8 Saddest Michael Jackson Songs

Gone Too Soon

The song was a tribute to friend Ryan White a teenager who died after battling HIV/AIDS and had contracted it through a blood transfusion as he was a hemophiliac. Ryan was refused at his school for fear that he could infect other children, even though HIV/AIDS is not an airborne disease. In the late 80’s and early 90’s the disease was not well understood among the general public.

Jackson recorded the song in Ryan’s honour and put out a music video that compiled clips of the time they spent together as friends immortalising his life in his music.

The song was also sang by Usher at Michael’s public memorial in July of 2009 as a tribute and farewell to his inspiration.

You Are Not Alone

For many dealing with the turmoil of isolation and loneliness, this song offers solace. The vocals and the intimate delivery in which Jackson sings the highs and the lows reaches the deepest trenches in a lonely heart.

Dealing with the isolation at a personal level brought about by his enormous fame, he makes you understand yourself as you understand him through this song.

“You are not alone. I am here with you.” he sings so beautifully you believe him that he with you and that you will never part.

The short film included clips of him singing alone in a theater, being stalked by a horde of paparazzi as he walked and memorable scenes of him and his then wife Lisa Marie Presley.

Was it a celebration of their love? Was he trying to convey that she offered him consolation in his loneliness and he her’s?

Smile

With the music composed by his idol Charlie Chaplin, the bitter sweet message of putting on a smile even when engulfed in hurt, the song embodies sadness.

As the last track of his album HIStory, an album where he laments about the issues he has faced in his lifelong career as an entertainer. Songs like Tabloid Junkie asking that the press respect his boundaries. Beginning with Scream a song with sister Janet calling out those the lies said about them, he ends it with this song Smile signifying hope.

That despite it all everything is going to be ok.