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Michael Jackson’s songs run the gamut from pulsing dance-pop, to slick contemporary R&B, to blistering pop-rock. But upon closer examination, many of the songs he penned reveal the hidden pathos of this conflicted superstar. Hits like “Billie Jean,” and the Jacksons’ “Heartbreak Hotel,” showcase fear and paranoia as it pertains to romantic liaisons; “Heal the World” and “Will You Be There” highlight a deep sensitive and global love of humanity. Jackson’s tumultuous childhood is one of the most definitive aspects of his legend and legacy — and at the center of the turmoil is his hard-driving father, Joseph. Michael and others have alleged that Joseph could be a demanding, abusive father to his nine children — especially his performing sons, the chart-topping Jackson 5. For Michael, both the youngest and the lead singer of the group, the combination of being forced to deal with adult responsibilities and being pushed by a father that he feared, wreaked havoc on his sensitive spirit. And that pain is palpable in his music.
Here are some songs that reflect Michael’s pain — and the lingering effect of Joseph’s abuse:
“Leave Me Alone” On the surface, this song obviously targets the media — but Michael is also railing against anyone who entered his life and attempted to control or distort who he was — and that included his father. Lingering distrust is another common trait in abuse victims.
“Who Is It” Another song that reveals just how alone Michael felt. Emotional detachment is a common personality trait of those who have experienced childhood abuse.
“They Don’t Really Care About Us” Like “Leave Me Alone,” in this song MJ rails against an oppressive, omnipresent ‘”they”; and it would hard to exclude his father from the list of those aggressors when he sings “Beat me, hate me/You can never break me …”
“Childhood” Michael’s most obvious lament for his lost youth. Driven to perform since the age of 5, Joseph Jackson’s ambition for his sons to become stars meant that they had to sacrifice their wonder years.
“Blood On the Dance Ffloor” A club song, and another song about a duplicitous relationship. The metaphorical implications of the title reveal a key paradox of Michael’s younger days when he and his brothers were beaten until they had every dance routine perfected. Years later, was he still equating performing with pain? –todd williams
