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.
E-Ne-Me-Ne-Mi-Ne-Moe
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(To know of life)
Is to know what I'm living for
Touch my hand and, baby, I'm yours
To know of love
(To know of love)
Is to know that I live for you
(Everyday)
Everyday means so much to me
But it all depends on you
Don't you know, oh, baby
We were meant to be
Oh, and life for me
Begins and ends with you
To know you're mine
(To know you're mine)
Is to know how it used to be
Yesterday is all I can see
That's how I know
Life can be beautiful
But it all depends on you
Now that you're gone, baby
(Since you've been gone)
Just not the same, baby
Since you've been gone
Just not the same, baby
To know of us
Is what I'm still living for
But it all depends on you
Baby, it all depends on you
(Baby, come home)
To know happiness
Is to know you're here in my arms
(Baby, come home)
Let me know, let me know, let me know
What it is to live again
(Baby, come home)
(Baby, come home)
The lyrics of the song “E-Ne-Me-Ne-Mi-Ne-Moe” by The Jackson 5 describe a person’s love and devotion for another. The singer explains that knowing what life is all about is to know what they are living for and that when this person touches their hand, they belong to them. The next verse speaks of the importance of knowing love and how living for the other person is what makes being in love so special. The singer emphasizes that every day spent with their loved one means so much to them, but it all depends on this person being with them. The chorus reflects the singer's deep love and dependency on their partner, stating that their life begins and ends with them.
The next verse talks about the pain of losing someone so important and how life is not the same without them. The singer reflects on the past and how everything they see is a reminder of what they once had. The bridge speaks of the importance of this connection and how the singer is still living for the “us” that they had. They plead for the person to come home and be with them, as it is the only way for them to know happiness and to truly live again.
Overall, this song conveys a deep sense of love and the emotional dependence that comes with it. It highlights the importance of having someone to love and what it means to truly live.
Line by Line Meaning
To know of life
Understanding the essence of existence
(To know of life)
Reiterating the importance of comprehending life
Is to know what I'm living for
Finding purpose in life
Touch my hand and, baby, I'm yours
Expressing love through physical touch
To know of love
Cognition of affection
(To know of love)
Reinforcement of the significance of being aware of love
Is to know that I live for you
The reason to live is love
To be in love is to be there with you
Love is being close with the significant other
(Everyday)
Each day counts
Everyday means so much to me
Every day holds great importance
But it all depends on you
The significance of each day depends on the presence of the loved one
Don't you know, oh, baby
Expression of love and hope
We were meant to be
Destined to be together
Oh, and life for me
Existence itself
Begins and ends with you
Love is the beginning and end of everything
To know you're mine
The confirmation of love
(To know you're mine)
Emphasis on the importance of being sure of love
Is to know how it used to be
A reflection on past love
Yesterday is all I can see
Living in the memory of past love
That's how I know
Awareness of the truth
Life can be beautiful
Life can be fulfilling and joyful
But it all depends on you
The presence of love determines the beauty of life
Now that you're gone, baby
Despair after losing a loved one
(Since you've been gone)
Acknowledgment of the absence of love
Just not the same, baby
Life without love is not as sweet
Since you've been gone
Expressing the impact of the loss of love
To know of us
Understanding the nature of the relationship
Is what I'm still living for
The reason to keep going
Baby, it all depends on you
Love is the foundation of everything
(Baby, come home)
Plea to the loved one to come back home
To know happiness
The source of joy
Is to know you're here in my arms
Happiness is having the loved one close
(Baby, come home)
Continued plea to come back home
Let me know, let me know, let me know
Desire to know and understand love
What it is to live again
Reviving the feeling of being alive
(Baby, come home)
Final plea to return home
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cris Sabanpan
on I Want You Back
Hlo