Forget all the plastic surgery, child-molestation cases, and putting nets over his kids’ heads while in public for a moment. I’m not going there today.

Michael Jackson is responsible for the two greatest pop songs ever written.

At the tail end of 1969 the Jackson 5 dropped their first single, “Want You Back,” on the unsuspecting world. By the time you realize fingertips have tickled a piano your ears pick up the guitar strumming the beat. The piano riff is shaking your hips for you. A spaced out clap lets you know your feet are gonna be joining your hips in a few seconds. As the lead guitar flows over the rhythm and the strings take things a little higher, the pulse builds over a 20-second introduction to a song that makes anyone within shouting distance bust a move and a child’s voice unleashes an affirming “Uh-huuuuuuuuuuh” over the dance party.

While his brothers provided the perfect boogie backdrop, Michael puts the song across better than most singers at least twice his age. I mean, what does a 9-year old know about wanting a woman, let alone wanting her back? Yet we’re all totally convinced he means it. We love every second of “Want You Back” because it makes us smile and dance every time we hear it. It makes everyone want to dance – baby boomers, hippies, hipsters, and toddlers alike. Why? Because it’s the perfect song. It’s never too cool for anyone or not cool enough for everyone else. It’s almost genre-less.

Over a decade later Jackson dropped the best-selling pop album of all time. It’s littered with gems, like he had been saving these nine songs to release a greatest hits album without calling it that. The second single from the album, “Billie Jean,” is absolute dance floor ecstasy.

Jackson demanded the song keep its 29-second intro because it made him want to dance. Have you ever heard “Billie Jean” come on in a club? MJ knew what he was talking about. You know it is “Billie Jean” by the sound of the drum kit. Each hook layers on top of the other, yet the music is sparse enough you can pick up each instrument with ease. The bass line sticks with the drums, the synth floats over the beat, the guitar makes you shake it a little faster, and Jackson nails every line. And the overdubs. Every “hooo!” and stutter and “aaaah!” makes the song a million times better. He did everything ridiculous you could do as a singer in one song and not only got away with it, he made it seem like you should do all those things.

I won’t lie: part of me hoped he’d put together one helluva comeback album. Something he would be proud of saying goodbye with if he hung it up afterwards. Instead I say goodbye wondering if anyone will ever be deserve picking up the King of Pop crown which you dropped so long ago.