OTTUMWA — “ ... It’s easy as 1-2-3, as simple as do-re-mi, A-B-C ... “

That’s a line from the lyrics of “ABC” as released by The Jackson Five in February 1970. The song was the group’s second big single.

“Easy” was how life seemed in the early years of the late Michael Jackson, 50, who died Thursday at a Los Angeles hospital. Years would pass before his public knew about the stresses and strains on the Jackson clan, an incredibly talented group.

This article isn’t Michael’s life review. There are plenty of sources for that on the Internet and I’ve looked at some myself. He was a musical genius, had an ear-friendly voice and that’s only a smidge of what Michael offered.

I’m intrigued that Michael is not only the singer of the above lyrics but he’s also the third cultural icon to leave this life within a short time of two others — Ed McMahon, 86, who died Tuesday, and Farrah Fawcett, 62, who died the same day Michael did.

My Internet searches didn’t turn up anything solid about “death comes in threes.” Some call it a superstition, another said “good things can come in threes” (and mentioned the Holy Trinity) and a third said “death comes whenever it feels like it and can take a whole city.”

OK, OK. Let’s try this angle — three cultural icons passing on captures the attention of millions of people within a brief timeframe. I hope all those millions said some kind words for the families who mourn their loved ones.

And, we tend to remember “the three” for a while. One Internet contributor said Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison died around the same time but it just seemed like it. Jimi and Janis did — Jimi on Sept. 18, 1970, and Janis on Oct. 4, 1970. Jim Morrison was around until July 3, 1971.

Here are some other examples:

2003: Warren Zevon, Sept. 7; John Ritter, Sept. 11; and Johnny Cash, Sept. 12.

2006: Don Knotts and Dennis Weaver, both on Feb. 24, and Darren McGavin, Feb. 25.

2008: Heath Ledger, Jan. 22; Suzanne Pleshette, Jan. 19; and Brad Renfro, Jan. 15.

A different contributor noted this 2008 group: Harvey Korman, May 29; Yves St. Laurent, June 1; and Bo Diddley, June 2.

Another hard punch was Feb. 3, 1959, but the difference was the three rock stars — Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson — were in the same show at the Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake, Iowa. They died in an airplane crash shortly after takeoff.

To the living, death is still a mystery. Each of us has an appointed time but doesn’t bother dwelling on it. It’ll show up when it’s time.