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

Fire Island Dub
Michael Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She got your number
She know your game
She put you under
It's so insane

Since you seduced her
How does it feel
To know that woman

Is out to kill

Every night stance is like takin' a chance
It's not about love and romance
And now you're gonna get it

Every hot man is out takin' a chance
It's not about love and romance
And now you do regret it

To escape the world I've got to enjoy that simple dance
And it seemed that everything was on my side
(Blood on my side)

She seemed sincere like it was love and true romance
And now she's out to get me
And I just can't take it
Just can't break it

[Chorus]
Susie got your number
And Susie ain't your friend
Look who took you under
With seven inches in
Blood is on the dance floor
Blood is on the knife
Susie's got your number
And Susie says its right

She got your number
How does it feel
To know this stranger
Is out to kill

She got your baby
It happened fast
If you could only
Erase the past

Every night stance is like takin a chances
It's not about love and romance
And now you're gonna get it

Every hot man is out takin' a chance
It's not about love and romance
And now you do regret it

To escape the world I got to enjoy this simple dance
And it seemed that everything was on my side
(Blood on my side)

It seemed sincere like it was love and true romance
And now she's out to get me
And I just can't take it
Just can't break it

[Chorus: x2]

It was blood on the dance floor
(Blood on the dance floor)
It was blood on the dance floor
(Blood on the dance floor)
It was blood on the dance floor
(Blood on the dance floor)
It was blood on the dance floor
(Blood on the dance floor)

And I just can't take it

The girl won't break it
Oh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Michael Jackson's song Fire Island Dub describe a dangerous and deadly relationship. The first verse suggests that the woman the singer is involved with is aware of his intentions and has a plan to harm him. The next few verses further reveal that the relationship is not based on love or romance and the singer's regret for getting involved in it. The use of the phrase "blood on the dance floor" indicates the severity of the situation and suggests that there has been a violent encounter. The chorus implies that the woman involved has deceived the singer and has taken advantage of him, ultimately leading to his downfall.

These lyrics can be interpreted in various ways, with some theories suggesting that the woman represents a metaphorical entity, such as addiction or death. Others have speculated that the lyrics are based on real-life experiences of the singer. The use of reggae-style music in the song, which is a departure from Jackson's signature sound, keeps the song fresh and interesting. The song is distressing yet catchy, highlighting Michael Jackson's ability to make great dance music with dark undertones.

Line by Line Meaning

She got your number
This woman knows how to get in touch with you

She know your game
She understands your patterns and behavior

She put you under
She has control over you

It's so insane
The situation is crazy

Since you seduced her
You started this relationship

How does it feel
What does it feel like

To know that woman
To be aware of this woman

Is out to kill
She is trying to harm you

Every night stance is like takin' a chance
Every time you hook up with someone, you are taking a risk

It's not about love and romance
The encounter is not about love or a serious relationship

And now you're gonna get it
And now you will face the consequences