‘Gone Too Soon’ is about how life is short, fragile and beautiful.
It was written by Buz Kohan, a good friend of Michael Jackson’s. Dionne Warwick sang the song in 1983 on a TV special tribute to the talented musicians and performers who had passed away that year including John Lennon and Karen Carpenter.
Seven years later, Michael Jackson decided to record the song as a tribute to a boy called Ryan White who had contracted the AIDS virus via a blood transfusion as part of treatment for his haemophilia. Ryan passed away at the age of 18 and Michael Jackson used the song to tell his story to the world.
After Michael Jackson passed away in 2009, Usher performed ‘Gone Too Soon’ at Michael Jackson’s memorial service.
The full story about the song ‘Gone Too Soon’ is published at TheAtlantic.com.
Lyrics
Blazing ‘cross the evening sky
Gone too soon
Fading in the twinkling of an eye
Gone too soon
And splendidly bright
Here one day
Gone one night
On a cloudy afternoon
Gone too soon
Built upon a sandy beach
Gone too soon
That is just beyond your reach
Gone too soon
Here one day
Gone one night
Dying with the rising of the moon
Gone too soon