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We recently saw the movie “Michael “. The Movie provides an outline of the events that shaped Michael Jackson’s career, which were; growing up on the road, the pressure to succeed from this father Joseph, the pressures from the music industry, and the serious burn accident he suffered on the “Victory” tour.
The best way I can describe this movie and the motivation of Michael Jackson is to have you listen to the song Human Nature live.
The original lyrics came from songwriter Steve Porcaro, whose daughter, Heather was bullied at school.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Nature_(Michael_Jackson_song)
However, producer Quincy Jones called songwriter John Bettis, who added that line: “If this town is just an apple, let me take a bite”. John Bettis also did one more thing, prior to the recording session, while the studio crew was setting up, he had a one-on-one conversation with Michael Jackson. John shared his experiences with Karen Carpenter, for whom he wrote 38 songs that the Carpenters recorded. John shared portions of his conversation with Michael Jackson:
“I told him about Karen and her dying, and this was within a year of her passing away, so it was still fresh in my mind. You know, the connection was the enforced isolation from the world. Karen was sixteen or seventeen when we made it, and she was a star when she was nineteen or so. We were so young and she lived at home with her mom. She went from nobody to Karen Carpenter in like a year. She skipped a bunch of steps in emotional life because she was forced by stardom to isolate and when you do that, you suffer.”
John Bettis
During the 1983 Motown 25th anniversary special, Michael Jackson moonwalked into music history, becoming one of most popular performers in modern history, who’s outreach was at a scale previously unknown by any other artist, but certainly unknown to an African-American artist of that period of history. Michael used his platform, and this song to speak against bullying.
According to music and dance historian Derek Reid, it is “Michael Jackson‘s use of polyrhythms, syncopation and different cultural ideas” which allows him to connect directly to the African traditions of community dance, and inclusion that makes his forces and his message so compelling to a worldwide audience. Reid further points out “if there was anything that the enslaved African were able to hold onto it was music and movement “.
Michael Jackson managed the cultural, spiritual, and personal inspirations of his art, but also the collaboration,which made his message accessible to worldwide audiences. He understood his purpose and his calling.
‘As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ‘ Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)
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Pastors Willie and Rochelle McIntosh
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