This is how the do it in Sweden. The Swedish know how to throw a memorial!

More MIchael Jackson goodness:

My cartoon Michael tribute

Collection of Rare Michael videos

I was kickin’ a Fam Jam at some small community fair and they had a karaoke tent. Four dollars a song. I went up to the song selection book that was as thick as two copies of the Yellow Pages and skimmed thru. I thought about doing Hall & Oates, Frank Sinatra, even Bon Jovi for my mom but in the end there was only one possible way to go with this.

I had picked Billie Jean but realized I would not hit the notes in the “People always told me be careful what you do” part. So I went back over to the book to change it to Beat It and wouldn’t you know it? I had accidentally written the Beat It number down!

So I went up and kicked the shit out of their whole small town karaoke scene and as I was coming off stage I had to shake hands with a million ‘fans’ telling me I should go on Canadian Idol (and by ‘a million’ I mean three).

**Please share your favorite Michael Jackson memory in the comments below!**

Ours was the family in the neighborhood that kept up to date with all of the hit records so while my Father worked late most nights one summer, my mother and sister and I would slide the back door open, point the speakers out towards the playground behind our townhouse, and blast Michael Jackson out into the neighborhood.

None of the backyards were fenced in and everyone’s yard opened onto that playground.  The subdivision was packed with families who had young kids, and all of them ended up sitting on the grass, night after night, watching my mother and sister and I put on a concert using turkey baster microphones and broom guitars.  My cousin Josh was the best of all of us at The Moonwalk.

For a fan as big as me, yesterday was a very sad day that compelled me to drop everything to create this portrait as my tribute to The Greatest.

God bless you, Michael Jackson.  You gave us everything you had – body, mind, and soul.  You will live forever.

EDIT: Here is a eulogy, by Bob Lefsetz, that is far better than anything I had started to type and then deleted over and over: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/

Excerpt:

He missed his childhood and now he’s gonna miss his old age.

How fucked up is that?

Michael Jackson never had a chance.  He had to succeed for his family, his parents’ dreams were dependent upon him.

And a boy with that much pressure delivers.  He works truly hard, so he will be loved.  That’s all Michael Jackson was looking for, love.

Did you watch the Motown 25th Anniversary special? Were you born a little later only knew him from what you saw after the fact? Share your favorite Michael Jackson memory below…