Tunes Tuesday

Tuesday is almost over, but I didn't want to say goodbye without posting something for Tunes Tuesday.

I don't know how many of you caught coverage of Whitney Houston's funeral, but I saw some of it. I watched the moving speech by Kevin Costner, her co-star in The Bodyguard. Much of what he spoke about makes you realize how easy it is for someone to lose their way. I'm going to miss what might have been for Houston, just like I hoped Michael Jackson would have had a powerful comeback. They were both lost too soon.

While Michael Jackson had been singing since childhood, I really didn't get into his music until the 80's when he released his Thriller album. Though I don't think I'll ever be a fan of zombies, I lived through the hype of Thriller and watched the video, along with those for other hits off the album like: "Billie Jean," "Beat It," and "The Girl is Mine," which featured Paul McCartney.

My favorite Jackson song, however, would come off his next album, Bad. "Man in the Mirror" peaked at number one in the United States when released as a single in January 1988. It was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards.

"Man in the Mirror" was a call to action. It asked people to look at the person in the mirror and be the one to make a difference in the world; for the person you see reflecting back at you in the mirror to work toward bringing peace throughout the world and to help ease the suffering of those less fortunate. I believe Jackson wanted to be the type of person who made a difference. In the video for this song, you'll notice he only makes a brief appearance toward the end. When I think of Michael Jackson, I think of a man who had a lot to offer this world, but who ultimately, like Whitney Houston, was overwhelmed by his demons.




Do you have a favorite Michael Jackson song? Did you ever get a chance to see him in concert? I didn't, but I bet it was quite a show.