More Shocking Death: John Lennon vs Michael Jackson

John's death was one of the biggest shocks in modern cultural history, no doubt. And for those of you not around or old enough at the time to understand how genuinely the world was shocked, it may be hard to really understand how deep its impact was. People who didn't even necessarily like the Beatles were shocked and upset by the tragic senselessness and sad irony of the murder of a(nother) man who fought for peace.

MJs was a bit of a surprise... and sad indeed. But, to me, MJ had died a long time before his body expired... Not to upset the MJ fans here... I mean, Off the Wall was one of the most-played LPs on my stereo as a teen, but it was very sad to watch him disintegrate over the years.

One thing that both of them had in common was how deeply they were affected by fame... neither one of them handled it very well.

Originally Posted by Maia 66

MJs was a bit of a surprise... and sad indeed. But, to me, MJ had died a long time before his body expired... Not to upset the MJ fans here... I mean, Off the Wall was one of the most-played LPs on my stereo as a teen, but it was very sad to watch him disintegrate over the years.

I disagree, Maia66, wholeheartedly. I find this a very misinformed statement. You denounce everything after Off the Wall? So, you also dismiss Thriller?

Just because you personally did not care for his later albums does not mean they were not excellent and well received. In fact, they were all very well received. Michael's very bes work was Invincible. That was his final studio album.

Both Michael and John took time off to spend with their child/children. Michael disappeared from public eye, but this does not mean he was "disintegrating" any more than John was when he was baking bread. I remember Cream magazine released a full article declaring John "dead" about a year or two before he passed. They said he had no more creativity and was a lifeless shut in, etc etc. Double Fantasy was released not too long after.

Michael had been working the whole time. He was not... not.. some oddball as the press like to paint. He worked each day- including his birthday- on his craft. He still spent time on his charities. He worked with many top rated musicians, was in touch with Will I Am and watchful of all the up and comings, like Lady Gaga, who was going to open for him. He spent time in the Middle East, and then he spent a long while in Ireland. He loved the peace of the Irish countryside where he enjoyed teaching his kids organic gardening.

I would like you to know these things, because I feel they are important.

In the last year of his life, Michael also became vegetarian again. On the set of This Is It, he drank green tea and would only eat the snacks his kids packed in his lunchbox. Yes, his kids packed his lunch each day, and missed him when he had to rehearse. They were a very close family and he was loved dearly- and he knew this. That was what was most important to him, and ultimately the reason he chose to do the concerts at O2.

Michael watched and loved old movies and Bollywood. He was reading Tagore the last couple months of his life because he was hugely excited to begin a project where he would musically encorporate Tagore lyrics into his songs, and invite participation from the Bollywood community. It was a brilliant idea, and the government of India even remarked on how wonderful he was and how giving, generous, and interested in Indian culture.

Michael never, ever disintegrated.

Originally Posted by Snoopy66

John's sudden death had without question a bigger impact on the world, because it was unexpected and violent. Personally, I wasn't that much surprised when Michael died because it was well-known that he abused drugs. When John died it was an immense shock and in my opinion he had a greater influence on music than Michael, although I like some of his songs too, but on a much lower level.

Snoopy

Very eloquently worded, Snoopy!

As a fellow music fan of good taste, I agree with everything that you have stated above. Like you, I have respect for Michael Jackson even though I think he chose to live a very strange life in the spotlight. I do like some of his songs but I'm not a big fan of him, his many peculiar looks or his sound. Personally, I much prefer 60's beat bands. Lets put it this way, even though he has been a very important figure in modern music, I could somehow imagine a world without Michael Jackson but I could NEVER imagine a world without John Lennon or The Beatles and find it hard to contemplate how much poorer the world in which we live in would have been without John Lennon. John's premature and violent death was an unecessary tragedy at the hands of a selfish, twisted psycho. Even though it shocked the world, it also united millions of people... only John Lennon, a true iconic legend, could do that.

When the first anniversary of Michael's passing arrived this summer, the people of Forest Lawn and the Jackson family released a statement saying that fans could pay respects if they would like to the day which marked Michael's passing. What happened was nothing short of a huge display of love... it was like nothing I have seen before.

On the day, June 25th, Forest Lawn agreed to open the park early just for Michael's fans, and agreed to stay open late as well, to accomodate the fans who would be coming before or after work hours. From the time they opened, early in the morning, until evening there was a constant procession of fans. Outside the cemetary there was a wall of reporters, of course, and police in a huge line. As the cars pulled up, inside the gates, the workers there would ask, "for Michael?" of each car ... and one after another was gestured to the next attendant, and the next attendant, and the next... spaced at close distances throughout the cemetary, so that no visitors would get lost. It was well organized and Forest Lawn must have had every employee present that day and maybe some help hired just for that day.

The cars streamed in in a line... people parked... and brought flowers, pictures, notes, cards... candles... it was very beautiful. There were people who flew out from all over the world. Some knew one another and would find one another and embrace. People had loving messages for MJ written on their cars. The line of vehicles extended as far as the eye could see.

I took a count and when I was there, I would estimate at least one thousand people were there as well, likely more. But then, when I got home and watched the camera online covering the event live... the entire day the crowd was as big as when I was there. Literally, I would say there were at least a thousand people arriving each hour for the entire span of time.

I have pictures of the flowers and things left, and it was beautiful. Michael was so loved.

I know John was loved as well, as he should be.

Loving one entertainer or public person need not deminish love for another, or be competitive. There is room in the world for as many special people as possible. :)

I am proud of John for his work for peace, and proud of Michael for breaking down racial barriers. He saw as a child that music broke down these barriers. It may be difficult for some younger people today to understand the world as it was in the 1960's and even into the 1970's... the blatant and ugly racism which was seen as socially normal. It makes me sick to think about it. And Michael saw music as a way to break down barriers and became the first black man, black entertainer, to have women of all colors screaming, swooning, fainting, and telling others in their family of their love for him. That grassroots effect... getting inside the homes of people raised in the 1960's racist culture... Michael did that. Michael made young women say, "this is the man I love, he is black, and he is my ideal man..." That blew the doors off so much racism. He knew. He planned this... not the idolatry, but music taking down the barriers.... still, he never could have anticipated the favor he was going to do humanity this way. I love him so much for that... and for being a beautiful person. :)

I wasn't alive for the John Lennon shock. Wait, I was alive, but I was too young to "get" the impact. However, I suspect that it was more shocking to the nation as a whole. MJ seemed so sickly and honestly, so strange, that shock value was actually hard to come by with him.

Meh. Normalicy is the consensus of the majority. I don't find baggism or bed peace cutting edge normalicy, either. Artistic genius brought out a few eccentricities in both John and Michael. I don't think John would really want to be labeled as "normal"...

(As an aside... John was really frail. Lots of fans were very worried about HIS health in 1980...)