Elmer’s Fire

I can’t believe what my eyes saw on the internet in the afternoon of June 25, 2009…it read “The King of Pop is Dead.” I had to turn on the TV (on CNN) and checked multiple times. Right there and then, I realized my eyes did not fail me. Michael Jackson has passed away.

As with the entire humanity, the news came in as a huge shock to millions of fans like me. I just can’t believe a gigantic music icon such as him is gone. Of all people, why Michael? Who would have thought the music legend or one of the best (if not the greatest) musicians is already dead? Another 80’s icon – Farrah Fawcett, of the original Charlie’s Angels fame and whose poster was adorned in every guy’s room during that decade,  died shortly before Michael did. I suppose what they say is right…”Death is the greatest equalizer.”

Michael Jackson’s music is a humongous part to any music lover’s life… specifically, my generation….growing up in the 80’s…singing and dancing to his hits…especially when I was in high school.  Not a single party in my high school days was spent without dancing to the tunes of “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” or even, “Thriller” as you can see on the vintage high school picture of mine below.

After high school, not by any stroke of fate, I decided to spend the next 20 years of my life working as a radio disc-jockey. It absolutely did not let me stay away from Michael’s songs. At that time, I did not only listen to his hits…I was playing them…whether I liked them or not (I stuck to the play lists)…again and again on the airwaves. I played those songs countless of times…perhaps a million times through all those years.

Today, I continue to play Michael’s songs, perhaps not on the airwaves anymore for now, but at parties everywhere as I continue being a DJ by doing so. Since his death, party animals have not stopped requesting me to play his hits until now so that they could dance to them.

I strongly believe this is the main reason why I am still in complete disbelief that Michael Jackson is already dead. For me, as to the millions who love his songs, the King of Pop will always be a big part of me as he continues to live on for his music is here to stay. We can never say thank you enough for your music Michael. We can never say goodbye. Rest in peace.