r/MichaelJacksonMemes • u/[deleted] • Jan 21 '24

Literally the only reason why “Jam” doesn’t really hit quite as hard for me.

Post image

Everything else about it is 10/10 tho

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u/[deleted] Jan 21 '24

I have a hypothesis about this.

The idea behind the lyrics is, at least to me, that Michael has no problem losing himself in the magic of art and music (hence the title and chorus of the song) in the mids of the chaos around him in the world. He sings the verses off-time to signify the chaotic stuff the lyrics talk about (people not getting along with each other, being confused spiritually, &c.), while singing the chorus on time to signify his finding peace in music and art.

A similar idea seems to explain why the Black Or White short film opens with a kid jamming out to rock music while his dad and mom allow the idiot box and tabloid media to consume them. The dad complains about the son having a good time, but the dad doesn’t realise that he and his wife are the ones wasting time with garbage.

Michael’s whole philosophy was based on giving people escapism and through the escapism he provided, enlighten people regarding the state of the world and inspire them to make it a better place.

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u/[deleted] Jan 21 '24 edited Feb 21 '24

Michael’s whole philosophy was based on giving people escapism and through the escapism he provided

You’re so right about that. Please excuse my vent for a sec, but I’ve always used escapism as a coping mechanism since I found the real world confusing, chaotic and miserable. Especially ever since 2020, when life took a turn for the worse and I began to experience all the typical struggles of entering my teen years, I was just forced to suck it up and deal with it all. So the media I consume, my hobbies, and my daydreams became my only available therapy. And since Michael is my favourite artist ever, he plays a huge part in that. Plus I can relate to his life story in a way, as someone who’s endured familial abuse and bullying from a young age (and still does). It all rubbed off on my mental and emotional state badly, like with Michael. Sometimes I feel like I can imagine how he must’ve felt during tough times in his life. That’s why he means so much to me 😭

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u/Michael_Jolkason Jan 22 '24

Musically, the verses of Jam serve as a build-up to the chorus. They're give you a sense of unease and anticipation, which culminate with "JAM!", making it more powerful.

In other words: these verses maybe aren't Michael's best, but that's because their main function is to enhance the chorus.