Difference between revisions of "Michael Jackson"

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When Den Simms asked Zappa in ''[[They're Doing the Interview of the Century, Part 1]]'' after the meaning of the secret word ''"Llama"'' during a concert in Chicago Zappa told Simms that it was derived from a Willie Nelson tv commercial where Nelson sings ''"Mama!"'' It eventually turned into ''"Llama"'', which Zappa admitted to be a reference to Michael Jackson (who owned several exotic pets, including a llama.)  
 
When Den Simms asked Zappa in ''[[They're Doing the Interview of the Century, Part 1]]'' after the meaning of the secret word ''"Llama"'' during a concert in Chicago Zappa told Simms that it was derived from a Willie Nelson tv commercial where Nelson sings ''"Mama!"'' It eventually turned into ''"Llama"'', which Zappa admitted to be a reference to Michael Jackson (who owned several exotic pets, including a llama.)  
  
* "[[The Real Frank Zappa Book]] (1989): [[Dio Fa]]
+
Jackson is also referenced in ''[[Operation Gladio]]'' (1990)'' "This was done to keep (...) Michael Jackson in the charts."''
* "[[Operation Gladio]] (1990)'' "This was done to keep (...) Michael Jackson in the charts."''
 
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==

Revision as of 17:29, 28 September 2011

Michael Jackson (August 28 1958- June 25 2009) was an American soul and pop singer, also referred to as "the King of Pop". He rose to fame as child singer in the soul group The Jackson Five. During the 1980s he became an international icon due to the success of his album "Thriller" (1982), which became the best selling music record of all time. His innovative music videos changed the genre into an art form and mass marketing tool. His eccentric behaviour and ever changing physical appearance received enormous media attention and made him the subject of numerous speculations and ridicule.

References

In the Does Humor Belong In Music? (1984) video a reporter asks Frank Zappa whether he could write chart toppers and sell millions of albums if he wanted to? Zappa responded: "Yeah, but who wants to go through life with a tiny nose and one glove on?"

The line "I will make your nose smell the glove" in Zappa's anti-MTV song Be In My Video might also be a reference to Jackson, who was made a star by his music video's on MTV. In 1984 Jackson was still black, but already his nose had undergone a few facelifts. He wore his famous white glove whenever he made a public appearance.

During an interview on the Arsenio Hall show in February 1989 Zappa told Hall that he saw a little black girl on CNN being interviewed about Jackson. According to him she said: "He ugly. He white lookin'". He told Hall that this was the inspiration for his song "Why Don't You Like Me?"

“Do we really want to know how Michael Jackson makes his music? No. We want to understand why he needs the bones of Elephant Man -- and, until he tells us, it doesn't make too much difference whether or not he really is bad.' ( Frank Zappa in The Real Frank Zappa Book)

Musical references

Jackson was spoofed in the songs Why Don't You Like Me? and Bacon Fat on "Broadway The Hard Way" (1989). Both songs also include a musical quote from Jackson's song "Billie Jean".

An Anglo-Italian rap version of Michael Jackson's "I'm Bad" was to feature in the opera "Dio Fa", an FZ project that didn't emerge eventually.

When Den Simms asked Zappa in They're Doing the Interview of the Century, Part 1 after the meaning of the secret word "Llama" during a concert in Chicago Zappa told Simms that it was derived from a Willie Nelson tv commercial where Nelson sings "Mama!" It eventually turned into "Llama", which Zappa admitted to be a reference to Michael Jackson (who owned several exotic pets, including a llama.)

Jackson is also referenced in Operation Gladio (1990) "This was done to keep (...) Michael Jackson in the charts."

See Also