09 July 2009

Scream

On June 25th, Michael Jackson died and I was immediately sad for his children. No matter what you thought of him, right or wrong, he had three children and they obviously love him. What I didn't realize is that one of his songs would so very suddenly speak to me.

The next day, on June 26th, my HOA had a special meeting to remove the Vice President from his position. I was able to get a lot of anger and frustration off my chest. I was able to tell him that I can no longer comfortably work with him after being threatened by him with a lawsuit, and after watching him threaten other members of the Board and Association, I had had it. But, of course, the motion didn't pass. He's still VP, because the other two members voted against the motion and dissented.

I was never a huge Michael Jackson fan. I enjoyed his pre-Thriller stuff, but I was definitely a Janet Jackson girl. Her music is what got me through many late-night college study sessions. And when Michael and Janet collaborated on his 1995 song Scream I knew I finally had a modern Michael Jackson song I could enjoy.

Michael Jackson's death has brought back so many of those old songs to the forefront of my memory and after 14 years, I reacquainted myself with Scream. And, my word, has it spoken to me as of late. I just finished another HOA meeting where I realized that Jeff doesn't get it, never will, and will always be a jerk to whom I have to stand up to for another seven months. He makes me want to scream until I'm blue of face and hoarse of voice. I have never truly hated people. I either love/like you or I don't care. But him? I hate. With a passion.

I know when Michael wrote Scream, it was because he was angry with the constant media attention he was receiving (good and bad) and he was angry that the world was full of negativity and unhappiness. But for me? Right now? This song is about people who don't have backbones, who refuse to stand up for themselves and others, it's about a system that supports said people when no one will confront them, it's about people who are mean and rude to others because they've never been taught otherwise and who continue to treat others as less than human just because they can.

Tired of injustice / Tired of the schemes / Kinda disgusted / So what does this mean? / Kicking me down (and I) / I got to get up / As jacked as it sounds / The whole system sucks (dammit)

Peek in the shadow / Come into the light / You tell me I'm wrong / Then you better prove you're right / You're sellin' out souls but / I care about mine / I've got to get stronger / And I won't give up the fight

Stop pressurin' me / Just stop pressurin' me / Stop fuckin' with me / Make me wanna scream

9 comments:

Lynda said...

I never was a big Michael fan either, but I did like some of Janet's stuff.

Sorry you have to go through all that crap, but at least now you have a theme song! ;)

Molly's Mom said...

I think that's a great theme song -

What a pain in the ass to have to deal with this douche (and the douches who wouldn't stand up to him) for that much longer!

Thriller was the first tape that I bought. MJ's demise has gotten everyone of my generation reminiscing about that! In fact, just a few days before he died I was listening to Thriller on my ipod...to make the kitchen cleaning go faster. It's true, he became reeeeeally strange, but he was a musical genius, no question.

Wow, that was a ramble.

Expat No. 3699 said...

Okay, what is up with Janet and the toilet about halfway through that video?

halalamama said...

I agree about the music - some of the songs are really grabbing my attention lately as well.

Also - doesn't Janet look fierce in this? Wow!

I've always thought of the Bitch is Back as a theme song for difficult meetings. ;)

John D. said...

I was never a fan of MJ's music, save for WAYYY back in the day of the J5 (when Michael was 12 and I was 8). Since his death, however, we've all been reminded of his entire catalog, and in remembering some of those songs, they seem more palatable to me now. I think it's just because they remind me of my youth, and the further away my youth gets, the fonder I become of the memories I suppose. — Though I will cop to marginally liking Scream, and Black or White. : )

Not Afraid to Use It said...

He definitely had a song or two that most people liked. One thing you can say for him is that his songs certainly did not all sound the same. At least you have something to hum during meetings, now.

sybil law said...

I'd like to kick that HOA guys' ass. Whatever song gets me tehre is just icing on the cake.
:D

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

Lynda - Very true. I just wish I could blast it during the meeting.

Molly's Mom - He is a pain, but I think blasting this song whenever he gets to me will help me deal.

Employee No. 3699 - HA! Don't you love it? I remember the first time I saw that I laughed out loud.

Halalamama - Janet was totally fierce. Badass. The eye make-up is what did it. Thanks for reading, hon!

John - You're so right about the reminding of youth. That's why I love his Thriller video. Makes me think of junior high. :)

NATUI - Very true!

Sybil Law - Darlin', you so need to come to one of the meetings! Hee hee! "I'd like to introduce my bodyguard..."

Patois42 said...

I'd like to say I can't believe everyone didn't vote him off. (The hell with the HOA, let's vote him off the island of the United States of America.) Given the past happenings of your HOA, it wasn't a surprised. But, NATUI is so right on about the humming.