Michael Jackson: in his own words

Michael Jackson, the late King of Pop, in his own words:

I love ET 'cos it reminds me of me. Someone from another world coming down and you becoming friends with them and this person is, like, 800 years old and he's filling you with all kinds of wisdom and he can teach you to fly. That whole fantasy thing which I think is great. I mean, who don't wanna fly?"

- Smash Hits, 1983

"I was so little when we began to work on our music that I don't remember much about it. When you're a showbusiness child people make a lot of decisions concerning your life when you're out of the room."

- autobiography Moonwalk, 1988

"I believe I'm one of the loneliest people in the world."

- Moonwalk, 1988

"I have a skin disorder which destroys the pigment of my skin. It's in my family. We're trying to control it. I am a black American."

- Oprah Winfrey interview, 1993

"Wacko Jacko - where'd that come from? Some English tabloid. I have a heart and I have feelings. I feel that when you do that to me. It's not nice. Don't do it. I'm not a 'wacko'."

- Barbara Walters interview, 1997

"I'd slit my wrists rather than hurt a child. I could never do that. No one will ever know how much these wicked rumours have hurt me."

- Daily Mirror, 1999

"My father was a management genius. But what I really wanted was a dad."

- Oxford Union speech, 2001

"I see God in the face of children. If there were no children on this Earth, if somebody announced that all kids are dead, I would jump off the balcony immediately. I'm done."

- Martin Bashir documentary, 2003

"Why can't you share your bed? That's the most loving thing to do, to share your bed with someone. You say, 'You can have my bed if you want it. Sleep in it. I'll sleep on the floor. It's yours.' I always give the beds to the company."

- Bashir documentary, 2003