What Do YOU Remember about Michael Jackson?

Pepsi Cola Tour 1984

My parents drove from Harrisburg to Philadelphia not once, but TWICE to take my sister and I to see Michael Jackson and his brothers during their Pepsi Cola Tour. My sister and I sat in the back of our little Volkswagen truck on lawn chairs. (YES! LAWN CHAIRS!)

“Chunky Bar”: was one of the sponsors. All I remember is that as we were waiting in line those square bars were continually thrown to the crowd.

And, my mom told me years later that as we were waiting in line a kind gentleman was walking along the crowd offering Coke for sale. Well. What did I do? Started to beg my Mom for some Coke. She kept shushing me and I kept insisting. Apparently it wasn’t Coca-Cola that the guy was selling!

I was so into the music that my little 7 year old self was dancing up a storm in the aisle.

Michael Jackson Tablet

I recently found a “like-new” wire bound tablet with this photo of Michael as the cover. Darn it if I didn’t possibly throw it away. Who knows why I would do that after keeping it all these years. But rest assured I’m going to go home and tear up my apartment to try to find it!

MJ Doll

I know 100% that my sister owned one of these MJ dolls. Her’s was dressed in a Thriller outfit. But seeing this version makes me feel like I might have had one too? (Or maybe my sister let me play with hers?)

Either way. I remember it being super difficult to get the super tiny white glove on to his hand.

The Glove

My sister had a Michael Jackson glove cleverly displayed on her book case. She set it up so that the (empty) glove was “holding” a Pepsi can.

I thought that was the coolest thing EVER!

Thriller

My sister and I owned the “Making of Thriller” VHS tape. We watched it over and over and over and over. And then attempted to recreate the dance in the upstairs hallway between our bedrooms. Well, actually, she was able to do it … I wasn’t.

Watching that video is the ONLY reason that the actual MTV video didn’t scare me. (Dude, Zombie/Walking dead type monsters scare the pants off of me!)

I specifically remember one part of the tape which showed an actor in full costume eating a chicken leg. Don’t ask me WHY I remember that … but I do.

The Girl Is Mine

My cousins and I had a little routine to the MJ/Paul McCartney duet “The Girl Is Mine.”

I think I was the girl. And the routine was with one girl cousin and one boy cousin.

Don’t ask me? We also did routines to songs from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Being shocked the first time I ever saw him (Superbowl XXVII)

Though I had heard his music before, I had no idea he looked like THAT. Even as a small child, I knew SOMETHING was wrong.