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

abc
Michael Jackson Lyrics

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A buh-buh buh buh-buh
A buh-buh buh buh-buh

You went to school to learn, girl
Things you never, never knew before
Like I before E except after C
And why two plus two makes four
Now, now, now, I'm gonna teach you

Teach you, teach you
All about love, dear
All about love
Sit yourself down, take a seat
All you gotta do is repeat after me

ABC
Easy as
One, two, three
Or simple as
Do re mi
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl
ABC
Easy as
One, two, three
Or simple as
Do re mi
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me

Come on, let me love you just a little bit
Come on, let me love you just a little bit
I'm a going to teach how to sing it out
Come on, come on, come on
Let me show you what it's all about

Reading, writing and arithmetic
Are the branches of the learning tree
But without the roots of love every day, girl
Your education ain't complete
T-T-T-Teacher's gonna show you
Show you, show you
How to get an A
Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah
Spell "me" "you"
Add the two
Listen to me baby, that's all you gotta do

Oh, ABC
As easy as
One, two, three
Or simple as
Do re mi
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl
ABC
It's easy
It's like counting up to three (One, two, three)
Sing a simple melody (Do re mi, ABC)
That's how easy love can be

Sit down, girl
I think I love you
No
Get up, girl
Show me what you can do

Shake it, shake it, baby, come on now
Shake it, shake it, baby, ooh ooh
Shake it shake it, baby, huh
One, two, three, baby, ooh ooh
ABC, baby, nah nah
Do re mi, baby, huh
That's how easy love can be

ABC, it's easy
It's like counting up to three (One, two, three)
Sing a simple melody (Do re mi, ABC)
That's how easy love can be
(I'm not gonna teach you how to sing it out)
Come on come on come on let me show you what it's all about
ABC, it's easy
It's like counting up to three (One, two, three)
Sing a simple melody (Do re mi, ABC)
That's how easy love can be
(I'm not gonna teach you how to sing it out)
Sing it out, sing it, sing it, sing it
Oh baby, ABC, it's easy
It's like counting up to three (One, two, three)

Sing a simple melody (Do re mi, ABC)
That's how easy love can be

Overall Meaning

The song ABC by Michael Jackson is about teaching someone the basics of love, just like how one learns the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic in school. The first verse talks about how the person being taught has learned different things in school, such as rules for spelling and math equations. The next verse focuses on the teacher instructing the person about love and how it is essential to have love in one's life. The chorus, "ABC, easy as one, two, three," uses the alphabet and counting to symbolize how easy it is to learn to love someone.

The bridge of the song emphasizes how education is vital, but having love in one's life is even more critical. The teacher is shown to be bringing joy and happiness into the person's life by teaching them about love. The song also features a call and response section where the teacher sings "Come on, let me love you just a little bit," and the student responds with "I'm gonna teach you how to sing it out." This exchange shows the exchange between the teacher and the student and the joy and energy that can come from learning.

Overall, the song ABC is a straightforward but catchy tune about love and the importance of learning the basics. It uses simple concepts like letters, numbers, and melodies to communicate a message that can be understood by all ages.

Line by Line Meaning

You went to school to learn, girl Things you never, never knew before Like I before E except after C And why two plus two makes four
The singer is describing the basic subjects taught in school, including language rules and simple math.

Now, now, now, I'm gonna teach you Teach you, teach you All about love, dear All about love Sit yourself down, take a seat All you gotta do is repeat after me
The singer is pivoting to teaching about love, and is instructing the listener to follow along and sing with him.

ABC Easy as One, two, three Or simple as Do re mi ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl
The singer is introducing the hook of the song, which compares learning about love to the simplicity of learning the alphabet or musical scales.

Come on, let me love you just a little bit Come on, let me love you just a little bit I'm a going to teach how to sing it out Come on, come on, come on Let me show you what it's all about
The singer is urging the listener to let him teach them about love and to show them what it means.

Reading, writing and arithmetic Are the branches of the learning tree But without the roots of love every day, girl Your education ain't complete
The singer is emphasizing the importance of love in one's life, likening it to the roots of a tree, which are necessary for growth.

T-T-T-Teacher's gonna show you Show you, show you How to get an A Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah Spell "me" "you" Add the two Listen to me baby, that's all you gotta do
The singer is playfully teaching the listener how to spell and add, while also suggesting that following his guidance is the key to a successful relationship.

Oh, ABC As easy as One, two, three Or simple as Do re mi ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl
The singer repeats the simplicity of learning about love, and reiterates the importance of the listener and himself in the equation.

Sit down, girl I think I love you No Get up, girl Show me what you can do Shake it, shake it, baby, come on now Shake it, shake it, baby, ooh ooh Shake it shake it, baby, huh One, two, three, baby, ooh ooh ABC, baby, nah nah Do re mi, baby, huh That's how easy love can be
The singer is engaged in playful banter with the listener, asking them to dance and enjoy themselves, while also emphasizing the simplicity of love.

ABC, it's easy It's like counting up to three (One, two, three) Sing a simple melody (Do re mi, ABC) That's how easy love can be (I'm not gonna teach you how to sing it out) Come on come on come on let me show you what it's all about
The singer repeats the simplicity of learning about love, instructing the listener to again let him show them what it's all about.

Sing it out, sing it, sing it, sing it Oh baby, ABC, it's easy It's like counting up to three (One, two, three) Sing a simple melody (Do re mi, ABC) That's how easy love can be
The singer urges the listener to sing along and enjoy themselves, while again repeating the simplicity of love.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Berry Gordy, Dennis Lussier, Alphonzo Mizell, Freddie Perren

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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