Remembering Michael Jackson: The service is a thriller

Jermaine Jackson held his arms outstretched for much of the song, his gesture mirroring an image of Michael on the screens above him. It seemed like he was bearing a burden as well as celebrating a triumph. None of the memorial's other musical performances were as rich in subtext as this one, but each was its own kind of maze that the singers had to negotiate.

Mariah Carey and her frequent duet partner, Trey Lorenz, were the first to try, giving a gentle spin to "I'll Be There," which was a hit for her as well as for the Jackson 5. Lorenz nearly toppled the song by coming on too strong, but Carey steered it back toward a tender reading, perfect for raising the much longed-for spirit of the young Michael, full of promise and innocence.

Gospel reminder

Backed by the Andrae Crouch Singers -- another resonant choice to perform, since Crouch is one of gospel's most famous "crossover" modernizers -- Lionel Richie sang "Jesus Is Love" with his finger pointed skyward and as much grit as he could muster in his voice. This was one of many times that the memorial went back to church, reminding the fans in attendance that this was a service, not simply a concert.

The gospel elements also reinforced the connection between Jackson's career and the civil rights movement made in speeches by several political leaders, including two of Martin Luther King Jr.'s children, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee and the Rev. Al Sharpton.

"He outsang the cynics, he outdanced his doubters, he outperformed the pessimists," said Sharpton of Jackson, making a strong contribution to the fascinating process of Jackson's posthumous rehabilitation as an African American hero.

One would have expected Jennifer Hudson's role in the memorial to also serve this purpose.

After all, the mighty-voiced ingenue has been christened the New Aretha Franklin by many, a singer with enough gravity and guts to serve history's needs.

Singing "Will You Be There," Jackson's most gospel-inspired song, in an angelic white dress, Hudson fulfilled that position. But again, it got complicated. Surrounded by the dancers who would have appeared onstage with Jackson during his comeback "This Is It" tour, she kept her composure while enduring some serious showbiz choreography. The image reminded those present that Jackson was a Hollywood child, as well as an inner-city baby -- and that Oscar winner and former "American Idol" contestant Hudson is also a product of those twin legacies.