Though dogged by recent rumors of declining health, an energetic Michael Jackson resurfaced yesterday to announce ten upcoming shows at London’s O2 arena in July. (The O2 is the 20,000 seat venue where Prince famously took up residence for 21 nights in 2007.)

“This will be it,” Jackson told fans and reporters at the brief press conference. “When I say this is it, it really means this is it.” Hard of hearing attendees surely got the message, too — a banner above the stage screamed “THIS IS IT” in all caps.

“I’ll be performing the songs my fans want to hear. This is the final curtain call,” Jackson said.

Final curtain call? Say what you want, Michael, but we’ve been fooled by talk of such “farewells” before: Cher. Tina Turner. The Eagles. The Police. Fleetwood Mac. Especially Cher.

But the former King of Pop turned 50 only last year, and as he’s reportedly been plagued with financial problems, his “This Is It” tour will very likely continue well beyond the announced London dates. Like Celine Dion’s Titanic-spurred heart, “It” will go on and on.

Remember when Michael Jackson was indeed king of the world? This very week in 1992, “Remember The Time,” the second single from Dangerous, reached its high of #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. A slinky, snappy tune, for sure, but the video featuring Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson, was even better. MTV played the lengthy clip nearly non-stop, with its visual effects becoming more impressive with every single showing.

Add in some masterful choreography, and Jacko’s Egyptian-set showcase is still worth the watch today. Do you remember the (9-plus minutes running) time?

With hundreds of thousands of visits to the “This Is It” tour website tallied since yesterday, it would seem folks have been awaiting Michael Jackson’s return to the spotlight for quite some time.

Purchase “Remember The Time” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.