Image: courtesy of Google free pics; information sources: Wikipedia and other internet biographies. Title description: With a Child's Heart (1966)

Song titles have been used for the poetic narrative of the biography and may not necessarily accord with the context of the songs or their period. They may also be slightly amended or shortened to accommodate the meter. Dates in brackets refer to original release. I'm grateful for your kind understanding and hope you enjoy this.

Stanza 1: Too Young (1973); Childhood (1995)
Michael Joseph Jackson was born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He was the 8th of 10 children. His father had played guitar in an R&B group and appears to have lived vicariously through his children, determined that they would find the more widespread fame that he had lacked. He would regularly whip them should they make any mistakes during rehearsals, a punishment that seems to have had greater impact on Michael (the youngest) than the others.

Stanzas 2-3: Behind the Mask (1980); This is It (2009); Black or White (1991); Speed Demon (1989 France only); We're Almost There (1975); Rock with You (1979).
He joined his brothers in the group in 1964. Segregation was still prevalent and venues such as clubs and strip tease lounges were often used. It would have been this kind of discrimination that would have later influenced his support (benefit concerts) for equal rights.

Stanzas 4-5: Workin' Day and Night (1979); A Brand New Day (1978); This Time Around (1995); Scream (1995).
Michael quickly became the star attraction and by the age of 13 opted to go solo, albeit maintaining ties with his brothers. This marked the emergence of a teen idol from a child performer. Already he was being described by Rolling Stone as a prodigy with "overwhelming musical gifts."
Signed up with Motown Records, the family moved to California.

Stanza 6 Smile (1997); Ghosts (1997); Bad (1987)
Obsessed by his image and haunted by *emotional/racist abuse from this father, referring to his "fat nose," he underwent a number of plastic surgeries on his nose and chin as well as changing his skin colour by treating his vitiligo, eventually using bleach. His childhood infatuation with Diana Ross lasted from throughout his life to the extent that he even changed his appearance to resemble her.

Stanzas 7-8: Invincible (2001-10th and final album); Happy (1983); Free (2012); You Got to be There (1972); Dangerous (1991 - 8th studio album); On the Line (1996)
He bought the 2700 acre ranch in 1988 turning it into an entertainment complex with zoo and fairground and naming it Neverland after JM Barrie's fairy tale, *Peter Pan.
* robots (after his famous robot dance)
*Children would be invited to stay in the property and this led in turn to allegations of sexual abuse which he always denied. In 2005 he was acquitted on 7 counts of child molestation and 2 of intoxicating a minor with alcoholic drinks. This whole protracted period was an extremely stressful period for him.

Stanza 9: Beat It (1983); Thriller (1982-6th studio album); Off the Wall (1979); Shout (2001).
* Bubble - his pet monkey that reflected him still more as some kind of Disney fantasist.

Stanza 10: Cry (2001)
Married twice: firstly to Lisa Presley in 1994 with press speculating that it was an attempt to deflect attention from the sexual offence charges and jump-start Lisa's singing career. They divorced less than a year later. He married Debbie Rowe in 1996, a union that produced Prince (1997) and Paris (1998). A third child, Blanket was born in 2002 to an unidentified Mexican nurse.
For his last 4 years since the trial, he lived as a virtual recluse, broken by the allegations. As a result, his debts continued to mount.

Stanza 11: Gone Too Soon (1993)
*Moonwalk (or backslide) - Michael's famous dance became popular around the world when he performed it during a performance of Billie Jean in 1983.

In failing health, addicted to such prescription drugs as opioids since 1984, the appointed King of Pop died in 2009 following a cardiac arrest, caused by a prescription drug overdose. He was 50 years old. His doctor was later sentenced to 4 years imprisonment for involuntary manslaughter.

Singer, songwriter, dancer and philanthropist, during his four decade career his contributions to music, dance, fashion and civil rights, along with his personal story, made him a global icon and one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century.

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