Michael Jackson: A Life in the Spotlight

迈克尔·杰克逊：聚光灯下的生活

On the Motown Records' 25th anniversary special—a May 1983 TV extravaganza—it was Michael Jackson who stopped the show.

1983年5月的摩城唱片特别的25周年纪念会，也是迈克尔·杰克逊结束演艺生涯前的最后一场华丽的表演。

At the time Jackson was the most popular musician in American, riding high with his No. 1 album "Thriller".

当时杰克逊是美国的最受欢迎的音乐人，他的专辑《颤栗者》销量排名第一。

But something about his exciting performance of "Billie Jean", complete with the patented backward dance moves, raised his stardom to a new level. Michael Jackson became ubiquitous.

在激动人心的歌曲“比利·珍”中，他发明的后退式舞步让他脱颖而出，奠定了歌王的地位。迈克尔·杰克逊变得无所不在。

People copied his Jheri-curled hair and single-gloved, zippered-jacket look.

人们模仿他卷曲的头发，手套只带一只手，穿着拉链夹克衫。

He posed for photos with Ronald and Nancy Reagan at the White House. He became a Pepsi spokesman, and when his hair caught fire while making a commercial, it was worldwide news.

他罗纳德·里根，南希的合影拜访在白宫。他也曾是百事公司的发言人，在商业活动中，他的头发不小心着火了。它是世界范围的新闻。

It all happened very fast—within a couple of years of the Motown special.

在摩城唱片两年的时间里，这一切发展得都很迅速。

He hadn't even turned 25 yet, but he'd been a star for more than half his life.

杰克逊很早就成了巨星，甚至还不到25岁的时候，他超过一半的生命就已经家喻户晓了。

Michael Jackson was born August 29, 1958, to Joe Jackson, a steelworker, and his wife, Katherine.

迈克尔·杰克逊于1958年8月29日出生，父亲乔·杰克逊是一个钢铁工人，母亲叫凯瑟琳。

By the time he was 6 he had joined his brothers in a musical group organized by his father, and by the time he was 10, the group—the Jackson 5—had been signed to Motown.

六岁时，杰克逊加入他父亲组织的由他的兄弟组成的音乐队。十岁时，杰克逊五人组合就和摩城唱片签约了。

Jackson, a natural performer, soon became the group's front man.

杰克逊，一个自然的表演者，很快就成为队里的领头人物。

The group's popularity waned in the 1970s, and Michael eventually went solo, releasing the album "Off the Wall", Michael eventually became the best-selling album in history.

20世纪70年代，组合的受欢迎程度不断减退。迈克尔随后单飞，发行专辑《偏执》，最终成为历史上拥有最畅销的专辑的音乐人。

But, as the showbiz saying has it, when you're on top of the world there's nowhere to go but down.

但是，正如娱乐界的惯例，当你到达世界之巅，那将无处可去，只有下山了。

The pop music landscape was changing, opening up for rap and hip-hop. Jackson was seen as out of step.

流行音乐风云变幻，作为说唱乐的发起人，杰克逊被视为不合拍。

His 1991's release, "Dangerous", only produced one top-ranking single—"Black or White"—and that song earned criticism for its violent ending, in which Jackson was seen smashing car windows and clutching his crotch. And then "Dangerous" was knocked out of its No.1 spot on the album charts by Nirvana's "Nevermind." A 2001 album, "Invincible," did even worse.

他在1991年发行专辑《危险》，采用了单色调，黑色或者白色，但是被批评说暴力场面太多。专辑里有杰克逊砸车窗，用手紧紧握住自己胯部的场景。《危险》在专辑排行榜的第一名的位置很快就被涅槃乐队的《别介意》代替了。2001年的专辑《无敌的》更糟糕。

More attention has been paid to Jackson's private life than his music career, which has faltered. People started focusing on his eccentricities. He was rumored to sleep in a hyperbaric chamber and to have bought the bones of John Merrick, the "Elephant Man".(Neither was true)

相比较杰克逊起伏不定的音乐，人们更关心他的私生活。人们开始关注他的怪癖。谣传他在睡在高压氧舱里，还买了《象人》里“约翰的骨头”。（这两个都不是真正。）

He did have a pet chimpanzee; underwent many plastic surgeries; established an estate filled with zoo animals and amusement park rides.

他确实有一个宠物黑猩猩；经历了许多整形手术；建立了一个充满了动物的动物园和游乐园。

Meanwhile, Jackson has found himself popular for his short-lived marriages, the first to Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie.

与此同时，杰克逊已经发现自己因为几场短暂的婚姻而受到欢迎，第一位妻子是猫王的女儿莉莎·玛丽。

Today the 46-year-old singing icon heads to trial on child-molestation charges.

如今这位46岁的音乐偶像因为娈童的指控受审。

短语讲解：

1. on top of the world 幸福到极点；欣喜若狂；世界最高点

同义词： over the moon

eg. How many people can say he stood on top of the world ?有多少人能骄傲地说自己曾站在世界的顶峰呢？

eg. We think of being on top of the world as being in heaven.我们以为自己在这个世界的顶层就如在天堂。

2. knock out 敲空；击倒；打破；使筋疲力竭

eg. The three drinks knocked him out .这3杯酒让他昏昏欲睡。

eg. He got knocked out in the first inning.他在第1局就被淘汰了。

                                                  整理人：王莹雪