Thanks For The Music, Rest In Peace

The year was 1971. The #1 hit song was "Ben" by Michael Jackson. I was in 10th grade and discussing this song with my best friend at the time. She said the song was about a rat; a friendship with a rat. Here are the lyrics:
Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own I'll never be alone
And you, my friend, will see
You've got a friend in me (you've got a friend in me)
Ben, you're always running here and there
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
If you ever look behind
And don't like what you find
There's one thing you should know
You've got a place to go (you've got a place to go)
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we" I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben (a friend) Like Ben
At the time I thought this Michael Jackson was one strange dude. Wasn't that prophetic? I had liked his earlier music but this Ben song was a little out there. Later came "Thriller" and "Bad." I love Michael Jackson's music. He's still on my CD player and my play list. Come Saturday mornings, if it's time to clean the house and I need motivation music, nothing energizes me like Michael Jackson.
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change

Thanks for the music Michael Jackson. Rest in Peace.