Early life
Jermaine was born December 11, 1954, at St Mary's Mercy Hospital in Gary, Indiana, after his brother Tito Jackson. He is the fourth child born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, La Toya, Marlon, Brandon (Marlon's twin who died shortly after birth in 1957), Michael, Randy, and Janet. Father, Joe had musical aspirations, playing guitar with his brother Luther in an R&B band, the Falcons, and mother Katherine a devout Jehovah's Witness was a passionate pianist and singer,. Their large family and limited means made them refocus, with Katherine becoming a housewife and Joe a steel mill worker at nearby Inland Steel Company in East Chicago, Indiana, where they lived before moving to Gary in 1950.
When his father, Joe worked long hours as a crane operator, Jermaine and his brothers, Tito and Jackie, secretly practiced their own songs using Joe's guitar, and they sang harmonies with mother Katherine . Jermaine became the original lead singer, and also played the bass in the Jackson Brothers, an earlier incarnation of the Jackson 5 until 1966, when younger brother Michael began singing lead. Father Joe began rehearsing his sons under a strict regimen when he realized their potential, seeing his sons’ talent as a way out of Gary. Jermaine would continue to provide some leads over the years. Jermaine graduated from Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, in 1973.
Jermaine and his brothers first signed as The Jackson 5 with Gordon Keith of Steeltown Records in November 1967, and their first single "Big Boy", was released on January 31, 1968. After the group recorded three more songs with the Steeltown label (on two records) they were signed with Berry Gordy of Motown Records in 1969. As the co-lead singer of The Jackson 5 after his brother Michael, Jermaine sang notable parts of "I Want You Back", "ABC", "I'll Be There", "The Love You Save", "Dancing Machine", and many other Jackson 5 songs. Jermaine performed as part of the group for six years. Not feeling that they were being paid fair royalties by Motown Records for their success as well as their desire for creative control, the Jackson 5 decided to leave the label and sign with Epic Records in 1975. However, Jermaine decided to stay with Motown Records, citing loyalty to the company as the reason. Others argue that Jermaine's marriage to Motown founder Berry Gordy's daughter Hazel, whom he married in 1973, was a deciding factor.
Jermaine split from the Jackson Five to start a solo career at Motown, and was replaced by his brother Randy Jackson. Unbeknownst to the group, Gordy had trademarked the name The Jackson Five and did not allow the group to continue using the name when they left the label. Once signed with Epic, the group became known simply as The Jacksons. In 1983, Gordy asked the group to perform at the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special. After the success of the broadcast, Jermaine finally rejoined the band to record the album Victory which featured all six brothers on the Jackson's album cover. Jermaine also participated in the band's Victory Tour. He stayed with the group for their final album, 2300 Jackson Street, in 1989. Jermaine performs the song If You'd Only Believe, from their 2300 Jackson Street album, on March 15, 1993, with his brothers Jackie, Tito and Randy, on the stage of the Grand Théâtre de Genève for the evening of the Nations. He also performed this song alone, on January 14, 1990, in Atlanta, in tribute to Martin Luther King, during King Week 90 '. In 1997, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Jackson 5. In 2001, he reunited with his brothers to perform for the Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Special.
Solo career
Like Michael, Jermaine began a solo career while still a member of The Jackson 5, and had a hit with the 1972 Shep and the Limelites cover "Daddy's Home". It sold over one million copies by March 1973, and was awarded a gold disc. When The Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, Jermaine left the group and stayed at the label until 1983, when he finally rejoined his brothers for the Motown 25 television special, and their album Victory the following year. Jermaine was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his 1980 album Let's Get Serious. He had a number of Billboard top-30 hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including "Daddy's Home" (No. 9), "That's How Love Goes", "Let's Be Young Tonight", "Bass Odyssey", "Feel the Fire", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy" (featuring Devo on backing vocals) (No. 18), "Let's Get Serious" (No. 9, also one of his only two UK hits, peaking at No. 8), "Dynamite" (No. 15), "Do What You Do" (No. 13), and "I Think It's Love" (No. 16). A duet with his brother Michael, "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)", hit number one on the dance chart in 1984. Michael and he also collaborated with Rockwell, both providing guest vocals on his 1984 hit single, "Somebody's Watching Me".
In 1985, his duet with Pia Zadora, "When the Rain Begins to Fall", topped several singles charts in Europe. His final chart success, 1989's "Don't Take It Personal", hit number one on the R&B singles chart. Some of Jermaine's finest moments as a singer can be heard in the soulful "Castles of Sand" and the Earth Wind & Fire-inspired "You Need to Be Loved". Jermaine was the executive producer of The Jackson Family Honors concert televised from the MGM Grand on February 22, 1994 . On May 19, 2003, he performed "Let's Start Right Now" live on the talk show "The View", hosted by Barbara Walters.
Jackson is proficient on the electric guitar and is a talented bass guitar player. At an early age, he performed the parts of legendary bass player James Jamerson and others when the Five performed live. His main instrument was a Gibson EB-3. Jermaine also composed and produced for other artists, such as Switch and he produced and sang duets on Whitney Houston's debut album for Arista Records. Jackson is featured on the Switch track "Tahiti Hut" released in 2019, recorded during the Reaching for Tomorrow sessions.
Reality television
Jackson was the first housemate to enter the Celebrity Big Brother 5 house in 2007, which he placed 2nd. After leaving Big Brother, Jackson did several interviews on UK television explaining why and how he took his peaceful and mediating stance in the Big Brother house. He also spoke about the Jackson Five reuniting for a performance. Jackson was part of the second season of the CMT reality show Gone Country. On the premiere episode of season three of the ABC reality show Celebrity Wife Swap on April 15, 2014, Jackson and his wife Halima swapped places with Daniel Baldwin and his on-again, off-again girlfriend Isabella Hofmann.
Later work
In April 2007, Jackson returned to the UK to take part in a one-off special of ITV's Challenge Anneka. On the same trip, he appeared in Glasgow with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, speaking in support of Searchlight magazine's anti racism campaign, the Daily Mirror "Hope Not Hate bus".
On November 23, 2007, Jackson appeared on Katie & Peter: Unleashed and again talked of a reunion with his brothers on a tour the following year. In 2008, Jackson flew to Australia to be a guest judge and mentor for the top-five Michael Jackson night on Australian Idol. In March 2008, Jackson was the guest of honor at the Muslim Writers Awards in Birmingham. In 2009, following his brother Michael's passing, Jermaine appeared on the A&E television series The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty, documenting what was supposed to be a 40th-anniversary reunion between Jermaine and his brothers. The series lasted one season and Jermaine, along with his three brothers, was listed as an executive producer. In October 2010, Jermaine played a concert at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas, naming it "40 Years of Jackson Music" and dedicating the concert to Michael. He wrote the memoir You Are Not Alone: Michael Through a Brother's Eyes (2011).
In a 2012 interview with Luka Neskovic, for The Huffington Post, Jackson said that his brother planned a reunion with him: "... the plan was to do some shows with the brothers, as well, after he finished his commitment with the "This Is It" [concert], and we probably gonna do some songs with him on the "This Is It" tour". In October 2012, Jackson released I Wish You L.O.V.E, his first solo album in 21 years, consisting mostly of jazz covers. The album was arranged and produced by French opera singer David Serero, who recorded a duet on "Autumn Leaves" with Jermaine, and was released by David Serero Productions. They both performed You Are Not Alone: The Musical, written, directed and produced by Serero, in France in January 2013. The following year, You Are Not Alone: The Musical Live was released on video and audio.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jermaine_Jackson
Studio albums
Jermaine (1972)
Come into My Life (1973)
My Name Is Jermaine (1976)
Feel the Fire (1977)
Frontiers (1978)
Let's Get Serious (1980)
Jermaine (1980)
I Like Your Style (1981)
Let Me Tickle Your Fancy (1982)
Dynamite (1984)
Precious Moments (1986)
Don't Take It Personal (1989)
You Said (1991)
I Wish You L.O.V.E (2012)
Do What You Do
Jermaine Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you did what you did to me
Love was so good, that it fills up all my needs
I was crazy for you, you were crazy for me
How could something so right, go so wrong
My love, sweet love
Why don't you say what you say
When you say what you said anymore
I was crazy for you, you were crazy for me
How could something so right go so wrong
Tell me something I didn't do
Why did someone else put you through
Did they steal you away like a thief in the night
Love like this, must take flight
Why don't they play what they played
On the nights you danced with me
Remember the one we made love to endlessly
I was crazy for you, you were crazy for me
How could something so right go so wrong
The lyrics of the song "Do What You Do" by Jermaine Jackson are about a failed love story that started out beautifully but ended up in a mess. The song expresses the singer's feeling of betrayal and confusion as he tries to figure out what went wrong in his relationship. In the first verse, Jermaine asks why his lover is not doing the same things they used to do when they were together, as he still yearns for their love that once filled his heart with all he needed. They were both crazy for each other, but something happened that made them fall apart. The chorus repeats the question of why something so right could go so wrong, and Jermaine asks his lover to tell him what he did wrong.
The second verse continues with the same theme of confusion and questioning why his lover is not the same anymore. He mentions that her eyes could not have lied to him, but she is not saying what she used to say. He knows that it is time to say goodbye and close the door, but it is still difficult for him to let go of his love. In the third verse, Jermaine reminisces about the nights they used to dance and the love they made endlessly. He wonders why someone else came between them and stole his love away, and he concludes that love like this must take flight.
Line by Line Meaning
Why don't you do what you do
Asking why the person is not acting the same way they used to
When you did what you did to me
Referring to a specific action or behavior that the person did to the singer in the past
Love was so good, that it fills up all my needs
Love was enough to satisfy the singer's emotional needs
I was crazy for you, you were crazy for me
Both parties were deeply in love with each other
How could something so right, go so wrong
Expressing confusion and disbelief over how the relationship went downhill
My love, sweet love
An affectionate term for the person the singer is addressing
Why don't you say what you say
Asking why the person is not expressing themselves honestly
When you say what you said anymore
Referring to a change in the person's communication style or lack thereof
Your eyes couldn't lie, so long goodbye, close the door
Implying that the person's actions are speaking louder than their words and that it's time to let go
Tell me something I didn't do
Asking for clarity on what led to the relationship's demise
Why did someone else put you through
Questioning if someone else interfered or influenced the person's decision
Did they steal you away like a thief in the night
Suggesting that the person may have been taken away against their will or sneakily
Love like this, must take flight
Implying that the relationship had to end because of external factors
Why don't they play what they played
Asking why the things that used to work or keep the relationship going are not happening anymore
On the nights you danced with me
Referencing specific moments in the past where the relationship felt strong and happy
Remember the one we made love to endlessly
Recalling a particularly intimate moment in the relationship
How could something so right go so wrong
Repeating the same line from earlier in the song to emphasize the artist's confusion and sadness over the end of the relationship
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: LARRY DI TOMMASO, RALPH DINO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cattmann
Due to Michael and Janet's phenomenal success, I feel like Jermaine has become the one forgotten but truly other talented Jackson. He had a string of hits in his own right that are true classics just like this one. I Love Jermaine's voice.
@jeancena3556
Somewhat true, but Jermaine Jackson still achieved a huge amount of success from his musical creativity. I think all of the Jackson brothers, and of course Janet made a committed fanbase for not only the collective group but even as solo careers. I dont think we will see a family like that ever again.
@kimberlyketer8924
Jermaine is very talented he's unique
@GEELASOUNDTV
Casualty of war. Mike took his bridge and used it for I ust cant stop loving you.
@Jail512
Jermain I feel got caught up n his brothers stardom he’s an RnB guy not a pop star, he should of patterned his style too these type tracks.
@anthonysavio3875
The fact that he played instruments while singing is enough to prove his abilities. Of course his baby bro MJ was in another category of exceptionalism
@MrMoisheLebowitz
Those of us who grew up in the 80's are a truly blessed generation. It's an era that will never be replicated again and whenever someone from that era passes away is almost as if a part of us dies , an Innocence that no longer exists today.
@Kristina-yl9zf
They're in their 40s and 50s now
@JCMthebrand
Nothing too innocent about rampant drug use. It’s natural to be attached the era you had a coming of age. Everyone does, that’s proof that we wear rose tinted glasses when we revisit history.
@jaywest3734
@@JCMthebrandThere's rampant drug use today.