Ozzy and the Jackson 5

My mother once surprised my brother and I with a Jackson 5 album.

Just cutting my rock and roll teeth via Black Sabbath, any music played over traditional airwaves was considered in teen circles, as most definitely uncool.

I took in the album cover, featuring the pudgy cute kid face of Michael Jackson, and just cracked up. My brother--a future Kiss aficionado (funny in itself)--laughed right along me, not really sure why but sure enough to remember that his older sister sometimes allowed him to play her what-are-now-considered-classic-rock-albums upon the condition he agreed with everything she did or said.

Which--in this case--included hurting our mom's feelings.

Immediately feeling guilty--after all, mothers do trump Ozzy--we took the Jackson 5 for a spin. I dropped the teen cool at my bedroom door and before too long, my brother and I were Goin' Back to Indiana, cutting the rug right along with this kid prodigy and his own brothers.

Just like I did last night when MTV replayed the old clip.

Historically, the 1970 Jackson 5-Third Album, proved quite the commercially successful pop album.

Proving yet another point.

Mothers are always right.

Farewell, Michael.