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.
A Fool For You
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Such a long time ago
Well, you didn't, you didn't want me around, baby, yeah
Hey, hey, you didn't love me no more
But I wanna know something, yeah
That makes me be
I just want to say, yeah
I've been a fool for you, baby
(I've been a fool so long) Oh
I've been a fool for you, baby, yeah
Oh, it's not your clothes, yeah
It's not your, it's not your walk
It's not your easy, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
It's not your, it's not your easy baby talk, yeah, yeah, oh
I know something, it must be somethin', yeah
Ooh, oh, that makes me feel
Oh, that makes me feel
That I've been a fool for you, baby, yeah
(I've been fool for you so long)
Oh, I've been a, I've been a fool for you baby, yeah
Did you ever wake up in the morning?
Just about the, just about the break of day
You reach over, you reach over and feel the pillow, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ooh, where your baby, where your baby used to lay, yeah, yeah
Then you put, then you, then you put on your crying, yeah
Like you never, like you never cried before, yeah, yeah
I said, I said, I said you ever, you ever cried so loud, yeah
You give your blues, you give your blues to the neighbor next door, yeah
Ooh, ever since, ever since you were one, two, three, four, five years old, yeah
I've been a, I've been a fool for you baby, baby, yeah
Way down in my, way down in my soul, yeah, yeah
I know it must be, I know it must be something, yeah
Something, yeah, that makes me feel, that makes me feel
I've been a fool for you, baby, yeah
Oh, oh, I've been a fool for you, baby (I've been fool for you so long)
Ooh, oh, oh, I've been a fool for you, yeah (I've been fool for you so long)
'Cause it's, 'cause it's, 'cause it's in my soul, yeah, yeah, yeah
(I've been fool for you so long)
Fool, I've been a fool, I've been a fool, yeah (I've been fool for you so long)
Oh, oh, oh, ooh, I've been a fool for you, baby, yeah (I've been fool for you so long)
Oh, oh, I've been a fool for you, baby, yeah (I've been fool for you so long)
The lyrics in The Jackson 5's "A Fool For You" revolve around the theme of unrequited love, as the singer expresses his feelings towards a former lover who has moved on, indicating that he still carries a torch for her. The first verse reminisces about the moment when she decided to leave, indicating that he has been aware of her decision for a long time, but that he ultimately could not help accepting it. The chorus then reveals that he has been a fool for her, hinting at the idea that even though he knows that he is fooling himself for holding onto his love, he cannot help it. The second verse further supports this idea by indicating that it is not any particular superficial quality, such as the way she walks or talks, that makes him still love her. Instead, he implies that it is something deeper, something that he can't quite put his finger on, that drives him to fool himself into thinking that there might still be a chance for them.
In the bridge, the singer describes the feeling of waking up without his lover, realizing that the pillow next to him is empty, and then breaking down in tears. He goes on to describe how he cries so loud that it bothers his neighbors, indicating that his pain is real and deep. In the final verse, the singer admits that he has been a fool for her since he was a child, which suggests that his love for her has endured for a long time. He then repeats that it must be something in his soul that is driving his feelings, indicating that he will probably continue to love her, even if it is foolish.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you told me
I'm aware of what you said to me
Such a long time ago
It's been a while since then
Well, you didn't, you didn't want me around, baby yeah, hey, hey
You didn't desire my company
You didn't love me no more
You stopped having feelings for me
But I know something, yeah
However, I have a realization
That makes me be
It drives my actions
I just want to say, yeah
I simply want to express
I've been a fool for you, baby (I've been a fool so long)
I've been foolish because of my strong feelings for you
Oh. it's not your clothes
Your attire is not the reason
It's not your, it's not your walk
Your walking style isn't the cause
It's not your easy, yeah, yeah,yeah, yeah, yeah
It's not your casual way of talking
It's not your, it's not your easy baby talk,yeah, yeah, oh
Neither is it your affectionate way of speaking
I know something, it must be something, yeah
I'm convinced there's a reason
Ooh, oh, that makes me feel
Something that ignites my emotions
I've been a fool for you, baby, yeah (A fool for you so long)
I acted foolishly because of you for an extended period
Did ya ever wake up in the morning
Did you ever experience awakening in the morning?
Just about the, just about the break of day
Shortly before sunrise
You reach over, you reach over and feel the pillow, yeah, yeah, yeah
You touch the pillow beside you
Where your baby, where your baby used to lay, yeah, yeah, yeah
Where your lover used to sleep
Then you put, then you, then you put on your crying, yeah
Then you start to cry
Like you never, like you never cried before, yeah, yeah
As if you've never wept like that
I said, I said, I said you ever, you ever cry so loud, yeah
Have you ever cried so loudly?
You give the blues, you give the blues to the neighbor next door
You make the neighbor feel your sadness
Ever since, ever since you were one, two, three, four, five years old
From when you were young
I've been a, I've been a fool for you baby, yeah
I've been foolish for you all this time
Way down in my, way down in my soul, yeah, yeah
Deep in my being
I know it must be, I know it must be something, yeah, something, yeah
It must be a reason
That makes me feel, that makes me feel
Something that affects me emotionally
I've been a fool for you, baby, yeah (A fool for you so long)
I've been acting foolishly because of you for a prolonged period
Oh, oh, I've been a fool for you, baby
I've been foolish because of my intense feelings for you
Ooh, oh, oh I've been a fool for you, yeah (A fool for you so long)
I've been foolish for you for a significant time
'Cause it's, 'cause it's, 'cause it's in my soul
It's something that I feel deeply
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Charles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cris Sabanpan
on I Want You Back
Hlo