Now that we’ve had a year to reflect on Michael Jackson’s death, I have compiled a list of MJ favorites from Oniracom’s staff.
What is your favorite Michael Jackson song/video?
Angel: “Thriller.” First of all it’s a great song with a great beat. And second of all it set a new standard for music video clips.
bgwaybright: “I Want You Back” with Mr. Jackson and the Jackson 5. The bass and piano could make anyone get up and start grooving. Incredible syncopation throughout the band and the melody; besides, who doesn’t love starting a song with a piano slide.
brendan: “I Want You Back.” Jackson 5, WITHOUT A DOUBT. Michael was so incredible when he was younger. The song came out 17 years before I was even born, just to make you all feel old.
Drew: “Man in the Mirror” is my favorite MJ song. Not to mention lyric content, the outro is probably the best in existence. (also ask me on another day and my answer may be “Dirty Diana”, or “Black or White”).
elephantus: I’ve gotta go with a two way tie between “Bad” and “Beat It” as they inspired ‘Weird Al’ Yankovich to write his epic parody songs “Fat” and “Eat It,” both of which made it onto his compilation CD “The Food Album.”
Jared: “Black or White” because the intro to the video is awesome where the kid busts out the electric guitar and blows his parents away.
Joe Banks: “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough.” The production alone on the song is enough.
jimmy: If it counts—“Say Say Say” by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney because you can’t really beat an Ex-Beatle / MJ collaboration. “Black or White” if “Say Say Say” doesn’t count. The title is so blatantly fitting for Michael Jackson that you can’t even distinguish if he’s making a statement or if he’s making fun of himself or if he doesn’t even realize. The song and video bring back a lot of memories too. The video basically rules with all the ridiculous shit that’s in it. The song’s got a catchy guitar riff and the verse melody is one of those that you’ve think you heard before in another song but can never figure it out.
Justin: “Thriller” scared the crap out of me when I was a kid!
Lauren: I’d have to say “Beat It” Van Halen tearing it up on the guitar solo gets me every time (and of course video in how two gangs of differing races are brought together through the art of dance).
Mallory: “Billie Jean,” hands down, the song simply captures the essence of Michael Jackson. From the beat to the lyrics, its a great song all around.
Marlo: “Wanna Be Startin Something.” The beat—it’s so danceable!!
Paul: “ABC” when he was with the Jackson 5, brings me back to sunday mornings in grandma’s kitchen.
Peter: It has to be “Beat It” because it’s the classic rock-out song. It is also easily deployed as a message to unwanted parties.
Sean: The “Moonwalker” movie, because giant transforming robots were bad-ass before Michael Bay.
specialed: “Dirty Diana.” His voice in this song has so much raw power, makes me want to yell it out at the top of my lungs every time i hear it.
Steve: The first band I was ever in played only one song: “Billie Jean.” It was the easiest, best sounding cover three 11 yr. olds could ever hope to play and we extended it to around 19 minutes long to have what we called “stage presence.” If it were any other song, people would have hated us, but because it was MJ- we were middle school famous.
Tad: “Ben.” A Sweet melody and an amazing performance by a child. Don’t get me wrong, I dig the dance stuff, but i just like the song a lot.
