The primary members of the group were all the sons of Katherine and Joseph Jackson: Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, and Randy Jackson. Joseph Jackson formed the band in 1964 and served as its manager, with Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and unrelated youths Reynaud Jones and Milton Hite comprising its original lineup. Within a year, Michael and Marlon joined the band, and Michael became lead singer as the group developed a following in the eastern and midwestern United States during the mid-1960s. Signed to the Motown label from 1969 to 1975, and to CBS Records (as "The Jacksons") from 1975 until their disbanding in 1990, the Jackson 5 were one of the most popular groups of the era and became the first recording act to have their first four major label singles (I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save, and I'll Be There) reach the top of the American charts. Several future singles, among them "Mama's Pearl", "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Dancing Machine", were Top 5 pop hits and number-one hits on the R&B singles chart. Most of the early hits were written and produced by a specialized songwriting team known as The Corporation™; later Jackson 5 hits were crafted chiefly by Hal Davis.
While not the first act considered a "boy band", The Jackson 5 is one of the earliest examples of the type as it is defined today: five adolescents specifically packaged and marketed by a record label for crossover pop success. Upon their departure from Motown for CBS in 1975, the Jacksons, were forced to change their name and trade Jermaine (who remained at Motown) for Randy. The group took control of their songwriting, production, and image, and their success continued into the 1980s with hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" and "State of Shock", and a highly successful 1984 Victory tour. The Jacksons officially disbanded in 1990.
History
Early works
The Jacksons were a working-class family from Gary, Indiana. Katherine, being a Jehovah's Witness, raised the children as such, while their father, Joe, was not of that faith. Their father, a steel mill employee who often performed in an R&B band called "The Falcons" with his brother Luther, was a strict disciplinarian. Many of the Jackson children recall being severely beaten by Joe for misbehaving.
The children found an outlet in music, with elder brothers Jackie (born Sigmund Esco Jackson, 1951), Tito (born Toriano Jackson, 1953), and Jermaine (b. 1954) borrowing their father's guitar without his permission and playing along to the radio. Younger brothers Marlon (b. 1957) and Michael (b. 1958) were allowed to watch as long as they did not tell. Joseph eventually discovered that the older three boys were playing his guitar when one of the strings broke[2]. Although he was furious at first, Joseph realized the boys had talent and began making plans to create a musical act for them.
In 1965, Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine began performing around the Gary area with two neighborhood children, Milford Hite (on drums) and Reynaud Jones (on keyboards), in a group called The Jackson Brothers. Joe Jackson served as the manager, at first only part-time, and then eventually quitting his job at the steel mill. Jermaine sang lead and played bass, and Tito played guitar.
In 1966, younger brothers Marlon and Michael, joined the group as its tambourine and bongo players. Already showing talent as a singer and dancer[3], Michael replaced Jermaine as lead vocalist by mid-1967. Shirley Cartman, Tito's junior high orchestra teacher, noticed the group's talents and served as an early mentor to the group, by then calling itself The Jackson Five.
During this period, the boys toured Indiana extensively, and after winning a major local talent show in 1966 with a rendition of The Temptations' "My Girl", led by Michael, they began playing professional gigs in Chicago, Illinois and across the mid-eastern U.S. Many of these gigs were in a string of black clubs and venues collectively known as the "chitlin' circuit", and the young kids sometimes had to open for strip teasers and other adult acts in order to earn money.
Shirley Cartman got the Jackson Five a record deal with Gordon Keith's local Steeltown label, and the group began making their first recordings in 1967. Their first single, "Big Boy", became a regional hit. During this period, Johnny Jackson (no relation) on drums and Ronnie Rancifer on keys replaced Milford Hite and Reynaud Jones.
The Jackson Five had a number of admirers in their early days, including Sam & Dave, who helped the group secure a spot in the famous Amateur Night competition at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. The group won the August 13, 1967 competition during the Amateur Night showdown at the Apollo, impressing Motown Records artist Gladys Knight of The Pips. Knight recommended the group to Motown chief Berry Gordy, but Gordy, who already had teenager Stevie Wonder on his roster, was hesitant to take on another child act because of the child labor laws and other problems involved.
The Jackson Five's sound was influenced by many of the biggest stars of the 1960s, especially including family funk bands Sly & the Family Stone and The Isley Brothers, soul pioneer Marvin Gaye, doo-wop boy band Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, and soul shouters like Wilson Pickett, Jackie Wilson, Stevie Wonder and James Brown [4]. At the time of their early success, soul and funk stars, especially coming from Motown Records, were among the most popular musicians; Motown had launched the careers of dozens of the decade's biggest stars, most notably Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and Diana Ross & the Supremes.
Influences
From these sources, The Jackson Five developed many of their vocal arrangement styles and dance movements. The group's multi-lead vocal style was inspired by that of The Family Stone, while young Michael adapted Jackie Wilson and James Brown's impassioned singing and dancing styles into his own.
Joining Motown
By 1968, the Jackson 5 were a headlining act for the All Star Floor Show at Chicago's The Guys' and Gals' Cocktail Lounge and Restaurant. From July 12 - 27, 1968, the Jackson 5 opened for Motown group Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers at Chicago's Regal Theater. Taylor was also very impressed with the boys, and he decided to make the commitment to bring them to Detroit and Motown. Joseph and the Jackson Five stayed on the floor of Bobby Taylor's Detroit apartment the night of July 22, while Taylor and Motown executive Suzanne de Passe arranged for the Jackson Five to audition for the label.
On July 23, the Jackson Five had their Motown audition, for which they performed James Brown’s then current hit "I Got the Feelin’". Berry Gordy was not in attendance, but the audition was videotaped and sent to him in Los Angeles. Gordy's initial reluctance to sign the group disappeared when he finally saw the boys perform. Gordy decided to sign the Jackson Five to Motown, and hosted a party at his Detroit mansion on November 25, 1968 to introduce them to the Motown staff and stars.
Motown began negotiations to buy out the Jackson Five's Steeltown contract, completing the deal in March 1969. By the summer, Bobby Taylor began producing the group's first recordings at Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. recording studio in Detroit. The early Taylor-produced Jackson Five records were all covers of both contemporary hits and Motown-standards, including Sly & the Family Stone's "Stand!" and their famous rendition of The Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You", written by Smokey Robinson.
In mid-August 1969, Gordy moved the Jackson Five and Joseph to California, and he and Suzanne de Passe began the process of grooming them as the label's next big act, while the rest of the family remained in Gary. While looking for a house in California, Joseph, Jermaine, Tito, and Jackie lived with Berry Gordy, while Michael and Marlon lived with Motown star Diana Ross.
AIN
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
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That you know you shouldn't have
The more you know you shouldn't have it
The more you want it
And then one day you get it
It's so good too
But it's just like my girl
When she's around me
But right know I just feel so cold, so cold
Right down to my bones
'Cause ooh
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's not warm when she's away
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she always gone too long
Anytime she goes away
Wonder this time where she's gone
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, know, know, know, know,
I know, I know,
Hey I ought to leave
I ought to leave her alone
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Only darkness every day
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
The Jackson 5's version of "Ain't No Sunshine" is a soulful rendition of Bill Withers' original song. The lyrics tell the story of a man who knows he shouldn't want something or someone, but he can't help himself. He compares the feeling to being cold, right down to his bones. The woman in question, who seems to have a hold over the singer, is like the warmth of the sun; when she's gone, there's no sunshine in his life, and the world feels cold and dark. The singer wonders where she's gone and if she's gone for good, and laments that his home feels empty without her.
The song is simple yet powerful, using repetition to drive home the idea that the absence of this person leaves a void in the singer's life. The melancholy melody and the Jackson 5's emotional delivery reinforce the sense of longing and heartache in the lyrics. The final lines feature the singer acknowledging that he should leave the woman alone, but ultimately the pull she has on him is too strong.
Line by Line Meaning
You ever want something
Have you ever desired something?
That you know you shouldn't have
Something that you're aware you shouldn't possess
The more you know you shouldn't have it
The more you understand that you shouldn't have it
The more you want it
The more you desire the thing
And then one day you get it
And then one day, you have it
It's so good too
And it's pleasurable as well
But it's just like my girl
However, it's similar to my girl
When she's around me
Whenever she's close to me
I just feel so good, so good
I always feel delighted, elated when I'm with her
But right now I just feel so cold, so cold
But in her absence, I feel empty, particularly to my bones
Right down to my bones
I feel devoid of emotion, and I sense it in my bones
'Cause ooh
Everything is grey and dark
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's never sunny when she's away
It's not warm when she's away
The home is cold when she's not here
And she always gone too long
Her absence always takes longer than necessary
Anytime she goes away
The home's atmosphere changes every time she's not present
Wonder this time where she's gone
I wonder where she is this time around
Wonder if she's gone to stay
I'm uncertain if she's staying there permanently
And this house just ain't no home
Without her presence, this house is empty
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I'm aware, I'm aware, I'm aware, I'm aware
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I'm aware, I'm aware, I'm aware, I'm aware
I know, know, know, know, know,
I'm more than aware, I'm cognizant, I'm knowledgeable
I know, I know,
I'm aware, I'm aware
Hey I ought to leave
I should exit
I ought to leave her alone
I should let her be
Only darkness every day
Only darkness hovers every day
And this house just ain't no home
This house isn't livable without her
Anytime she goes away
Each time she's absent, everything changes
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Bill Withers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ted kay
Jermaine was the coolest Bass player~~the Greatest sibling group to ever DO IT!!! And THE G.O.A.T front man!! AKA KING OF POP!~
The Harsh Truth OUT THERE
It is known by some, that the road to rich and fame ask us not to sacrifice our time and to have talent. Road to rich and fame ask from us a dead family line as you must end up sacrificing them all, if want to remain alive and rich and famous. And if we bother to listen, then we hear them all admitting that a dead family member or a dead friend, or a dead band member was needed for the album to sell.
- sinister and very dark, but true nevertheless.
Michelle McKinney
Loving Michael and Jermaine harmonizing. Really something!
JayCee Zinner
When it was all of them together I was astonished by all of them combining together
bailey.
Ikr
Leviatan Levi
They flow so well together
Ari
Oh my gosh, Michael is smiling throughout the whole entire song, you can tell he's really enjoying it... And he did this with every song he sang in the Jackson 5! So cute. He is the cutest child star ever.
Jeff Armstrong
@Johnny Raven79, you're so right about the Jackson 5. Those cats TRULY put in work. They gave u your money's worth whether they were on a TV show like this...or in concert. Bands today don't come close to the excellence the J5 put out, esp in this age of auto-tune and lip synching. The J5 had the moves and they sang live while doing all those moves. They were outstanding. I wish I was old enough to see them live during those days. I was very young when all this was happening.
Anneliese Jackson
@Johnny Raven79 these bands we have today just don't care .This is why I love the Jackson 5 SO MUCH, especially Michael <3 Happy birthday Applehead<3<3
corneil Madison
@James B. Trained? enjoying the music is one thing but being in your own is another, no wonder they left motown