I was in sixth grade and this was mind bending. It’s hard to explain how big of a deal this was. Teachers were talking about it in class, local news stations were discussing it. It swept over the whole nation.

@guntcheck

Жыл бұрын

EVERY kid, and I mean every, was trying to do it. If you were the kid that figured it out, INSTANT school wide popularity.

@brentvance3958

Жыл бұрын

I was in the sixth grade also and that’s all anyone talked about.

@Rao_Rolland

Жыл бұрын

You're lucky to be old enough to remember the event. I was a year old. I was in front a TV like the rest of America, just too young to comprehend what was happening.

@neoasura

Жыл бұрын

@@guntcheck I was there, yes we ALL were trying to do it on the playground and couldn't figure it out.

@Taragoola

Жыл бұрын

How’s it feel to be old, guys?

Michael really had people out here fainting just by standing on stage. 😂

I kind of remember this! I was about 5 years old and my dad loved MJ. No one like the King of Pop!

@Kristine_202

Жыл бұрын

I was literally going to say the same thing. I remember it, I was about 5 as well, but I know that my dad videotaped it and watched it over and over again.

@edyann

Жыл бұрын

@@Kristine_202 Aww.. That's wonderful! I don't quite remember actually watching him but I do remember my dad making the biggest fuss over it, haha. And everyone in my family was glued to the t.v. He was so big here in my country- and obviously all over the world. ❤

@negativeindustrial

Жыл бұрын

Prince was better.

@trikeonabike4949

Жыл бұрын

@@Kristine_202 same here, but my mom had videotaped it. Good times 😊

@TyeArtisik

Жыл бұрын

​@@edyann 😌

My grandma was in the audience She said the way the crowd lost their minds is something she will never forget. She was obsessed with the Jackson 5 and all things Michael. RIP Maggie Elizabeth ❤

@nenep1872

Жыл бұрын

How wonderful I wish I had been there.... My family is from Pasadena and I can't believe they didn't go see it 🤦🏾‍♀️....

@mikhelBrown

Жыл бұрын

God bless Grandma Maggie. ✨🙏🏽💯

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

Some of us remember the 1981 Jacksons Triumph tour when Michael actually started doing the Moonwalk. Don't believe Simple Simons version of history he gets so much wrong. It's so funny but hey you know 90's kids aren't that bright!

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

@@nenep1872 If from Pasadena they would've been at the Van Halen concert instead.

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

@@nenep1872 Diver Down tour.

I was a 13 yesr old girl, sitting on the living room floor, watching history be made! ( And I can still moonwalk today!) Miss you MJ!🕊️

Damn that motown show was stacked with talent

I was 11 and remember watching the Motown 25 special with my parents, as they were both big Motown and Stax fans and I remember my dad's mind being seemingly blown. It seemed as if there was a type of sea change in the world of entertainment. If you weren't there, it's hard to imagine how big Michael Jackson was after Thriller came out, along with this performance.

Complaining that he overshadowed anyone it’s just straight up jealousy, he spent countless hours rehearsing to put on a good show for everyone, nobody stopped the other performers from trying to do the same thing.

@monkeygraborange

Жыл бұрын

Correct... they don’t call jealousy “the green eyed monster” for nothing!

@dragonfliesnh4204

Жыл бұрын

You have made some excellent points here and I agree with your assessment.

@TechGamesAU

Жыл бұрын

@@dragonfliesnh4204 I appreciate your observation good sir

@LJ92075

Жыл бұрын

Agree. And with a talent as phenomenal as Marvin Gay’s, he had no reason to be jealous of MJ. The two just simply were not peers musically or performance wise. Totally different styles but each a great talent. But MJ did in fact have the edge because he worked HARD and he put on fantastic performances,and it paid off for him.

@annwilliams6438

Жыл бұрын

And the others didn’t spend hours rehearsing and tens of thousands of hours giving previous performances!? Jackson was a young man it’s his finger on the pulse of the teen market, vs folks who had come out of semi-retirement. It was something different from the rest. And good for him. It must have been an incredible concert overall.

Legend.

@Ow_My_Balls

Жыл бұрын

You mean child molester

@TyeArtisik

Жыл бұрын

Forever 🙏🏾

We'll never get someone like him ever again.

@violetasilvestre1275

Жыл бұрын

Very much true my friend the one and only king of pop

@ivareskesner2019

Жыл бұрын

Let's hope not. With luck future megastars won't be able to get away with decades of paedophilia under everybody's noses just because they singe and dance well, and make a lot of people rich.

@garycarpenter2980

Жыл бұрын

He was one of a kind

@thedeleted117

Жыл бұрын

@@ivareskesner2019 There was no pedophilia, idiot. They extorted him for his fame and success.

@craigfazekas3923

Жыл бұрын

As one Arthur Fonzarelli would have said ? "Perfectamundo".... 🚬😎👍

I was 15 and remember it like it was yesterday. We were all talking about it the next day and of course trying to do it ourselves 🙂 nobody did it like MJ though. It's hard to believe he's been gone for 14 years ❤

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

Ah so you never saw the Triumph tour? Michael did the Moonwalk during that tour 3 years earlier. There is even videos of it here on youtube. Poor Simon got history wrong again. I don't think he was even born in 1981!

I remember hearing the crowd ERUPT when he did that moonwalk!

I was just a little too young to actually see the show, but I do remember the obsession everybody had with MJ. You couldn't cross a street in the mid-80s without hearing or seeing a Michael Jackson reference.

@MarvinHartmann452

Жыл бұрын

Even when I was young in Eastern Europe, we had posters and cassette tapes. I was old enough, mid teens. It was like blue jeans. You couldn't have them in "stores" but everyone had them.

@Tony-bf3tf

9 ай бұрын

Wow that's awsooooooome 😃

slight correction here MJ was stubborn, he didn't want to perform at Motown, But when they were persistent on him being there and performing along with his brothers. He said, he will only perform at the reunion if he gets to perform solo later on ( Remember Thriller was not a Motown Album, it was an Epic Album )

@justice7450

Жыл бұрын

Yes, thank you for this comment!

@nenep1872

Жыл бұрын

Exactly

@igualmente22

Жыл бұрын

Michael knowing he’s boss is so hot. 🔥

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

He even pulled out a move he done 3 years earlier as a joke and it become history.

I nearly passed out when I saw this on tv. It was Michael, that's all.

In the world of pop music there's Michael Jackson there's every body else ❤❤❤ MJ

1st, I want to thank you so much for acknowledging all of the people who 1st did the “moonwalk”, going all the way back to the 30’s. I was going to mention that, but of course, I should of known that you all always do thorough research before you post! I was 26 when the special aired, and it was like a walk down memory lane while watching the performances. Always excited when I see your posts on this channel and Weird Food History. Keep up the great work 😊😊!

The fact that Michael almost wasn’t even on the show is crazy I always think about that. Imagine that that’s a moment that is major and changed television and music and it almost didn’t happen.

Nice to see people showing michael some love again ✊️

@Mrchair905

Жыл бұрын

He sure loved to show love to little boys.

@trentonbates3114

Жыл бұрын

@@Mrchair905 lol as opposed to now where celebrities just go to epsteins islands and "Love little kids" strange they don't get any flack about it..... must be an oversight 😅😅

@gujjewman96

Жыл бұрын

@@Mrchair905 he's innocent 😇 he was prosecuted twice and they didn't find anything on him. FBI investigated him for 10 years and didn't find anything.

I'll never forget seeing it on TV that night. I was a freshman in H.S. and everyone was talking about it the next day in school. We had to watch the nightly news to see the move again since nobody I knew had a VCR back then that recorded it. Someone figured out how to do the move, and we practiced the move in the locker room on concrete floors while wearing football spikes. It made the glide much easier to do. In the spring, I remember my cousin and I performed the move in a song and dance routine in our school's version of "show choir". (It wasn't really show choir, but that's irrelevant.)

That was one of the most magical performances ✨️ we had ever seen on TV, up until that point. 👏

I love Michael Jackson thank you for this

“Just because we’re magic, doesn’t mean we’re not real.”✊🏾 -Jesse Williams

Michael's performance in motown 25 is one of the most important & magical thing that happened in television history.

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

Not really when he did the moonwalk 3 years earlier on the Triumph tour...

@dreamatchwrestling

6 ай бұрын

​@@Me4-gc8qsproof?

I love how people couldn't wait 45 secs to try to correct the video and then 3 mins he said exactly what everyone is trying to correct 😂 relax people

@showbizcec4985

Жыл бұрын

I’m not gonna lie, I’m one of those kinda people. I’ll forget if I don’t do it now and the people outta know the truth LOL

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

hahaha You do know Michael first did the Moonwalk in 1981 on the Triumph right? Do a search for how many times The History Channel has got history wrong. You will be shocked!

Still the single greatest performance in television history 💯🙇🏾🙇🏾‍♂️🙇🏾 RIP 👑

Thanks for talking about this monumental moment in pop-history👏 MJ will forever be the greatest to ever do it!

saw Michael Jackson in person when I was 11 living in S.Korea. We went to Everland, which is an amusement park over there, and he showed up to do a concert there later that night. He was being escorted from one building to a limo that was taking him to concert location, and as he was riding to the location through the park my cousin (15F), and I ran up along the limo. He was smiling at me, and all, and then my cousin threw up the peace sign to, which he gave the peace sign back. That's it. That's my story

@garycarpenter2980

Жыл бұрын

It's Neverland Ranch

@andiestewart7423

Жыл бұрын

What a great memory 👍

@lolafairchild88

Жыл бұрын

​@Gary Carpenter No, "Everland" is an amusement park in South Korea, and that's where the storyteller saw Michael Jackson because they lived in South Korea at the time and that's where M.J. was performing. Neverland Ranch has nothing to do with this.

@lolafairchild88

Жыл бұрын

What a cool story! Thanks for sharing 😊!

@blacklabel3980

Жыл бұрын

@@andiestewart7423 thanks! I wish we could have gone to the concert but it was late and I was young

I'm 58 year old...I want to tell you that you are spot on about everything in this video. You did your homework!!!😁👍🏼...Living in west Philly. We all were into moonwalk, poppin and breaking way before Mike made it popular. There's a let of great history about that dance. Fantastic 👏 🎉🎶🕺🏾💃🏾

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

lol no he isn't Michael first did the moonwalk in 1981 during the Triumph. There is a video or 2 here on youtube showing him doing it. I'm 5 years younger than you and I can still remember it. I'm guessing you never went to see the Triumph tour?

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

So you were doing the moonwalk before 1981? WOW were you the kid Michael saw on the street and stole it from? Sue his estate for your $$$. In the making of Thriller video Michael even mentions he stole the moonwalk from a kid on the street years ago...

I watched this live on tv, was awesome, still is. RIP MJ 🥰

Iconic days back then.

I'm so happy you made this video. I love Michael ☺

I was 8 years old when Motown 25 aired, and I’ll never forget seeing Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 perform. It was electric. Best TV ever 👏🏾💃🏾

_Macarena PTSD triggered_

@garycarpenter2980

Жыл бұрын

I just love the Macarena it's a fun song and to dance to

@dottiegillespie8067

Жыл бұрын

That's great@

@empressoftheknownuniverse

Жыл бұрын

Now I'M triggered! Thanks: 🤤

@dragonfliesnh4204

Жыл бұрын

Every time I was at a wedding or some event and that song came up, we all went up to do the dance and I knew how to do it correctly too. I remember I was in the hospital as a teenager and waiting for my parents to finish the paperwork to discharge me, I was teaching a few nurses how to do the Macarena so they could surprise their kids. I'm sure their kids probably were more embarrassed than surprised.

@TyeArtisik

Жыл бұрын

Huh?

A+ video! It is such an easily recognizable dance move, fascinating to hear about its surprisingly rich history!

I watched that. I was like "WOAH"!

FINALLY!!! People are finally recognizing what this move was called back in the day! My sister was a dance fanatic, and I remember her coming home from school to demonstrate a dance move that made it look like she was walking backwards while trying to move forward. It was initially called the "glide", but as time progressed, it was called the "Backslide". I was in 6th grade when Motown 25 aired, and I was absolutely enthralled with Michael. He was my EVERYTHING in those days. Thank you for sharing this moment in history!

I waited for him to do this and we went wild! Truly amazing for its time👍

Jeffrey Daniel actually taught MJ how to do the moonwalk

@crashburn3292

Жыл бұрын

Funny how no one really wants to know that.. lol

@absalom0412

Жыл бұрын

And Boogaloo shrimp taught MJ to pop n lock. MJ never gave them credit openly.😂

@aurelinho0075

9 ай бұрын

​@@absalom0412well he never said that he invented these moves either 🤷🏾‍♂️

Thank you for mentioning that tap dancers were the first to have this in their bag of steps. Cab Calloway, the Nicholas Brothers, Jimmy Slyde, and Bil Robinson were all doing the step in the 1930s to 1950s. MJ was a tap dancer, and named his pet monkey Bubbles after John Bubbles, one half of Buck and Bubbles and the dancer credited with incorporating heels into the tap parlance.

i was in 6th grade and it's all we talked about in school the next day and we didnt even know what it was called yet.

This was filmed on my birthday. I believe he did the moonwalk and it caused my mom to go into labor

@Whitehorse_crimefighter

Жыл бұрын

March 25 1983

@nenep1872

Жыл бұрын

😂😂😂😂 I love this one right here most definitely

I remember watching that special like it was yesterday. My mom, dad, brother and I all gasped. We were all just blown away.

I remember it. It was quite surprising. But since then, I’ve seen clips of it being done way back when, long before MJ was born.

@BabyGirlTiny

Жыл бұрын

Nobody said he invented it

@dafttool

Жыл бұрын

@@BabyGirlTiny Regardless, no one did it better than MJ

Several years ago, (late 20teens) I was at a grocery store with my niece who was around 10yrs. old. At one point, we were in an aisle with only one other customer nearby when my niece decided to start pretending that she was on the moon and began doing short jumps to simulate the moon's low gravity. While doing these jumps, she announced that she was "moonwalking." Of course, I had to show her what real moonwalking was. 😉 When I did, the one other costumer started chuckling a bit.

I was 10 years old. The 2 things i remember most were how me and my bro looked at each other with our mouths open right after he did it. The 2nd is how many kids were trying to do the moonwalk the next morning at school. I can still see them clearly in my mind. In 2 days, I'll be 50. 😊

Watched it with my mom. We both freaked out when he moonwalked.

Wow! Nice work, WH. I always thought it was made up by MJ himself. Funny how it took off once he did it and we all forgot the others who came before him. There was something pretty magical about his performances. Otherworldly.

I remember seeing this show and thoroughly enjoyed it I was mesmerized by Michael's performance.

Thriller was the first album I ever bought. I first saw Billie Jean in 8th grade (I think). I don't remember watching the 25th anniversary special, but I do remember seeing his part of it.

Michael had the ability to own it,he literally was thought to be the original of some of his work,like my girl, loving you,moonwalk etc.His style of singing and snapping and the moonwalk was unique to him

@colinglen4505

Жыл бұрын

Jeffrey Daniel did it first and he did it better than Jackson.

@joelgoldsmith4747

Жыл бұрын

@@colinglen4505 No argument buddy, but - they both had their own 'individually unique way' in performing it!!

@BeyondDaX

Жыл бұрын

@@colinglen4505 Except people in general are gonna associate Jackson with the moonwalk over daniels for any reason at all.

@wtfman81

Жыл бұрын

@@colinglen4505 bill bailey is credited of doing it first in 1955

@TyeArtisik

Жыл бұрын

​@@colinglen4505 your opinion. Most don't agree with you

You guys might have to edit this one!! Michael straight up said once in an interview that the first time he ever saw the dance was when he took his baby sister Janet to see Shalamar (who also originated in California like the pop lockers) and Jeffrey Daniels (the choreographer of the group) did the move! ❤

Rip MJ🙏🏾💖

Just a side note though, the medley performance that the temptations and four tops do together at that show is absolutely fantastic

@LJ92075

Жыл бұрын

Agreed!!!

I was 15! It was magic TV and it made him a star!!! MJ’s star was born!!! Janet Jackson said that sequined jacket was their Mom’s! Micheal’s robot was perfection in the 1970’s!

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

One question. Did you see the Triumph tour?

I watched it on tv when I was in high school. The next morning, it’s all everyone was talking about!

I remember! What a moment!!!

I remember it like it was yesterday. My brother and I sat watching, for me it was his whole performance. Whether he intentioned to or not he really out shined everyone. I have always been a diehard fan of the jacksons and in love with Micheal since I was 7! When they first started

i was there say in front of the idiot box (telly / tv) watching… edge of my chair. FLOORED STUNNED GOBSMACKED.! floating…. across the stage MJ was. ☺️😊😃😆 * when awards shows meant much.! ✌🏻🇦🇺🌏🤘🏻

MJ is the greatest artist ever!

Michael the 🐐

Oh Yes! I remember it well & have the Special on DVD.

Wow, great memories. He was amazingly talented ❤

Of all the entertainers to come and go, MJ was the best.

My parents watched the Motown. I love Moonwalker. My brother and I grew up with it. Not many Michael Jackson fans heard of it.

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

Are you serious? Moonwalker was one of the biggest movies back in 1988. I remember the ques at the cinema to see the midnight screening. We didn't get in to see it until 4am.

@angelicagaldos

Жыл бұрын

@Me 4 yea. Before FYE closed, I asked if they had it on DVD, and the employee gave a look before he said that he had never heard of it. It's a rare gem. My brother and I watched over and over

There will be no one as big as Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson was almost prophetic in thriller era.

@ayaanbretmitchell9830

Жыл бұрын

No. His fame was stratospheric for the last 30 years of his life. Fame on a level you'll never ever see again.

@gujjewman96

Жыл бұрын

@@ayaanbretmitchell9830 it definitely declined a lot after 1993 and most of the casual listeners moved on but he had already created a loyal fanbase that always supported him

@ayaanbretmitchell9830

Жыл бұрын

@@gujjewman96 I disagree. 93 I was 14 and it only appeared that way. MJ left the scene for a couple years and music changed a lot in that time. They all thought he was over then boom, he releases 'You are not alone' and the hype began again alongside the History release. No doubt he had haters but for every 1 hater he had a thousand that loved him. You only got to look at the hysteria he garnered from 93 onwards ie his 'unpopular' period to see he never ever lost his fame. Munich 99 arrival moment and Cannes excellent examples.

@gujjewman96

Жыл бұрын

@@ayaanbretmitchell9830 I'm not denying that he wasn't popular but he wasn't as popular as he was during thriller era. He was still most popular artist but it wasn't considered cool to be an mj fan. I was in school throughout '83 to '93 and I have seen myself how his perception changed in the eyes of regular people.

@ayaanbretmitchell9830

Жыл бұрын

@@gujjewman96 He actually gained a lot of fans on 2 occasions. After 2005 trial (when internet was getting popular -and people could do their own investigations) and after the massive success of the This is It concerts and then his death. But I'm not going to argue with you. Seems we are similar ages and although it seemed that way he was still immeasurably at the top.

There was a guy I worked with at a food stand at Six Flags over Texas who was great at moonwalking. That was in 1979.

@longfootbuddy

Жыл бұрын

yea, some guys were good at it.. much better than mj

I remember this like it was yesterday.

Best artist ever! Great video I enjoyed it!😊

I’ve touched that stage!!

@jeremyblackwater439

Жыл бұрын

That’s cool. How?

I was 5 and remember being shocked and amazed

i was 12 in 1983 and saw it happen .. we all freaked out :D

Absolutely Loved Every Minute

I saw it live and was blown away by his performance of Billy Jean, but when he did that moonwalk, my jaw dropped.

I vividly recall seeing this... and the next day at school all of my contemporaries tried it. 🌒 #WeirdHistory #MichaelJackson #Moonwalk

Always a pleasure

I was 10, madly in love with Michael, and let me tell you, the aftermath of this was CRAZY! EVERYONE was trying to moonwalk!!!

Thanks WH, this was a great video, My Parents were (RIP Mum and Dad,) huge fans of MJ and I'm a huge fan of MJ and so are my young children now.😊

@nenep1872

Жыл бұрын

Love this comment

I remember seeing this when I was a kid 😅 I feel old! 😂🤣

Regardless of personal feelings one might have about Michael Jackson, you can’t deny he’s an artistic genius and a hardworking perfectionist. I wasn’t aware the camerawork, lighting etc. was all based on his exact specifications. Rest In Heavenly Peace🙏🤍🕊🙏♥️

There was a Mexican actor from the 50s nicknamed, Rezortes. He was also a dancer and I remembered seeing him perform a moonwalk style dance in one of his movies.

The first time people saw the moonwalk was on soul train in nov 1979, back then it was called the backwards slide.

@a84c1

Жыл бұрын

@Marzapane At the end of the day Michael made it eternally famous.

Yes, I remember the first time I saw the Moon Walk, it was 1969, and it was Neil Armstrong... that was amazing, 'One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind' -- then, there was Michael Jackson who took it to a whole new level, 'one small slide backward for a man. One giant leap forward in dance for mankind.'

All hail Michael Jackson❤!❤

thank you ! mike said it 100xs he didnt invent the moonwalk, he just perfected it

Aw, i miss Michael. We didn't deserve him!

I remember watching this as a kid, yet to this day I still incorrectly thought it was at the Grammy Awards.

0:58 "Devastation of the Macarena Wars of the 1990's." 🤣🤣🤣 Oh man, barely came out alive during those times, going through the battlefield (elementary PE class) and enduring the horrific sights and sounds of the Macarena wars.

I was 14, my whole family was watching and were absolutely amazed! I remember my dad trying so hard to learn that from my young cousin after one party. Hilarious! If you look on youtube for Jackson 5 live performances of “Dancing Machine”, MJ does a really cool little “robot dance” where he basically uses the same “witchcraft”. It wasn’t really new, just HYPED AF, that’s all! We don’t have every eye on the same TV station anymore like back then.

I was only 8 years old when Michael Jackson died and I started listening to him afterwards and I became a huge fan of MJ he was amazing Rest In Peace to the King of Pop

The moonwalk was already a big thing when Michael did it. We even said something like- "Hey, he's doing the moonwalk!" when we first saw him do it on Motown 25. It wasn't anything revolutionary. Iconic perhaps. But the moonwalk was already a dance craze by the time Michael did it.

@ayaanbretmitchell9830

Жыл бұрын

There's always someone that says this. On every damn Motown moonwalk post!!! Yes he never invented it nor did he ever say he did. Did you see Bill bailey do the spin and toe stand? How about the circle walk? Maybe the side glide? How about the robot? The footkick? The mime? Did you notice Bill bailey wasn't as big as MJ? Did you notice noone was a big as MJ? Getting it now?

@Me4-gc8qs

Жыл бұрын

@@ayaanbretmitchell9830 did you notice Michael doing the Moonwlak during the Triumph tour of 1981? Oh you didn't? Then shut the fuck up, stop acting smart and tough and search moonwalk 1981 Triumph tour. There is videos here on KZread of Michael doing the Moonwalk live on stage in 1981. Why do people like you feel the need to make things up? I will give you one thing you did get something right, It wasn't called the moonwalk back then.

Breakin' 2 - Electric boogaloo. Ozone,Turbo, and Kelly...😁 Wow, was I ever young...lol

Im 50, snd have been trying to do the moowalk for 40 years. No luck. For all his coo- coo ways, he was a once in a generation talent. Probably one of the best dancers and had a once in a universe voice. Love you Michael Jackson.

I've been waiting for a Michael centered episode. I love your channel and especially love Michael Jackson, so thank you!

Michael Jackson The King Of Pop! Truly the Greatest of All Time! RIP

@mikatu

Жыл бұрын

and the king of opening children's butts!

When Billie Jean first came out, I remember saying, "That's going to be a huge hit." He was a unique performer.

MJ was a USA miracle, his effect is still felt today, his time was the peak of American cultural influence.

First comment!! Even though He wasn't the first to moon walk he was definitely the most iconic! Have a blessed day everyone and long live the King of Pop!

@andiestewart7423

Жыл бұрын

Who was the first? I thought he invented it?

@jayala1981

Жыл бұрын

@andiestewart7423 it was Jeffrey Daniel of the group Shalamar, although a lot of moves were originated in the 40's and adopted by Michael later, he was def the first to perform it on tv

90’s Michael Jackson and Jack Skellington were my first crushes lol! I know, I need therapy.