs take me back to all of those good times…

For all of his later failings in life, Michael Jackson (and for that matter, Farrah Fawcett) represented a part of my childhood and it’s for those memories that I shed the tears...

 

[mla1977]

When I was in elementary school we used Smooth Criminal for a recital dance. I was really excited when he later made that into a video.

 

[DawnCt1]

Michael Jackson came to Hartford, Ct and had a concert at the Civic Center in 1988. Despite repeated attempts, I was unable to get a ticket. I decided that I was going to go, no matter what. I drove to Hartford and searched the street for a ticket scalper with good seats. I teamed up with another woman I met outside of the civics center, she had the seat maps so we knew where we were sitting. It was the best show I had seen. He was fantastic.

 

[yoopermom]

OP here, just checking in

Thank you ALL for sharing your memories, and keeping this thread civil. (I knew we could do it!)

Terri

 

[ginna74]

That I have been watching a lot of good people talking on tv about him non stop. I will always remember...... this is history....

 

[ArelysAdriana]

I have a few!

I remember watching MJ videos on MTV when I was little and trying to learn all the dance moves. The Thriller video terrified me, but I suffered through it so I could learn the dance. Once I did learn it, I would do the dance behind the couch so I wouldn't have to see the scary video.

I used to do his infamous "crotch grab" while busting a move and once my dad asked me what I was doing and I told him I was "grabbing my boy parts like Michael Jackson"

I used to dance up until I was 18 and almost every recital I performed in had a dance with Jackson's music. My very favorite was a ballet dance to "Beat It" where my group and I sported black tu-tus & biker hats. We had a pretend knife fight and we "moonwalked' in our pointe shoes. Everyone raved about that dance.

 

[ginna74]

bumppppppppppppppp

 

[ginna74]

Although son didn't have an interest to much lol... just did the monnwalk again... been a gazillion years... and just watched MY 7th grader do it.. WOW has it been that many years..

 

[ma2jr]

I think i'll pretty much always remember where I was when I heard about his death... so sad

 

[ginna74]

watching the bet music awards now and they are honoring him well tonight