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

Mama's Pearl
Michael Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You send cold chills
Up and down my spine
We kiss for thrills
Then you draw the line
Oh baby

'Cause your mama told you
That love ain't right

But don't you know
Good lovin' is the spice of life Yeah

Mama's pearl, let down those curls
Won't you give my love a whirl
Find what you been missin'
Ooh, ooh, now baby
Goody girl, let down those curls
Let me give your heart a twirl
Don't keep me wishing

(Bum, bum, bum, bum)
You want my lovin' yes you do, do, do
You know my lovin' is true, true, true
Now baby

But your conscience tells you
That love is wrong
But just a little lovin' never hurt no one, oh

Mama's pearl, let down those curls
Won't you give my love a whirl
Find what you been missin'
Ooh, ooh, now baby
Goody girl, let down those curls
Let me give your heart a twirl
Don't keep me wishing

Let all it hang (Girl, don't be afraid)
(Oh, we've got the first step made)
(Ooh, the rest is up to you)
(Here is what to do)
(Let yourself go)

Let yourself just oh now, now no
Let your lovin' go now, now
Just give it to me
('Cause I got what you need)
I got what you need
Let's fall in love, let's fall in love

Find out what you're missin'
Goody girl lay down your curls
Let me give your heart a twirl

Why don't you give my love a whirl (Girl, don't be afraid)
(Oh, we've got the first step made)
(Ooh, just give it, just give it to me)
('Cause I got what you need)
Got what you need
(Let's fall in love, let's fall in love)
(Let's yourself go)

Let yourself just oh now, now no
Let your lovin' go now, now
Just give it to me
('Cause I got what you need)
Oh, mama's pearl
(Girl, don't be afraid)
(Let's fall in love, let's fall in love)
(Daddy's girl we've got it made)
I know what you been missin', sugar!
Goody, goody, goody girl, ooh
mama's pearl (Girl, don't be afraid)
(Let's fall in love, let's fall in love)
(Daddy's girl we've got it made)

(Girl, don't be afraid)
(Oh, we've got the first step made)

Overall Meaning

The song "Mama's Pearl" by Michael Jackson is about a girl who is torn between her desire to be loved and her mother's strict teachings that love is wrong. The song describes the singer's attraction to the girl and his frustration with her reluctance to accept his love because of her mother's conservatism. The song's title ("Mama's Pearl") is a metaphor for the girl's virtue, which she is hesitant to compromise.

The song reflects the disco era's fondness for light-hearted, dance-pop songs with catchy hooks and a danceable beat. Still, it also incorporates Michael Jackson's unique vocal style and emotionally expressive singing.

The lyrics suggest a narrative in which a woman who has been sheltered from love by her mother begins to open herself to the possibility of romance with the song's protagonist. The song offers a salve for instances when strict, conservative values can keep individuals from experiencing the spice of life, as love can offer excitement and new experiences.

Interestingly, "Mama's Pearl" was written by Motown songwriting legends "The Corporation," but the intro was a suggestion made by Michael Jackson during the recording process, where he asked for the bassline to walk up to the key of the song during the intro.

Line by Line Meaning

You send cold chills Up and down my spine
Your touch excites me deeply and I can feel it all over my body.

We kiss for thrills Then you draw the line
We engage in passionate kissing but you stop short of going any further.

Oh baby
An affectionate term of address to the woman he is singing to.

'Cause your mama told you That love ain't right
The woman's mother has advised her that romantic love is not acceptable or permissible.

But don't you know Good lovin' is the spice of life Yeah
Michael is arguing that romantic love is an essential part of a fulfilling life.

Mama's pearl, let down those curls Won't you give my love a whirl Find what you been missin' Ooh, ooh, now baby
Michael is urging the woman to follow her heart and take a chance on love with him.

Goody girl, let down those curls Let me give your heart a twirl Don't keep me wishing
Michael is encouraging the woman to let her hair down and let him sweep her off her feet.

(Bum, bum, bum, bum) You want my lovin' yes you do, do, do You know my lovin' is true, true, true Now baby
Michael is confident that the woman is attracted to him and that his feelings for her are sincere.

But your conscience tells you That love is wrong But just a little lovin' never hurt no one, oh
Michael acknowledges that the woman may have reservations about pursuing a romantic relationship, but he believes that love is harmless and beneficial.

Let all it hang (Girl, don't be afraid) (Oh, we've got the first step made) (Ooh, the rest is up to you) (Here is what to do) (Let yourself go)
Michael is urging the woman to let go of her inhibitions and allow herself to experience the joy of love.

Let yourself just oh now, now no Let your lovin' go now, now Just give it to me ('Cause I got what you need) I got what you need Let's fall in love, let's fall in love
Michael is confident that he and the woman are meant to be together and he is encouraging her to take a chance on love with him.

Find out what you're missin' Goody girl lay down your curls Let me give your heart a twirl Why don't you give my love a whirl (Girl, don't be afraid) (Oh, we've got the first step made) (Ooh, just give it, just give it to me) ('Cause I got what you need) Got what you need (Let's fall in love, let's fall in love) (Let's yourself go)
Michael is again making a passionate plea for the woman to let her guard down and take a chance on him, reassuring her that he is the man for her.

Oh, mama's pearl (Girl, don't be afraid) (Let's fall in love, let's fall in love) (Daddy's girl we've got it made) I know what you been missin', sugar! Goody, goody, goody girl, ooh mama's pearl (Girl, don't be afraid) (Let's fall in love, let's fall in love) (Daddy's girl we've got it made) (Girl, don't be afraid) (Oh, we've got the first step made)
Michael is waxing poetic about the woman he is singing to, expressing his desire for her to embrace love and take the plunge with him.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERRY JR GORDY, DENNIS LUSSIER, ALPHONSO J MIZELL, FREDDIE PERREN, DEKE RICHARDS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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