A Sad Goodbye to Michael Jackson

I was just about to turn off the telly tonight when a newsflash came up that Michael Jackson has died. Heart attack at home. There will be a lot of disappointed fans who bought tickets for 'The Last Ever Concert'. What a cruel irony that he never even got there himself.

How can a man of such immense talent have become such a sad, lonely, isolated, dislocated, bizarre figure? Too much pressure, too young. If you look at the footage from the newsflash, all you see is a hollow hunched body, bleached and emaciated. A far cry from that bouncy little boy who first appeared on our TV screens with his brothers all those years ago. It is no surprise, frankly, that his body has given up on him. He'd given up on it, trying to turn it into something it was never meant to be. No surprise, perhaps, that it has said 'Enough!'.

His songs were the backing track to my growing years, and all of my generation's. Who could ever forget the seminal 'Thriller' album? But my favourites have always been the quiet ones like 'You are not alone'. If you click on the link you should be able to hear it. Very beautiful lyrics and with huge resonance for me. Here they are:

Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold
Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

But you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
But you are not alone

All alone,
'Why, oh

Just the other night
I thought I heard you cry
Asking me to come
And hold you in my arms
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your hand
Then forever can begin

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away

Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone

Whisper three words and I'll come runnin'
And girl you know that I'll be there
I'll be there

You are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

For you are not alone.

Though I cannot stick up my hand and say I was going to be one of the ones shelling out for the concert, I recognise that a great pop icon has passed away - too early and rather tragically like so many before him - and I just wanted to make a note of this moment in time.

I trust he may now find the peace he never quite found on this earth.

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Ps: Friday morning now, and I've just found this video on You Tube which I thought would act as a nice tribute and serve as a memory of him in happier times