The first two pop songs I remember ever being conscious of were “Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown” by Jim Croce and “Rockin’ Robin” by the Jackson Five. I remember sitting in the back of a yellow school bus heading to Sands Point summer day camp when I heard Rockin’ Robin. It was thrilling. I bought the single and played it over and over.

I normally love a big celebrity flameout as much as the next guy but I have long found the whole Michael Jackson saga unbearably sad. We’ve been watching his disintegration before our eyes for 30 years. Unlike Dorian Gray, whose face belied the internal rot, Michael’s face reflected the horrendous emotional turmoil. Rest in peace, Michael.
To dwell on the positive, what’s your favorite Michael Jackson song or moment?