Bumpy's Top 10 Michael Jackson Songs

The King of Pop, who could argue that? The first African American to ever break into MTV, the humanitarian who gave hundreds of millions of dollars to charities around the world. The most popular entertainer and holds the record for selling records with "Thriller".

But let's skip these popular songs, if you "Remember The Time" we all went "Bad" with "Thriller" and have been a "Smooth Criminal" to the "Scream" of "Billie Jean" who didn't care if she was "Black or White". The "Man in the Mirror" said that "You are not alone" because "You Rock My World" and it's because of "The Way You Make Me Feel". Everyone knew these songs so let's "Beat It" cause "They Don't Really Care About Us" and it's "Human Nature".

I present to you 10 of my favorite Michael Jackson songs that have been shadowed by these greater songs, my favorites are his a-little-less-than-great but still light years better than today's pop music. Welcome to the first edition of "BUMPY'S TOP 10" - You can clap your hands now.

Sit back and listen to the songs while you read through the top ten.

10. The Girl is Mine (Featuring Paul McCartney of the Beatles)

      Released in 1982 as the first single of MJ's "Thriller" album. The song brings back the early 80's waves and what other nice way to argue for a girl than with Paul McCartney! Their voices really jived together with Paul's soft and cold and Michael's rough and trembling voice. 

9. Unbreakable

     

     Unbreakable was a non-single track from Michael's last album "Invincible" in 2001 when he was still alive and kicking. I discovered this song while browsing for new MJ songs and I came upon this one because I thought the title was strong and it was! Michael's voice here sounded angry and very uplifting. This is a song for "Me against the World" moments in your life.

8. Blood On The Dance Floor

     Blood On The Dance floor sparks up MJ's sexual skills to seduce women with his dance moves. This one get you up on your feet and do salsa, shake and bake stuff and just groove in the music. This was a single off from his remix album "Blood On The Dance Floor: HIStory in the mix". For me this is a more upbeat version of Billie Jean.

7. Dirty Diana

     This single from "Bad" is powerful and is for all the groupies in the world. Nuff Said.

6. Childhood

     

     This is a song of honesty for MJ, in this song I could relate so much because I don't remember much from my own childhood, yeah I have missing pieces in my early life and I've got no baby pictures to start with and that explains my childish personality and wanderlust. There's a line in this song that makes me teary eyed. "Before you judge me, try hard to Love me" - That always gets me.

5. Earth Song

     

     Just a little trivia, the music video was shot on four geographical locations. This socially conscious song is not to be missed, and who writes these kinds of songs today? Everything's all about Drug and Sex and gettin' them bootay! 

4. Dangerous

     

     Whew, this seven minute song is the sex! I feel dangerous when singing this, so "manly sexy" and if you've ever watched the live version of this where he dances, damn it makes me wanna be a Mafia.

3. Gone Too Soon

     A music video was dedicated to Ryan White who died of HIV/AIDS when the deadly virus was widely misunderstood, the boy was prevented from going to class. This song is for the lost loved ones in our lives. 

2. Stranger In Moscow

     Stranger in Moscow is one sad song, it's like being alone in a crowded place, knowing no one but sadness.

1. Will You Be There

     Will You Be There was the OST of Free Willy, and why is it that I chose this as my number one? Simple, it talks about my life, ever listened to a song where every line was like for you? This is it for me, I cry to this song. Lines such as "But they told me, a man should be faithful and walk when not able and fight till the end but I'm only human" and "Everyone's making control of me, seems that the world's got a role for me, I'm so confused will you show to me, you'll be there for me and care enough to bear me!" - Whew.

Just listen to these songs and you'll see a different MJ. Cheers!

A Safe Seclusion: Songs for the Heartbroken

Venting out emotions alternatively other than crying does help a lot in the "moving-on" process where we become so fragile and vulnerable, did you ever feel that you are nothing but a worthless lover trying to find your way back to the game? Sucks right? And when friends come over and share their awful experiences with their loved ones you too can say "been there, done that".

When get hurt or plainly get emotional about things, I vent it out through writing. I've got notebooks of random writings, it's either a plain heartless rant or in the form of bittersweet poetry.

I've written songs way back in 2006 and during my college life ( I graduated batch 2012 yay!) my friends heard some of my recorded songs, well I kind of forced them into listening to it. I didn't really wanna share the songs because it's like my diary, what I've written there are nothing but real emotions and I was afraid people might know too much about my life.

This is the first album art titled "A Safe Seclusion" with the help from Dani Dulay.

Some of my friends talked me into sharing these songs and at first it was a little uneasy but later on we were already creating an album cover and lining up the songs for release!

I titled it "A Safe Seclusion" because I think these songs can accompany hurting persons who want to be alone and just listen to music and stare at the stars.

So these are the songs included in the "a safe seclusion" mini album:

This is the first song, written in 2009 and recorded in 2011. "18 Last Letters" tells about the last love letters written to a loved one that was lost and there's nothing left but memories through these 18 Last Letters.

"Free" was written in 2008 and was recorded in 2012, it's about a person wanting to leave your life but this person is the one who completes you but you don't have a choice but to let go.

"In A Second" is about a love that slipped away too fast even before it was realized. Written by a friend of mine, let's just hide her in the name of "Theapots". It was a poem of hers that I asked if I could make a song out of it and so she said yes, written in 2011 and recorded in 2012.

"Manila Sky" is about love at first sight, I still believe in it. Written in 2010, Recorded in 2012.

-I hope you guys would like these songs I've written and you are all free to share and download it from youtube!

Life of a jobless fresh graduate.

March 29, 2012 was memorable, yeah because it was my graduation day but after throwing our hats in the air and celebrated, shouted with all the strength of our lungs we could muster...What happens now? Yes, everybody that time was being optimistic saying that there's a lot of job openings out there, that everyone will get a job in no time.

Undergrads, this is NOT true.

I am guilty of bumming out for a month after graduation, I stayed at the house and embraced every minute of sleep I was getting. I ate well and on-time for at least 5 times a day! Yes, bumming also comes with getting those extra levels of fat in your body. I played video games for 12 hours straight sometimes even more! It was like paradise to me.

I continued reading books during the "bum" era. This one's "The Pretenders" by National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose.

Then days of happiness came to weeks of boredom. The same routine each and everyday inside my house (couldn't go out that much because of the summer heat all over Metro Manila and of course, dwindling money reserves) is killing me, I couldn't take it anymore!

So I began looking for a job, it was exciting! I did it through www.jobstreet.com.ph (free advertising for you guys) and I just typed in my finished degree and specialization and what kind of job I wanted and the webpage began to show me an ocean of opportunities! So I clicked "apply" to all sorts of jobs from being an Editorial Assistant, to being an Online Editor, Writer, Proofreader, Child-Friendly Photographer. 

Then I went to the beach with my batch mates. Had a great time being drunk and just being close to nature. 

12 applications as of May 10, 2012 and guess what! 8 of it were rejected! It was devastating, frustrating and depressing to see the words "unsuccessful" on your application status. For a guy like me who wanted to try to find a job without having helped by someone or a "backer", it's really hard and reality is really setting in and I realize that life isn't a fairy tale after all.

Bumming era included me sleeping on highways.

Am I scared for my future? Yes, hell I'm scared. With the degree I'm holding right now, it doesn't make that much money than those of the corporate world but sometimes for me it's not all about the money but being content with what you really need in life, I've always been a "need" instead of the "want" type of guy, I don't need much clothes, I only have 3 shorts and 3 shirts to wear inside the house but that's perfectly fine for me cause I love living like this, simple is so much better for me.

What's sad in my country is that some people aren't really that poor, but there are really these poor people you see on the streets sleeping, those are really poor but some who claim they are "poor" aren't really poor. They just buy their "wants" instead of "needs". In the Philippines it's popular to be a socialite, buying the latest releases of shoes, gadgets and everything that says "trending and latest".

But back now to my jobless life, I just pray that I'll get a stable job before June comes in so that I can save up, but for now, I'll just be staying here at home bumming around and making sure that the left over food is saved from being spoiled! :)