Your favourite Michael Jackson songs and music videos

[Parm]

Despite his death, it's becoming clear that it's still impossible to discuss the man's music without many getting sidetracked by his distorted personal life.

However, for those who feel saddened by today's news - as indeed I do - we shouldn't be forced into silence by those unwilling to relent on bashing the singer.

I'd like to reflect on the fantastic entertainment he delivered in recent decades and be able to discuss, at least for now, which songs we enjoyed most. If you have a severe disliking for the man, or the music, please refrain from soiling this thread.

Now onto the good bit, favourite Michael Jackson songs and music videos! Man, there are so many! Had the discussion with my sister late last night and we couldn't narrow it down to one (hence songs and not song), so I'm going to pick two from each major album:

Off The Wall
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Off The Wall

Thriller
Human Nature
Billie Jean

Bad
Man In The Mirror
Dirty Diana

Dangerous
Give In To Me
Heal The World

HIStory
Stranger In Moscow
Earth Song

Invincible
Speechless
You Rock My World

Overall favourite, tough one, but I'd be leaning toward Stranger In Moscow!!

As for favourite music video, got to be the full-length version of Smooth Criminal. I never could dance, but boy if I could do some of the moves in that video I'd never stop. Choreography, the sets, the music, it's just music-video perfection - I've always thought it better than Thriller!

How about you folks? Favourite songs and videos?

[Stringent]

Thriller, Smooth Criminal, Bad have to be some of my favs.

[Steve A]

Thriller - imo its the Best Music Video of all time hands down

Smooth Criminal - 2nd Best Music Video of all time

Billie Jean

Bad

Dirty Diana

Far to many to mention.

[Parm]

Steve, you've got Thriller and Smooth Criminal the wrong way round mate!

[Steve A]

Steve, you've got Thriller and Smooth Criminal the wrong way round mate!

Neg!

no way man, thriller was the best .... although i do really like them both

[Saracen]

Despite his death, it's becoming clear that it's still impossible to discuss the man's music without many getting sidetracked by his distorted personal life.

Unfortunately true ... and it's already started.

Paul Gambaccini made an interesting comment on morning TV though. When Judy Garland died, all the media could talk about was the salacious stuff, the personal problems, the drugs, the suicide attempts, etc. i.e. muck-raking.

Now, all we remember are the wonderful films and songs.

MJ will be the same. We'll get a few days of talking-head drivel raking over the stuff we all know, but in years to come, the legacy will be the music and people won't really remember all the rest. And what a legacy.

As for my favourites, yikes .... it's rather like asking which I prefer, breathing or eating?

Where do I start? Suffice it to say that Thriller has been part of my car music collection permanently since it came out. Most albums come and go, but a handful have been permanent fixtures. Other permanent fixtures have been Rumours, Eagles Greatest hits and Bridge over Troubled Water. Oh, and Bach's Jauchzet Gott in Allen Landen, the Emma Kirky soprano version.

So I guess I have to put Thriller (the album) top of my list. As for which track, it varies, depending on my mood. I like them all, but for different reasons.

[david@scan]

I've just realised I don't have a single MJ album in my CD collection! (That's going to be fixed in a couple of weeks)

But I played Thriller (the video) to extinction when it was released... so Thriller, and "Can You Feel It" - are the two videos I remember most.

The Videos for "Scream" (a perfect shout-at-the-world song) and "Black & White" have to be 2 of my favourites as well.

[TAKTAK]

I've just realised I don't have a single MJ album in my CD collection! (That's going to be fixed in a couple of weeks)

That is why i think he is going to end up at the top of the charts again

Bad, Smooth criminal

[david@scan]

I'll add "Black & White" to my video list as well.. just for the Morphing sequence alone! (Was the guitarist "Slash" on this?)