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.
Going back to Indiana
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back to where my baby's from
Goin' back to Indiana
Indiana, here I come
I spread my wings for greener pastures
I still ain't found what I was after
I got the blues and that is why I sing
I'm goin' back to Indiana
Indiana, here I come, yeah-yeah, yeah
I'm goin' back to Indiana
'Cause that's where my baby's from, yeah
Okay, Tito, you got it
I'm goin' back to Indiana
Indiana, here I come
I'm goin' back to Indiana
'Cause that's where my baby's from, yeah
Hollywood, you got a lot of pretty things
I saw a lot of movie stars with diamond rings
But I ain't got my baby and I'm feelin' wrong
That's why I gotta sing my song, yeah
I'm goin' back to Indiana
Indiana, here I come
I'm goin' back to Indiana
'Cause that is where my baby's from, yeah, ow
I'm comin', I'm comin', I'm comin', I'm comin', I'm home, yeah, yeah
Ha, ha, Sis Boom Bah
One more time for Roosevelt High
Johnny Ray, Tex, Scooter and Lorenzo too
Watch T W Brown do the boogaloo
Every soul that passes by
This song's for you, from the Jackson 5
I'm comin' home, it's plain to see
I still got Indiana soul in me
Oh, yeah
I'm goin' back to Indiana
Indiana, here I come
I'm goin' back to Indiana
'Cause that's where my baby's from
That's where she is, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (yeah)
Hoo, hoo
The Jackson 5's song "Going Back to Indiana" is a classic love song that speaks of the singer's profound admiration for the woman in his life. The lyrics speak of the singer's awe at the sheer scale of the universe and the many stars in the sky, but also highlights that his heaven is here on Earth because of the woman's presence in his life. He expresses his appreciation to her, grateful for the way she looks at him and the impact her love has had on his life.
The second verse talks about how the woman has flown away and the singer realizes that he held her too tightly, causing her to leave. He acknowledges that she is all he needs to get by and no one else can make him feel the way she does. The third verse expresses how the woman is the center of his universe, the book that he reads each day and the song that he sings. He acknowledges that maybe tomorrow she'll change her mind and return to his arms, but at the same time, he's aware that it might not happen.
Overall, the song is an emotional tribute to love, showcasing the highs and lows that come with it. It speaks of the singers deep appreciation and admiration for the woman in his life, and how he would do anything to make sure she remains with him. Musically, the song is driven by the Jackson 5's signature falsetto harmonies and a bouncing bassline, making the track not only emotionally impactful but also fun to dance to.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know how many stars there are
I am in awe of the vastness of the universe and am acknowledging my own insignificance.
Up in the heavenly sky
I am referring to the awe-inspiring expanse of the heavens above.
I only know my heaven is here on earth
Despite the vastness of the universe, I only need to look at you to know that my true paradise is right here with you on earth.
Each time you look into my eyes
When you gaze into my eyes, I feel a sense of love and security.
The way you do baby
Your gaze fills me with a sense of warmth and happiness that I cannot put into words.
Thank you, thank you baby
I am expressing my gratitude for the love and joy that you bring into my life.
My beautiful bird, you have flown away
You have left me, and I miss you deeply.
I held you too tight
Perhaps my possessive nature and need to control caused you to leave.
I can see
I now realize my mistakes and am sorry for them.
You're all I need to get by
Without you, I feel incomplete and lost.
No one else can make me cry
Only you have the power to cause me such deep emotional pain.
The way
Your impact on me is unique.
You do, baby
Your absence hurts me deeply.
You are the book that I read each day
You are the focus of my attention and the source of my inspiration.
You are the song that I sing
You are my muse and the reason behind every note that I sing.
(Gonna sing it to you)
I will express my love for you through the medium that I know best - music.
You are the four seasons of my life
You are the embodiment of everything that is beautiful and transformative in life.
But maybe tomorrow
Perhaps in the future, there is a chance that things may change.
You'll change your mind girl
Maybe you'll have a change of heart and come back to me.
Ooh baby I need you
I am expressing my desperate need for you.
(Listen to me girl)
I need you to listen to my plea and understand the depth of my emotions.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alphonso James Mizell, Berry Gordy Jr, Deke Richards, Dennis Lussier, Freddie Perren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cris Sabanpan
on I Want You Back
Hlo