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

We
Michael Jackson Lyrics

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We've got blue skies
We've got blue skies

It seems like only yesterday
You gave your love to me
And we made a vow that through the years
Our love would always be
Whenever doubts would fill my mind

You'd brush my fears away
Look into my eyes and hold me close
And this is what you'd say

We've got blue skies, now can't you see?
There'll never ever be another love for me

The pleasant dreams we shared
Made our love stronger with each day
And the fears that haunted me
Seemed like a million miles away
When friends we knew would come to me
With lies about your love
I'd tell them happiness and sunny skies
Are all we're thinking of (we're thinking of)
We're so in love (we're so in love)
We're thinking of (we're thinking of)

Blue skies
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh
Blue skies
Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh

Yeah, I see you there, you're kissing him
How can this really be?
Well, I guess it's time to realize
My dreams are more than me
And as I walk off thinking
What a fool I must have been
Like an echo from my lips today
I hear you telling him (telling him)

We've got blue skies, now can't you see?
There'll never ever be another love for me
We've got blue skies, now can't you see?
There'll never ever be another love for me

Blue skies, we've got blue skies
(Blue skies, now can't you see?)
Blue skies, we've got blue skies
(There'll never ever be another love for me)

Blue skies, we've got blue skies, oh baby
(Blue skies, now can't you see?)
Blue skies, we've got blue skies
(There'll never ever be another love for me)

Blue skies, we've got blue skies
(Blue skies, now can't you see?)

Overall Meaning

The song "We Are the World," written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie in 1985, was a charity single focused on raising money for famine relief in Africa. The song brought together over 40 popular musicians of the time, including Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, and Ray Charles.

The lyrics suggest that despite differences among people, everyone shares a responsibility to help those in need. Verse one encourages listeners to pay attention to those who are suffering and to take action to alleviate their pain. In the chorus, singers proclaim "We are the world, we are the children," suggesting that collectively, everyone can make the world a better place. The second verse highlights the importance of generosity and giving, while the third verse bemoans the lack of love and understanding in the world. The repeated chorus is optimistic and hopeful, reminding listeners that by coming together, they can create a brighter future.

Line by Line Meaning

There is a time when we should hear the certain calls
We need to be attentive to the needs of the world

'Cause the world it seems it's right in this line
The world is in desperate need and we must act now

'Cause there's a chance for taking in needing our own lives
We have the opportunity to help others and improve our own lives in the process

It seems we need nothing at all
Our privileged lives leave us feeling like we lack nothing

I used to feel I should give away my heart
I used to think that giving to others meant sacrificing something of myself

And it shows that fear of needing them
This fear made me hesitant to give to others

Then I read the headlines and it said they're dying there
Seeing the dire situations people face made me realize the importance of giving

And it shows that we must heed instead
We must pay attention and take action to help those in need

Give in your heart and you will see that someone cares
If we give from our hearts, we will see that others care too

'Cause you know that they can feed them all
Together we can provide for those in need

Then I read the paper and it said that you've been denied
Reading about someone being denied basic rights made me realize the urgency of the situation

And it shows the second we will call
We must quickly take action to help others in need

Now there's a time when we must love them all
We must show love and care to everyone, regardless of their circumstances

And it seems that life, it don't make love at all
The world can seem harsh and unloving, but we must rise above it with kindness

But if you'd been there, and I'll love you more and more
If we were in their shoes, we would understand the need for compassion and love

We are the world
Together, as humans, we make up the world

We are the children
We are all children of the world, regardless of age

We are the ones who make a brighter day
We have the power to make positive change in the world

So let's start giving
Let's begin by giving what we can to those who need it most

There's a chance we're taking
There is some risk involved in taking action, but it's worth it to help others

It's true we'll make a brighter day
Our collective effort will make a difference and bring hope

Just you and me
It starts with each individual taking action and doing their part

Come on, yeah
Let's do this together!

We are the world, shalom
We are part of the world community and wish for peace and wholeness for all

We are the children, shalingin
We come in different shapes and sizes, but we are all children of the world

So let's start giving, 'cause that's what we're being
We exist as human beings to give and serve others

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tom Bee, Chris Clark, Patrick S. Stephenson, Delores Wilkinson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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