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History
repeats itself. It may sound clichéd, but
history has just repeated itself. ‘The King
of Pop’ ended in much the same way as The
King of Rock and Roll’. Michael Jackson
is now just a memory, a glowing one at that. Thirty
years ago, Elvis Presley had set greatness leaving
a trail that is yet to be matched. There is something
about him and Michael Jackson that makes one believe
in the concept of history repeating itself.
Elvis was the rock and roll icon of his times,
a global superstar of unmatched fan following.
It is said that the crowds that he drew for his
live concerts are still unparalleled. He still
remains the only man to ever have entered the
Hall of Fame in four different genres of music.
He had everything he could ask for in life. Yet,
at the age of 42, he collapsed, shocking a generation
of fans world over, never to wake up again.
Michael Jackson took pop music to the world, he
taught the world to dance; he made the world dance
to his tunes. |
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He
was one name familiar to all parts of the civilized
world; he was the true inheritor of the legacy of global
superstardom left behind by Elvis Presley. Like the
King of Rock and Roll, the King of Pop was unmatched
in the following that he commanded. One thinks he couldn’t
have asked for more in his life. Yet, at the age of
50, he too collapsed, shocking another generation of
fans, never to wake up again. History repeated itself.
The death of Elves Presley is still an unsolved mystery
for most people in the world. Autopsy, toxicology and
forensic analysis have not been able to uncover the
true reason behind what made him pass away at an age
so young. Many say he self destructed, being a victim
of self-doubt and prescription drug addiction. Reasons
offered for his untimely death include anaphylactic
shock due to allergy to codeine pills, polypharmacy
(too much medication) or a sudden and massive heart
attack. But, one thing that is agreed upon is that whether
or not a drug played a direct part in his death, his
addiction to medication had somewhere played a part
in his demise.
Michael Jackson’s death too is becoming one in
the Elves Presley mould. It is said that he collapsed
in his room with his doctor beside him and did not respond
to CPR. Over the past week or so, we have heard the
terms ‘prescription drug abuse’ and ‘excessive
medication’ over and over again in connection
with Michael Jackson’s death. Doctors are testifying
that he used to ask them for prescriptions to pain killers
that he did not really need. All that resulted in his
end, just as he was preparing for a comeback tour in
a few weeks time. His physical condition at the time
of his death was shocking according to autopsy reports.
Elves Presley and Michael Jackson died not by a sudden
illness or accident. They were on the road to self destruction
for a long time and it is shocking to think that people
who knew so well for so long could do so little about
it. It was as if the script had been written by someone
to make us believe that history can indeed repeat itself,
that destiny can have a signature of its own.
Death, ironically, immortalizes an artiste. Those who
pass away in their prime are forever remembered as the
best. Life exposes a person’s short comings, weaknesses,
frailties and senility, death leaves only one lasting
image. John Lennon, Bruce Lee, our beloved Rajiv Gandhi,
John F Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln are men who are immortalized
by death, as much as by their deeds to humanity.
Maybe, this was destiny’s way of immortalizing
the man who taught the world to dance. ‘The King
of Pop’ lives forever.
(By
Sudhakar, with inputs from Arun.)
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