s an early fan of the science fiction genre, one of my favorite w rit enough from their hits to own minibikes, the ultimate in cool for a kid in that era. ers in my youth was Arthur C. Clarke, the author of such classics in A In a time before the Music Television the field as Childhood’s End a n d 2001: A Space Odyssey. In a 1973 revi-* Channel and music videos, fans had to sion of his essays Profiles o f the Future, Clarke expounded on some previ be content with seeing their favorite ous laws of prediction by adding a third that claimed: “Any sufficiently groups lip-synch their hits on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, which aired on advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” I am reminded Saturdays. The Jackson 5 made a number of that theorem whenever I strap on my iPod and think about how of appearances on that program, and I much the simple act of listening to music has changed over the years. watched with pride, knowing they came from the Hoosier State. In my family home in Mishawaka dur We became enraptured by the song’s As I aged, my musical tastes changed, ing the 1960s, our musical choices were bouncy beat and the spirited singing of and I lost track of the Jackson 5 as the played on two pieces of equipment. The the group’s tiny lead group morphed into the first stood in the living room and consisted singer, Michael. As the Jacksons, and Michael of a television console complete with a song played, we eagerly left his brothers behind stereo record player on which my mother anticipated the bridge in the 1980s to pursue played her Johnny Cash and Vikki Carr and would loudly sing a solo career that made albums. Spurning such adult choices, my along as Michael joyfully him a superstar with such brothers and I trooped down to our base shouted out: “Sit down, chart-topping albums as ment to use a small, red, portable turnta girl! I think I love you! O ff the Wall, Thriller, and ble. We would carefully lift the needle and No! Get up, girl! Show Bad. Although never a place it on the various 45 rpm records we me what you can do!” We keen follower of the ups bought for under a dollar at a record store sometimes went so over and downs in Michael’s in the nearby River Park neighborhood. board in following along that we could often bizarre life, I often wondered just Cranking up the volume, we sat back to count on our mother appearing at the top what had happened to turn that seem enjoy such hits of the day as “The Lion of the stairs to firmly tell us a refrain rec ingly happy-go-lucky kid from Gary to the Sleeps Tonight,” by Robert John; “Sugar, ognizable to any young music fan: “Turn “King of Pop” and the puzzling enigma he Sugar,” by the Archies; and “Indian Reser that down!” turned into later in life. Those twists and vation,” by Paul Revere and the Raiders. The Jackson 5 churned out a slew of turns are followed in this edition of Traces Our favorite hits for the Motown Records label in the as Julie Young examines Michael’s life song, however, 1970s, including such from his days growing up in the Calumet came from a fan favorites as “I’ll Region to his death on June 25, 2009, at a group head Be There,” “The rented mansion in Los Angeles on the eve quartered just Love You Save,” of a comeback concert tour. The contro seventy-five and “Never Can Say versial Reverend Al Sharpton, a friend of miles down the Goodbye.” I followed Michael’s for many years, spoke for fans road in Gary, the band’s early career worldwide when he told a reporter: “Mi Indiana— “ABC,” and remembered feel chael Jackson made culture accept a person by the Jackson 5. ing a surge of jealously of color, long before Tiger Woods, long when I read in some before Oprah Winfrey, long before Barack magazine that each of Obama. Michael did in music what they the Jackson 5— Michael, did in sports and politics and television. Marlon, Jackie, Tito, and Finally, I hope Michael will get the respect Jermaine—had earned he was due. If he had shortcomings, they did not equal his strengths.” •
TRACES | Fall 2009 | 3