When I first heard about Michael Jackson’s death, I took it with detached sadness. Being out of the media mix that is America, I’m not inundated with constant updates about the details surrounding his death, the possible funeral plans, his attitude at his final rehearsal. And that’s nice. Of course, I remember Michael Jackson fondly – excluding the shadiness and the increasing creepiness of his later years – he was a true rock star. We had every possible cassette tape you could own with a Michael Jackson song on it. Our Oldsmobile Cutlass Sierra complementary cassette tape was my first introduction to Man in the Mirror, and I distinctly remember being struck by the words each morning, buckled against the gray interior, surrounded by the “new car” smell, decked out in my plaid Catholic school uniform and grasping my oversized cooler/lunch box my mom made me carry (despite the fact that I got teased daily and pleaded with her each morning to just give me a brown paper bag). I still love rocking out to that song while driving. It’s an amazing song! All his songs – Man in the Mirror, Bad, Black or White, Heal the World – these songs were the odd but beautiful soundtrack of childhood growing up in America in the 80s and 90s. And so, yes, hearing that Michael Jackson is dead is rather sad, but being here in Liberia and missing the frenzy makes it almost surreal.
A surreal-ity which is only increased by the deep, deep sadness with which Liberians took the news. The Daily Observer, one of the country’s biggest newspapers, ran a full front page photo of MJ the day after the news broke. I heard a story about a Liberian newscaster reporting the story and breaking down on TV. Grown men and women cried in offices. A Liberian without access to internet gave me a note asking me to print anything I could about the death of Michael Jackson. The love that Liberians have for this man is striking. I didn’t expect people to even know about it, let alone mourn over it in a nation that has experience far greater tragedy than the death of a pop star.
There’s no mention of the legal problems, of the issues with children, of his strange and erratic behavior (I’m assuming that comes up in the US media, does it?). But here, he is just a pure and fantastic musician. Not a guy with a sad and tortured past, not a guy who’s clearly got some issues – but a man who can sing and dance and engage people and who is loved simply because of that. And also because of one particular song: Liberian Girl. It’s not one of his most popular in the states, but it gives him knightly status here in Liberia.
In an article in the Washington Times, a woman in Ganta, Nimba County – an area that experienced heavy fighting during the war and is a full day’s ride from the capital, talks a little bit about the impact of MJ’s Liberian Girl (ironically, a song that wasn’t even about/related to Liberia, as you’ll read…):
“ ‘When that music came out ... the Liberian girls were so astonished to hear a great musician like Michael Jackson thinking about a little country in Africa,’ Mrs. Carson said. ‘It gave us hope, especially when things went bad ... . It make us to feel that we are still part of the world.’
Mr. Jackson’s music video of “Liberian Girl” doesn't indicate the song was for or about Liberia. It begins with supermodel Beverly Johnson chanting in Swahili, a native language of East Africa. Liberians speak English. The video includes appearances by nearly 40 celebrities, including Paula Abdul, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Olivia Newton-John and Steven Spielberg.
But what matters to Liberians are the lyrics: ‘Liberian Girl, you know that you came, and you changed my world ... I love you, Liberian Girl.’
‘The song promotes Liberian women and makes her feel good to be one,’ Mrs. Carson said. She has four daughters, who she hopes will become successful in a postwar Liberia still rife with many obstacles – including an 80 percent unemployment rate and an education system that still is recovering from years of civil war.”
For the full text of the article: http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/02/king-of-pop-uplifts-liberia/
This from the Daily Observer, in the obituary section, surrounded by the names and stories of regular Liberians:
King of Pop, Michael Jackson Is Dead
Published: 26 June, 2009
Los Angeles -- Authorities have confirmed the death of Michael J. Jackson. News broke Thursday afternoon that the star had called emergency services and had been rushed to the hospital, having suffered cardiac arrest.
Half an hour later, it was reported that he was in a coma. Shortly thereafter, credible sources reported he had died. He was 50. Medical minds say as many as 50 causes can lead to cardiac arrest, and that the care a patient receives in the immediate aftermath is critical.
In a brief but emotional press conference held by the family, Jackson's brother Jermaine revealed that Jackson's attending physician was present at the time he suffered the arrest, but that an hour-long effort to resucitate him had proved fruitless. An autopsy is underway.
Liberians will certainly miss the King of Pop, remembering him especially for his 1987 single, "Liberian Girl" from the album Bad. Jackson fans the world over are mourning his loss.
Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced by the family.
Website:http://www.liberianobserver.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/17119/King_of_Pop,_Michael_Jackson_Is_Dead.html
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