{"id":1912,"date":"2025-05-11T10:00:23","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T14:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danjkroll.com\/blog\/?p=1912"},"modified":"2025-05-11T10:00:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-11T14:00:25","slug":"the-80s-countdown-the-only-king-of-pop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danjkroll.com\/blog\/the-80s-countdown-the-only-king-of-pop\/","title":{"rendered":"The 80s Countdown: The only king of pop!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hello everyone. I hope this is finding you amazing! This week it’s time for another 80s Countdown with one of my all-time favorite singers. We are going talk about an all-around entertainer and amazing singer and dancer. A man who started in 1971 and had many top 10 hits with his brothers, the brothers had 4 #1 hits. You got it Michael Jackson.

One of my biggest musical regrets in life, was in 1987, when I won tickets on the radio to see Michael Jackson in concert in St. Paul, Minnesota. I thought I was straight at the time and back in that day, if a straight guy went to Michael Jackson, he would be bullied (so awful). I gave my tickets to my mom and I still regret it all these years later.

As Casey Kasem used to say, “Now on with the countdown of my favorite Michael hits”<\/p>\n\n\n\n



#5 Look in the mirror.<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Cover of the Bad <\/em>album by Michael Jackson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n


THE SONG:\u00a0“The Man in the Mirror” <\/strong>

This the only song on my list from his Bad <\/em>album. This album had six COUNT THEM — S-I-X! — top 10 hits with five reaching #1, including this song did. Make that change, at the end is so powerful to me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wish things — not just music — were still like they were back then, but they are not. I love the vocals he displays in this song. Check on a bonus song from the movie Free Willy<\/em>, “Will you be there”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n


#4 The beat down<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


THE SONG: “Beat it”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Michael with a few of his awards.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What can I say about Beat it? The video is directed by Bob Giraldi and has an amazing guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen. This song also reached #1. This album also included the #2 hit “The Girl is Mine” with Sir Paul McCartney. “Beat it” hit #1 a few short weeks after (see #3). The Album Thriller<\/em> had 7 top 10 hits!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This song was one of 8 Grammy wins in 1984 for Michael. This song won Record of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun fact: 41 years ago today, “Beat It” hit the top of the chart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3 Who is Billie? Not MY lover.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

THE SONG: “Billie Jean”<\/strong>

There is no real Billie. Michael told Moonwalk<\/em> in 1988, “The girl in the song is a composite of people my brothers have been plagued with over the years. I could never understand how these girls could say they were carrying someone’s child when it wasn’t true”. So, the song is based on groupies his brothers encountered while in the Jackson 5. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was another #1 single.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Weird Nick Fact<\/em>: When Michael sings the words “kid” and “Jean” in the song, I add an “S” to both words when I sing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


#2 You wanna start what?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


THE SONG: Wanna be Startin’ Somethin’. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do I love this song? Let me tell you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (yeah, sing it to the world)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (sing it out loud)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (hoo-hoo)
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa
Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa (help me sing it)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He then says you’re a vegetable and they still hate you. LOL. The lyrics pertain to the media and press, as well as gossip and people trying to start arguments or problems for no reason, which he states in the lyrics, “Someone’s always tryin’ to start my baby crying.” Imagine that — people wanting to start arguments for no reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fun Fact<\/em>: It was originally written for his sister\u00a0Latoya\u00a0about her troubled relationship with her sisters-in-law, but Michael ended up recording the song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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