Do You Think Mike Would Be Proud Of The I WANT YOU BACK CHALLENGE

I THINK MIKE WOULD BE VERY HAPPY WITH THE "I WANT YOU BACK" ACAPELLA CHALLENGE

I can't tell you where I was the first time I heard it. I can tell you the first time I heard it and it changed my life.

I was listening to Dick Clark's radio special ROCK ROLL AND REMEMBER , a special celebration of 30 year's of ROCK N ROLL. The show played and discussed...the importance and status of every number one recording from Bill Hailey and The Comet's ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK to the number one record of that week.

I sat in my parents living room on a Sunday afternoon glued to my radio.

The stories these entertainers shared made me realize...at one point in their lives they were sitting in front of a radio just like me.

Then when ROCK ROLL AND REMEMBER got to the first week of 1970...I heard a piano rift that has made my heart beat a little faster and made me smile every since.

That was the first time I heard I WANT YOU BACK that it meant something and EVERYTHING... to me.


Now Macy's has sponsored an I WANT YOU BACK a cappella challenge and school after school are dropping dope interpretations of the Jackson Five's Classic debut recording.

Some are almost identical as one could get to the original with the human voice. Others are just ubre cool ways to re hear the words for the first time.

Either way...I don't have a favorite besides the original. I do however, enjoy them all for what they mean to the young voices singing their versions.

 I am glad the song is being remembered, respected and remains a musical building block.

Like it or not MJ and The J 5 were icons coming right out the gate and their very first single not only stands the test of time...it continues to redefine music for generations that will have never been alive at the same time as MJ.

Not a day goes by that I don't wish Mike was still here...but where ever he is today...I hope he's happy.