Michael Jackson ‘Bad’ – A Teen iPod Story
I was finishing up some work on the computer when my teen son came into the kitchen and asked a question I’d never heard before: “What’s our wireless password?”
Hell, I don’t know the password. We programmed it once on my laptop, and once on his sister’s.
“Why do you need to know?” I asked.
“I want to download Bad.” He stood there holding his iPod.
WTF? I was using the laptop, and the laptop already knew the password. Michael Jackson was my era, not his. And how did my son expect to pay? Besides, we were about to head out to Office Depot to buy school supplies.
“What…? How…?” I furrowed my brow and shook my head.
“I just need the password and it will take me a second,” he said. He held his iPod out as if in explanation.
I may be a dinosaur when it comes to my own personal tech, but I’m savvy enough to know what he wanted to do. I fished around and gave him the password, and sure enough, he downloaded ‘Bad’ onto his iPod, just like that.
“How did you pay?” I asked.
“I have an online gift card,” he said.
Nice.
We got into my car, and he plugged his iPod into the AUX jack under the CD player. In no time flat, Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’ was thumping through my car stereo system.
Picture a 40-something dad with his teen son, cruising down the street, windows down, stereo volume up, both of us grooving to Michael Jackson. It was surreal. Cool. We be kickin’ it. Whatever the kids say these days.
When ‘Bad’ ended, another Michael Jackson song came on. Dang, my son has taste!
“Isn’t it funny how the beat to all of his songs sounds the same?” I asked.
“Oh, sorry,” my son said. “My iPod’s set to repeat. It’s playing Bad again.”
Doh! Cue the moonwalk.
Watch the video, and you’ll be humming ‘Bad’ (or ‘Fat’) all day!
Michael Jackson Bad video 
Weird Al Yankovic Fat video
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Comment by Paula
| August 19th, 2009
I wish MJ would come back to life so we could move on to new more important topics -like how to round up the wingnuts for their mental health meds.
Tech savy -I don’t even know how to use an ipod!
Paula´s last blog ..Lancaster County Amish and Mennonites
Comment by Andrea
| August 19th, 2009
I remember when it originally came out – and I had the tape AND the record. My oldest at 7 has no idea what tapes are or what life before the internet was like. Now he does powerpoint at school.
What ever happened to pen and paper??
Andrea´s last blog ..Screaming, FLip FloPs and Spiders
Comment by Sandy
| August 19th, 2009
Yeah, I don’t have an iPod either but I could if I wanted to have my granddaughter show me how to d/l the tunes. {sigh}
Sandy´s last blog ..Move It, Mom!
Comment by coolred38
| August 19th, 2009
My sons do all my downloading…the one attempt I made…ended right then and there when smoke literally came out of its cracks…or maybe that was my ears…not sure…its all blurry now.
MJ was Bad…for sure.
Comment by coolred38
| August 19th, 2009
oops…”its cracks” refers to my laptop of course…in case that wasnt obvious…hee hee
Comment by Just Me...
| August 19th, 2009
You ought to see your 8 year olds face when you try to explain record albums?! And yes, I have vinyl from the 70’s.. Shaun Cassidy to Lynyrd Skynyrd to Foreigner to Black Sabbath.. She loved looking at the album covers.. You know, I miss album art.. CD covers just aren’t the same… :)
Just Me…´s last blog ..Un-f**king-believable!!!
Comment by MindyMom/Single Mom Says...
| August 19th, 2009
That’s funny!
I do enjoy that I can listen to a lot of the same music with my teens. They like some of the “retro” stuff that I grew up on and I stay current enough to like some of what they listen to. What scares me is when LO walks around singing, “shhhh girrrrl, talk with your hips…” from too much exposure to that “other music” the kids listen to.
MindyMom/Single Mom Says…´s last blog ..Single Mom Soul Vacation – Part 1
Comment by T
| August 19th, 2009
I downloaded an entire mix of MJ songs for my girls and I. We all jam out to him in the car now.
The best part is when we’re out at a restaurant and an old song of his from the 70’s comes on. My kids immediately know the song!
It is fun to share our childhoods with our kids, no?
T´s last blog ..False Advertising?
Comment by vinomom
| August 19th, 2009
I actually like all the teeny bopper music that comes out that my daughter listens to like Hannah Montana and whatever else they play on the Disney Channel. But it is nice when we enjoy the same music. She keeps playing this youtube video of Taylor Swift and T-Dizzle or something like that that cracks me up.
And my daughter has no idea what tapes are either, Andrea. :) My how times have changed.
vinomom´s last blog ..School Days Approach
Comment by Ditz
| August 19th, 2009
When the movie “Shrek” came out, my kids didn’t understand how I knew all the words to “I’m a believer” by the Smashing Pumpkins. So we had to find a recording of the Monkees’s version from 1966.
Comment by krn
| August 19th, 2009
The vision of you and DHson driving around grooving to “Bad” reminds me of why Mott just might also be Hott. ;)
That is soooooo cute!!
Comment by Single Mom in New England
| August 19th, 2009
Hahaha! Good one, Dad!
Comment by BigLittleWolf
| August 19th, 2009
Frightening. And comical! My teen sons seem to prefer some pretty wild techno-something-something that I actually like, and Pink Floyd (thankfully), which is amenable to a good glass of wine, or a (m)artini…
Is it that time yet? Perhaps not in your time zone, nor (quite) in mine, but in France, indeed it is. I’m guessing your kids haven’t heard of Piaf…
BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Is wine the secret to a flourishing sex life?
Comment by jason
| August 19th, 2009
BigLittleWolf: it is always happy hour somewhere ;-)
Comment by Mark
| August 19th, 2009
One of the great things about music is that it often transcends time and generations. Music removes many barriers. Thanks for sharing “Bad” Dad!
Mark´s last blog ..No Ends
Comment by Sandra
| August 19th, 2009
You don’t have an ipod ?
My fave MJ song is “Beat it”.
Sandra´s last blog ..August 17th
Comment by Ginger Magnolia
| August 19th, 2009
I’m laughing that you didn’t realize it was the same song.
When my oldest (now 13) was about 5, he would listen to the Thriller CD we had over and over. He had seen a video his dad had of 80’s MJ dancing and singing, and started to dance like him to the songs. He was amazing, and would dance for people who came to the house…I even have a video somewhere.
Of course now, he would kill me if he knew I told anyone about it. I figure my secret’s safe.
Ginger Magnolia´s last blog ..Senor Fussypants
Comment by dadshouse
| August 19th, 2009
I don’t have an iPod. Can you believe it? I still buy CDs. I’m not alone – I read today that 65% of all music sales in the US is still on CDs. Someday I’ll get an iPod. I know they are convenient. Just like Tivo – it took me years to get it, and now I’ll never go back.
Comment by Eathan
| August 19th, 2009
you don’t have an ipod? Do you use a mp3 player or do you use a sony walkman for 1987? lol I’m hooked on Technology. I can’t help it.
Eathan´s last blog ..What is Missing?
Comment by debbie
| August 19th, 2009
How great to ‘bond’ over songs that you knew..and he is now finding! EVEN if his is IPOD and yours was cassette!:)
Comment by Martini Mom
| August 20th, 2009
I’ll be honest: when Bad came out, I thought it was ridiculous (the single, not the album). I just wasn’t buying MJ as a tough guy. I showed my kiddo a number of videos when MJ died, and he laughed at Bad too. But he didn’t scoff at the music, which surprised me. My kid’s musical tastes are 100% Seattle circa 1990: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Sound Garden.
Of course, I was a teenager… in Seattle… (wait for it) in the ’90s, so he and I can rock out together too. And I agree: it’s pretty freakin’ sweet. I even attempted to teach him how to mosh. HA! Mommy’s not as young as she used to be…
Martini Mom´s last blog ..Nibblets
Comment by notasoccermom
| August 21st, 2009
Even before Michael’s pseudo rebirth following his death, my kids and I found a DVD showcasing all of his videos. We watched it one night about 3 yrs ago together. All the while I was explaining what and Icon he was/is and how it was really sad that his life had come to such sadness and confusion.
I remember telling them that like a lot of child stars, he lost his way.
The next night be darned if I didnt come home from work to a house full of teenagers glued to the TV watching the magic man.
You are right he has great taste
notasoccermom´s last blog ..Summer mountain air and great music – lets dance