Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 Gary, Indiana—June 25, 2009 in Los… Read Full Bio ↴Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 Gary, Indiana—June 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California), was an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Dubbed the King of Pop, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest entertainers of all time. He was also known for his philanthropy, charitable fundraising, and lifestyle, residing in a private amusement park he called Neverland Ranch and often becoming the focus of tabloid scrutiny. Jackson's contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. Through his group, solo, and family work, he became one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Jackson's other achievements include 39 Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards as well as the Grammy Legend Award and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 26 American Music Awards, 16 World Music Awards and the estimated sale of up 750 million units worldwide. Winning countless awards for his humanitarian endeavors, the singer has been honored by two Presidents of the United States. He has also been named as the artist of "the Decade", "Generation", "Century", and "Millennium" and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002. Jackson has also won hundreds of other awards, making him the most awarded recording artist in the history of popular music. He is also credited for popularizing many physically complicated dance moves, such as the robot and the moonwalk, and has influenced and spawned a whole generation of a wide variety of artists including Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, and The Weeknd, among others.

Jackson's musical career began in 1967 as lead singer of The Jackson 5, when the group made their first recording with a local label before signing up with Motown Records in 1968. He made his first solo recordings in 1971 while still a member of the group. But it was Off the Wall (1979) which marked the start of his full-fledged solo career, and he formally parted with his siblings in 1984. In his solo career, Jackson recorded and co-produced the best-selling album of all time, Thriller (with worldwide sales over 100 million), received thirteen Grammy awards and charted thirteen #1 singles in the U.S. Throughout his four-decade career, Michael Jackson has been awarded numerous honors, including the World Music Awards Best-selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium. He is also a double-inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997, and in 2002 as a solo artist. He is also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In the mid-1980s, TIME magazine described Jackson as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley". He has had a notable impact on music and culture throughout the world while also tearing down racial barriers and paving the way for modern pop music.

From 1988 to 2005, Jackson lived on his Neverland Ranch property, on which he built an amusement park and private zoo for the enjoyment of economically disadvantaged and terminally ill children. In 1993 and 2003, separate accusations of child molestation that allegedly occurred in Neverland were made against Jackson, which drew intensely negative media coverage. While he was never charged for the first case, Jackson was tried and vindicated in 2005 of the latter allegation, but moved out of the US shortly thereafter. He later returned to Las Vegas in early 2007.

In the years following his acquittal, (2005-2009) Jackson made numerous public appearances including MTV Japan's VMA awards where he accepted the legends award; the World Music Awards where he accepted the Diamond Award for selling over 100 million records; James Brown's funeral where he paid tribute and delivered a sermon; and a fan appreciation event in Tokyo, Japan, where he greeted troops at US Army base Camp Zama. In early 2008, Jackson issued Thriller 25th Anniversary, a critical and commercial success that was the second-biggest selling album of 2008 with over 2.1 million copies sold worldwide.

On June 25, 2009, Jackson collapsed at a rented home in Holmby Hills in Los Angeles, California. The cause of death is currently believed to be cardiac arrest. At the time of his death, Jackson was scheduled to perform 50 sold-out concerts to over one million people, at London's O2 arena, from July 13, 2009, to March 6, 2010. During a press conference, Jackson made suggestions of possible retirement.

In the hours following Jackson's death, his record sales increased dramatically. His seminal album Thriller climbed to number one on the American iTunes music chart, while another eight made it into the top 40. In the UK, where Jackson would have performed less than three weeks after his death, fifteen of his albums occupied the top 15 spots on the Amazon music chart. Social music network website Last.fm also saw a dramatic increase in Michael Jackson plays per hour after the announcement of his death.

On December 10, 2010, a compilation album of previously unreleased material, simply entitled Michael, was released posthumously. Featuring guest performances by Akon, 50 Cent and Lenny Kravitz, the album was certified Platinum in 18 countries but received mixed reviews from most critics. This was followed in November 2011 by Immortal, a remix album; in September 2012 by Bad 25, a 25th anniversary reissue of Jackson's 1987 hit album Bad; and by Xscape, a second compilation album released in May 2014.

Official Website: http://www.michaeljackson.com

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Ben
Michael Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I'll never be alone
And you, my friend, will see
You've got a friend in me
(You've got a friend in me)

Ben you're always running here and there (here and there)
You feel you're not wanted anywhere (anywhere)
If you ever look behind
And don't like what you find
There's something you should know
You've got a place to go
(You've got a place to go)

I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
(I used to say "I" and "me")
(Now it's "us", now it's "we")

Ben most people would turn you away (turn you away)
I don't listen to a word they say (a word they say)
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to
I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben
(A friend)
Like Ben
(Like Ben)
Like Ben

Overall Meaning

The song "Ben" by Michael Jackson is a touching ode to a close friendship between the singer and a rat named Ben. The lyrics speak to the bond the two share and how, despite being different creatures, they have found what they were looking for in each other. The chorus declares, "With a friend to call my own, I'll never be alone, and you, my friend, will see you've got a friend in me." It's a beautiful reminder of how important it is to have someone you can count on.

The second verse addresses Ben's feelings of loneliness and rejection from society, with the singer offering comfort and reassurance that he will always be there for him. The lyrics say, "Ben, you're always running here and there, you feel you're not wanted anywhere. If you ever look behind and don't like what you find, there's something you should know, you've got a place to go." It's a powerful sentiment that speaks to the heart of what it means to be a true friend.

Line by Line Meaning

Ben, the two of us need look no more
There is no longer a need for us to search as we have found what we were looking for

We both found what we were looking for
We have found what we were looking for in each other

With a friend to call my own
Having a friend who belongs to me and is always there for me

I'll never be alone
I will never be by myself because I have a loyal friend in Ben

And you, my friend, will see
You, my dear friend Ben, will soon realize

You've got a friend in me
That you have an unwavering friend in me

Ben you're always running here and there (here and there)
Ben, you always seem to be on the move and restless

You feel you're not wanted anywhere (anywhere)
You are of the belief that nobody wants to be around you

If you ever look behind
If you ever take the time to reflect

And don't like what you find
And you dislike what you discover about yourself

There's something you should know
You need to know something important

You've got a place to go
You have a home where you are welcomed with open arms

I used to say "I" and "me"
In the past, my vocabulary included more singular pronouns like "I" and "me"

Now it's "us", now it's "we"
However, now it's about "us" and our partnership

Ben most people would turn you away (turn you away)
Most people would push you away or ignore you, Ben

I don't listen to a word they say (a word they say)
Their opinions or feelings about you do not sway me, Ben

They don't see you as I do
They don't view you the way I do

I wish they would try to
I desire they would attempt to

I'm sure they'd think again
I'm confident their perception of you would change

If they had a friend like Ben
If they had a friend like you, Ben

(A friend)
(Because you are a dear friend)

Like Ben
Just like you, Ben

(Like Ben)
(Like you, Ben)

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Don Black, Walter Scharf

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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