Michael Jackson's Childhood

[Ronk 14,712]

My dad was a jazz musician and he told me that while the public is impressed when someone plays very well fast and loudly, musicians are more impressed when someone plays very well slow and softly.  That's because only the person's talent at phrasing and tonality stands out and a great performance is difficult to achieve.

In the song Childhood you can hear the true measure of Michael Jackson's talent as a singer.  You can also see his songwriting talent, as he is the sole writer of the song.

I found this about Michael Jackson's song Childhood:

"Michael said this is his most 'autobiographical' song he's ever written.
If you know anything about Michael Jackson's childhood, it is that he didn't have one. In this song, he is saying "have you seen my childhood?" - he didn't have one, and is constantly trying to make up for it.
He has also said in interview he feels like he has to compensate for that, hence the line:
"it's been my fate, to compensate, for the childhood, I've never known"
Michael had a very sad and lonely childhood, and if you understand that it explains a lot of who he is. He's very complicated and people don't try to understand him before they judge him.
This song is beautiful, and truly says what Michael was feeling."

Michael Jackson wrote and recorded the song in 1994 and released it in 1995 in his album HIStory.  The song was used in Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home.
His video was not from the movie and actually has little in common with the movie except two actors from the movie had cameo appearances in the video.
 

@Cello is hosting a megarate on the album HIStory.  Childhood is one of the songs.  Rates can be submitted by Saturday April 16th.

 

[Celloo Deng 54,404]

This is beautiful @Ronk. Michael's vocals and expression in this song absolutely blow me away.

Here is one of Michael's drawings including lyrics to Childhood:

[PartySick 153,471]

It's the lyric "the painful youth I've had" while the music delivers a broken version of the melody established in the rest of the song that just...

Above all else the reason I love MJ is just how easily I relate to him personally. Your childhood is meant to be secure and safe and when it isn't, you search for that foundation to lay yourself on for the rest of your life.

[Ronk 14,712]

2 hours ago, Cello said:

This is beautiful @Ronk. Michael's vocals and expression in this song absolutely blow me away.

Here is one of Michael's drawings including lyrics to Childhood:

Wow.  That's so great and so sad.

[Ronk 14,712]

2 hours ago, PartySick said:

It's the lyric "the painful youth I've had" while the music delivers a broken version of the melody established in the rest of the song that just...

Above all else the reason I love MJ is just how easily I relate to him personally. Your childhood is meant to be secure and safe and when it isn't, you search for that foundation to lay yourself on for the rest of your life.

I don't know how anyone could not cry to that song/video.  So tragic.

[Villanelle 1,247]

Beautiful