I wasn’t sure what to say when Michael Jackson died. I still really don’t know. Like a lot of people, I spent the better part of the weekend listening to anything MJ (had a round-trip flight to LA that included about 20 rounds of “I’ll Be There.”) Revisited it all except for those Thriller 25th Anniversary remixes.

There are many reasons to be sad about what happened; sad about the latter part of his life and how things ended up, or that he didn’t get to make his comeback. Instead, I’m going to focus on the many reasons to be happy. Here’s my top 10.

The rules are there are no rules. Jackson 5, the Motown years…all fair game. I left off “Ben” even though I really didn’t want to. Also, “Man in the Mirror,” “Who Is It,” and 8 others belong on a Top 10 where there’s room for 20.

10. “They Don’t Really Care About Us”

This was always one of my favorites. I think I just like controversy. This is one of two Spike Lee vids for this song, which was re-recorded after the lyrics were misinterpreted as racist. MJ gets attacked mid-dance by a Bazillion woman in this video. Anyone remember that concert clip of a girl hugging Michael and then peeing her pants? I can’t find any evidence.

9. “Scream”

A record that collectively cost about a billion dollars, including this video (I’m pretty sure it was shot on location in Space), and the subsequent HIStory Tour that followed. It’s the most expensive anything in the history of anything, but still manages to somehow not be over-done.

8. “Wanna Be Starting Something”

ma ma se, ma ma sa.

7. “Rock With You”

That outfit. So great. Must be pretty easy to dance the night away in a sequined black spandex suit with matching boots. This song helps.

6. “She’s Out of My Life”

There isn’t very much to this song, which is what I love about it. MJ couldn’t get through the recording without crying at the end. It is that good. This song also captures his true talent as a vocalist. He didn’t need to be doing anything other than singing from a chair. Incredible.

5. “I Want You Back”

Even though this song is about getting dumped, it makes me exuberantly happy. The universe is grateful for this one.

4. “Thriller”

Duh. It says, “See you next Wednesday.”

3. “I’ll Be There”

The one and only time I’ve cried during this whole thing was when I came across that Pepsi commercial where Michael plays a piano version of this with himself as a little boy. Good luck with that.

2. “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”

This was the first single from Off the Wall, and I think there was a moment here when everyone realized that Michael was going to be more than a child star, or even a pop star. I wasn’t around at the time, but I imagine that’s how it felt. He doesn’t really sing this song as much as he just becomes it.

1. “Billie Jean”

Likely one of everyone’s all-time favorites. Don’t have many words for this. His dancing lights up the ground beneath him.

Rest in peace, King of Pop.