Recollections - Memories of Akio Morita - Akio Morita Library
25 June 2009—Michael Jackson Passes Away
Unlike today, there were no cell phones and the road conditions were bad, so it was very late when we arrived at the villa. On arrival we received a call from the house in Tokyo saying that Michael’s manager had been calling again and again because Michael was anxious to meet with Mr. Morita, so Akio hurriedly called his hotel.
Michael thanked Akio for coming to the show and apologized as he felt his performance was not 100%. His voice has not been at its best and he invited us to come again when he promised an even better performance.
For artists there is no peak—they constantly strive to do better—to a point that might even be called self-indulgent.
Subsequently, Michael was in Japan at the time of my birthday and he came to a party being held at my home, where this picture was taken.
As a vegetarian he avoided meat and fish and as you see we prepared a large plate of Twenty Century (Asian) pears, which were in season. I don’t remember anyone else eating them except him, and that day remains a topic of conversation in our house to this day.
He found some of Akio’s toys, such as a mechanical piano, music box, miniature street organ and a record from the Edison Museum, and spent the evening playing with them like a child.
While in Japan he visited Sony’s head office, the CBS Sony Studio that was in Shinnanomachi, Sony Media World, the Ginza Sony Building and so on, asking many questions and getting hold of the latest Sony products.
As promised we were invited to see him perform again at Tokyo Dome in 1992. The studio always arranged for an official photo to be taken backstage and we have many lovely photos that were later signed by the artist.
The History Tour came to Tokyo Dome in December 1996. Akio had already fallen ill by that time and I don’t remember the details, but I went to the Capitol Tokyu where Michael was staying and rode to the Dome in the same car. Many fans surrounded the car and others followed in taxis. When we stopped at red lights people would pass him paper or handkerchiefs. He would sign them quickly and my job was to hand them back. He gave autographs to so many people between the hotel and the Tokyo Dome, but he never once made a face. He happily signed them, and as I sat next to him helping, I thought what a truly kind person he was.
He genuinely looked forward to meeting Akio. In 1995 he released History and at that time had a special shield made to present to Akio, as well as a signed album.
On the shield it said:
“THIS ALBUM OF MY MUSIC WARMLY DEDICATED TO AKIO MORITA… FOR OUR EVERLASTING FRIENDSHIP. WE ARE LIVING IN THE SAME DREAM FOREVER… WITH ALL MY LOVE”
After Akio fell ill in October 1993, the first message of support we received from abroad was from Michael Jackson.
It was a healing tape that he had made himself on which he had recorded his own voices saying “Mr. Morita…Mr. Morita” many times, as well as phrases such as “You will get better…you will speak again”, and a gentle song that he had chosen.
He also included a handwritten letter that said, “Play 3 times a day right before awaking before sleeping and mid day. Michael Jackson.”
A cassette label signed by Michael
I played it every morning for 10 minutes before Akio got up and every night when I put him to bed for the six years until he passed away.
In 1998 Michael performed in Honolulu, Hawaii. Pushing Akio in a wheelchair, we went to see the show at Aloha Stadium, and the next day Michael visited us at our villa. I can’t say how delighted Akio was and to this day I can not forget his kindness at that time.
It is 10 years since Akio passed away. Michael treated Akio as a respected teacher and friend. Many times he asked questions such as “How can I better engage young people?”, “What can I do to be more respected?” and “Who should I trust?”
Michael couldn’t trust anyone and he found comfort in children and animals. Now he can rest in the comfort and peace of heaven, unbothered by others.
Many times he called me to say “I need your help”. This was 10 years ago and I regret that at the time, when Akio’s condition was at its worst, I wasn’t able to respond. I am so sorry to Michael for that. But now I believe he is resting peacefully in a happy place.
7 July 2009 Yoshiko Morita
Dear You,
Have you ever noticed that every love song contains the word "You"? Like for example: "Oh How Happy You Have Made Me", "Can I See You in the Morning?" or "The Love You Save." So, that's why I thought it would be allright to start this love letter to you with "Dear You." If it works in songs of love it ought to be right on for letters of love too, don't you agree?
Of course, there's another reason too. I don't know your name. Chances are we have never met. And maybe you are just starting to really get to know me through the pages and pictures here in TcB. You're luckier than I am. I don't even get to know the first thing about you, the girl I'm hoping to find someday... somehow, some way. I can't even be sure you're reading this. But I won't lose hope. I will never stop looking for your face, in every audience I see before me, in every eager fan who waves and smiles to me. I'll be waiting for you. baby. Will you wait, too?
I'll Be There,
Michael
His first goal in life must have been to own a candy store because he loved to play storekeeper. After Joe began giving him and his brothers a weekly allowance, he would spend every cent of it on candy and gum. He’d come home with an armful of it, take a board and two bricks and place them in the doorway to the boys’ bedroom, place a cloth over the board, lay the candy on top of it, and sell it to his brothers and sisters and friends for the same price he’d paid for it.
Michael was also a serious candy-eater and gum-chewer. Before he opened his “store,” he’d save his pennies so that he could purchase bubble gum at the concession stand at the Little League ball park behind our house. One night, however, he couldn’t find his penny for gum and he was so upset he started crying. “Mother, do you know what happened to my penny?” he asked. I knew the answer when I saw Marlon happily chewing away on a wad of bubble gum nearby.
~ Katherine Jackson from the book "My Family"
MICHAEL JACKSON, JESUS, AND ME
MY STORY OF CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP WITH THE KING OF POP
By David Pack
In August of 1986, the famous composer Leonard Bernstein was in Los Angeles to conduct a classical concert at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Knowing that his birthday would fall on the same week, I asked him what he wanted. Without missing a beat, Leonard said, “I want to meet Michael Jackson.”
At the time, Michael was the biggest pop star in the universe. He was just coming off the massive global success of Thriller, a sold-out world tour, and multiple Grammy wins that catapulted him into the rarified air of Beatlesque pandemonium wherever he went. He was seen inside the music industry as the greatest raw talent of a generation, and the combination of Michael and Quincy Jones in the studio set a standard that may never be equaled.
Leonard was a global superstar and TV personality in his own right—he is listed in many publications as the most celebrated musician, conductor, and composer of the 20th century. Yet Leonard was awestruck by the talent of Michael, describing him to me once as “the most electrifying pop star I’ve seen since the Beatles.” Leonard wanted to introduce Michael to classical music and maybe inspire Michael toward a collaboration of classical and pop music.
I was determined to grant Leonard his birthday wish by making the meeting of my two friends happen. So I called another friend, Quincy Jones, also a musical titan and legend whom I’d introduced to Leonard the previous year at yet another dinner.
Quincy idolized Leonard Bernstein, so he said he’d call Michael and ask. An hour later, he called to say that Michael couldn’t make it. When I told Leonard that Michael wouldn’t be there, he said, “What? You tell him that I, Leonard Bernstein, command him to come to my concert!” I got back on the phone with Quincy. Two hours later, Quincy called to say that Michael would be there. “But he’s never been to a classical concert, so this should be interesting!”
At the concert, Michael loved watching Leonard, who at one point leapt three feet in the air during a section of the score and landed with a loud ‘thud.’ (Quincy, Michael, and I were pretty sure this was Leonard trying to show off for Michael.)
Later that night, during a dinner at my house, I came to see Michael as a man with one of the sweetest souls I’ve ever known. He thanked me over and over for “commanding” him to come to the concert. He asked me to remind him of some of my hit songs with Ambrosia, so I sang a chorus of “Biggest Part of Me.” His eyes lit up like a little kid’s, and he took over and sang the entire chorus back to me.
At one point, Leonard draped his long white scarf around his neck and Michael’s for a series of photos, then stood up and gave Michael a conducting lesson on the spot. Later, these two musical giants bonded over... acne! They both had problems with it, and somehow that very embarrassing personal topic was their major connecting point. Leonard would talk about this for years to come. Michael called me the next day and asked for photos from that night, and he was thrilled when he got them.
During that special evening, I felt the need to share my faith with him, to let him know that another Christian artist was sitting next to him. So when he whispered, “How can I ever thank you for this wonderful night?” I said, “Michael, I didn’t put this together, God did!” He said, “Oh yes, I believe that with all of my heart.”
I told him I was a Christian, and he said he was, too. We talked about the first Christian song we’d both heard as children: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong, they are weak but he is strong.” With the dinner party loudly going on around us, we both quietly leaned in and sang the song, smiling like choirboys. “Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.” Then we gave each other a short embrace.
I knew at that moment that this sweet-spirited young genius was going to find his eternal peace in heaven. I did not find Michael weird, messed up, or anything you’ve ever heard about him. I want to say that I feel all of the allegations ever charged against Michael were false, and that in my discernment, he did not have the capacity to ever do anything except love children and let them know he would do anything to stand up for them, and help them. Just look at the magnificent work he did on their behalf in writing and co-producing “We Are The World,” and the 39 charities for children he gave to generously. That was Michael. I believe that during his trials he prayed for intervention, because he was being accused over what he loved most—children. This caused him perhaps more pain than anything in his life.
I know Michael loved Jesus with all his heart. Still more recently, reports circulated that he’d converted to Islam. But the Michael I knew had seriously contemplated giving up music to spend full-time in Christian ministry.
If there’s anything that gives me peace during this moment of loss, it’s knowing that one of the greatest artists of our time is now moon-walking along the gold paved roads of heaven, where streets have no name, with a broad smile on his face, and a band of angels welcoming him home.
Michael, my friend, rest in heavenly peace.
Our next single, “ABC,” came out in March 1970 and sold two million records in three weeks. I still like the part where I say, “Siddown, girl! I think I loove you! No, get up, girl, show me what you can do!”[...]My three favorite songs from those days are “Never Can Say Goodbye,” “I'll Be There,” and “ABC.” I'll never forget the first time I heard “ABC.” I thought it was so good. I remember feeling this eagerness to sing that song, to get in the studio and really make it work for us.
I remember writing Earth Song when I was in Austria, in a hotel. And I was feeling somuch pain and so much suffering of the plight of the Planet Earth. And for me, this is Earth’s Song, because I think nature is trying so hard to compensate for man’s mismanagement of the Earth. And with the ecological unbalance going on, and a lot of the problems in the environment, I think earth feels the pain, and she has wounds, and it’s about some of the joys of the planet as well. But this is my chance to pretty much let people hear the voice of the planet. And this is “Earth Song”. And that’s what inspired it. And it just suddenly dropped into my lap when I was on tour in Austria.~Michael Jackson
Lyrics:
What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain...
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth, this weeping shore?
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
What have we’ve done to the world
Look what we've done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son...
What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth, this weeping shore?
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Hey, what about yesterday
(What about us)
What about the seas
(What about us)
The heavens are falling down
(What about us)
I can't even breathe
(What about us)
What about apathy
(What about us)
I need you
(What about us)
What about nature's worth
(ooo, ooo)
It's our planet's womb
(What about us)
What about animals
(What about it)
Turned kingdoms to dust
(What about us)
What about elephants
(What about us)
Have we lost their trust
(What about us)
What about crying whales
(What about us)
Ravaging the seas
(What about us)
What about forest trails
(ooo, ooo)
Burnt despite our pleas
(What about us)
What about the holy land
(What about it)
Torn apart by creed
(What about us)
What about the common man
(What about us)
Can't we set him free
(What about us)
What about children dying
(What about us)
Can't you hear them cry
(What about us)
Where did we go wrong
(ooo, ooo)
Someone tell me why
(What about us)
What about baby boy
(What about it)
What about the days
(What about us)
What about all their joy
(What about us)
What about the man
(What about us)
What about the crying man
(What about us)
What about Abraham
(What about us)
What about death again
(ooo, ooo)
Do we give a damn
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
State Of Shock (Michael with Freddie)
Gotta be mine
'Cos you're so fine
I like your style
It makes me wild
You give it to me good
Just like you know you should
Get me on my knees
Please, baby, please, listen
You look so great, everytime I see your face
You put me in a state, uh, uh, uh, uh
A state of shock
You put me on my knees
Please, baby, please
I know you like to tease
Please, baby, please,
So give it to me good,
like you know you should,
I love the way you walk
Talk baby talk, listen,
You look so great, everytime I see your face
you put me in a state,
A state of shock
Wow, I got it
Hey, a state of shock
Ow
Wow
Ow, give it to me baby
Yeah, a state of shock
Hey, listen, ow
Drive me wild
Ow, let me see you walk baby
A state of shock
Wow
Uh, uh, uh, uh
A state of shock
A state of shock
Everybody sing with me, listen
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Wow
Nah, nah, nah, nah
Ha, ha, wow, wow, wow
Na, na, na, na, na, na, yeah
Na, na, na, na, na, na, go for it
Na, na, na, na, na, na, wow, wow, wow
Na, na, na, na, na, na, yeah, yeah
Da, da, da, da, da, da
Da, da, da, da, da, da, wow
Da, da, da, da, da, da
Da, da, da, da, da, da, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
A state of shock, I like it
A state of shock, I can feel it
A state of shock, go
A state of shock, ah ha
A state of shock, ah ha, uh
A state of shock, woo hoo
A state of shock
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, na
"There Must Be More To Life Than This"
(Michael with Freddie Mercury)
There must be more to life
than this
There must be more to life than this
How do we cope in a world without love
Mending all those broken hearts
And tending to those crying faces
There must be more to life than living
A better way for us to survive
Why should it be just a case of black or white
There must be more to life than this
Why is this world so full of hate
People dying everywhere
And we destroy what we create
People fighting for their human rights
But we just go on saying c'est la vie
So this is life
There must be more to life than killing
There must be more than meets the eye
What good is life, if in the end we all must die
There must be more to life than this
There must be more to life than killing
There must be more to life than this
I live in hope for a world filled with love
Then we can all just live in peace
There must be more to life, much more to life
There must be more to life, more to life than this
