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.
Don't Know Why I Love You
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know why I love you
I don't know why I love you
I don't know why I love you, but I love you
Always treat me like a fool
Kick me when I'm down that you do
I don't know why I love you, but I love you
Oh you'll never, you'll never stop your cheating ways
With another guy you laugh in my face
Lord I know 'cause I feel disgrace
'Cause I love you, oh, baby, baby, baby
I don't know why I love you
I don't know you and me, baby, oh yeah
I don't know why I love you, but I love you, baby
Oh darling, darling, darling, darling ...
You throw my heart down in the dirt
Oh, you make me cry
On this cold black earth, baby yeah
I never knew, I never knew how much I could hurt
'Til I love you baby, baby, baby, baby, yeah
Can't stop, I can't stop crying can't you see
Here I'm pleading on my knees, upon my knees, yeah baby, yeah
Won't you help me, help me, please,
'Cause I love you, love you, love you, ohh
(You know, baby)
I don't know, we don't know, we don't know
(I don't know why I love you)
I don't know why I love you baby, baby (I don't know, I don't know)
I don't know why I love you baby, baby...
[Repeat]
The Jackson 5's song "Don't Know Why I Love You" is a poignant exploration of the complexity of love and the pain it can bring. The opening lines express confusion and desperation with the repetition of "I don't know why I love you." The singer is seemingly at a loss to explain what drives them to love someone who treats them poorly - "Always treat me like a fool/Kick me when I'm down that you do." Despite this mistreatment, the singer can't help but love the person who causes them so much pain.
The lyrics are rich in imagery that convey the depth of emotion the singer is experiencing. The metaphor of throwing the singer's heart "down in the dirt" and making them cry "on this cold black earth" is particularly powerful. The singer is hurt and struggling to come to terms with their conflicting feelings of love and hurt. They are so broken by their love for this person that they "can't stop crying." The final lines of the song see the singer pleading with their lover to help them - "Won't you help me, help me, please," - showing the desperation and helplessness that love can bring.
Overall, "Don't Know Why I Love You" is a poignant exploration of the contradictions inherent in love. The Jackson 5's masterful performance of the song makes it an emotional tour-de-force that still resonates with listeners today.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, sure don't baby, baby, baby... ooh, ooh
I'm not entirely convinced that loving you is the right thing for me to do, but I'm trying to buy in.
I don't know why I love you
I can't explain or rationalize why I have such strong feelings for you.
Always treat me like a fool
You consistently put me in situations where I feel foolish and vulnerable.
Kick me when I'm down that you do
When I'm already at my lowest point, you make it worse by causing me more pain and distress.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm acknowledging what you're saying, but I'm not convinced yet.
Oh you'll never, you'll never stop your cheating ways
You have a pattern of being unfaithful, and I don't believe you'll ever be able to change.
With another guy you laugh in my face
You're not even trying to hide your infidelity from me, and it's humiliating to watch you taunt me about it.
Lord I know 'cause I feel disgrace
I'm not only hurt by your actions, but also ashamed that I allowed myself to fall for someone who would treat me this way.
'Cause I love you, oh, baby, baby, baby
Despite all of this, I still have strong romantic feelings for you.
You throw my heart down in the dirt
You don't just hurt me emotionally, you also make me feel worthless and disrespected as a person.
Oh, you make me cry
Your actions and behavior consistently cause me emotional pain and bring me to tears.
On this cold black earth, baby yeah
The world can be a harsh and unforgiving place, and you're making it even more difficult for me to find happiness.
I never knew, I never knew how much I could hurt
My feelings for you have made me more vulnerable than I ever thought I could be, leaving me open to more pain and suffering.
'Til I love you baby, baby, baby, baby, yeah
I never realized the full extent of my love for you until I experienced the pain that comes with it.
Can't stop, I can't stop crying can't you see
I'm consumed by emotion and am unable to control my tears or hide my feelings from you.
Here I'm pleading on my knees, upon my knees, yeah baby, yeah
I'm desperate for you to see how much I care about you and to understand the depth of my emotions.
Won't you help me, help me, please
I need your help to move past the pain and suffering you've caused me and start to heal.
'Cause I love you, love you, love you, ohh
Despite everything, I still love you deeply and passionately.
I don't know, we don't know, we don't know
Neither of us can fully understand the complexity of our emotions and the difficult situation we're in.
(I don't know why I love you)
Even though I can't explain why I love you, I know that I do.
I don't know why I love you baby, baby (I don't know, I don't know)
I'm still searching for answers to my intense feelings for you.
I don't know why I love you baby, baby...
My love for you is complicated and confusing, even to myself.
Lyrics © Bluewater Music Corp., Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Fred Ahlert, Roy Turk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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on I Want You Back
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