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.
I'm Glad It Rained
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It´s raining, it´s raining
Chorus:
Oh, I´m Glad It Rained
I´m Glad It Rained
In this house I stay
Oh, I´m Glad It Rained
I wish it rained everyday
This morning I woke up
To just another day
Nothing specially planned
Since my girl´s been gone
I´ve had nothing to do
She made my days through and through
That´s why I´m glad it´s cloudy
Starting to rain
Now I can stay at home
You see I need this excuse
And there´s no need denying
I want to be alone
Chorus:
Oh, I´m Glad It Rained
I´m Glad It Rained
In this house I stay
Oh, I´m Glad It Rained
Yes, I´m Glad It Rained
I wish it rained everyday
It´s raining, it´s raining
It´s raining, it´s raining
Now when this rain subsides
I guess I´ll have to go outside
But I still have nothing to do
´Cause this girl I lost
She was my world and I recall
She made me fell ten feet tall
Chorus:
Oh, I´m Glad It Rained
Yes, I´m Glad It Rained
In this house I stay
Oh, I´m Glad It Rained
Yes, I´m Glad It Rained
I wish it rained everyday
2 reapet
Falling...
She´s broken my heart
Ooh, raindops, raindops, raindops, raindops keep on falling
Girl she´s gone
Ooh, Raindops, raindops, raindops, raindops keep on falling yeah
The Jackson 5's song "I'm Glad it Rained" is a melancholic tune about heartbreak and finding solace in solitude. The lyrics describe a character waking up to another uneventful day after his love interest has left him, leaving him with nothing to do. However, he finds comfort in the fact that it's raining outside and is grateful for the excuse to stay at home and be alone. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm Glad It Rained" emphasizing that the singer is happy to be able to retreat into his own space. The song captures the feelings of loneliness and longing following a breakup and the desire to find comfort in familiar surroundings.
The song's lyrics are simple yet powerful, evoking strong emotions through its imagery of rain and solitude. It's a relatable story that most people can identify with following a heartbreak. The singer's decision to remain indoors during the rain could be interpreted as him giving himself time to grieve and reflect on his heartbreak, hoping to find peace and clarity in his own company.
Line by Line Meaning
It´s raining, it´s raining
It's currently raining
It´s raining, it´s raining
It's still raining
Oh, I´m Glad It Rained
The singer is happy that it rained
I´m Glad It Rained
Repeated statement of happiness about the rain
In this house I stay
The artist is content to stay inside due to the rain
Yes, I´m Glad It Rained
Another confirmation of happiness about the rain
I wish it rained everyday
The singer loves the rain and wishes it would rain every day
This morning I woke up
The artist is describing the beginning of their day
To just another day
Their day seemed normal and not noteworthy
Nothing specially planned
They didn't have any specific activities planned for the day
Since my girl´s been gone
The singer's girlfriend is no longer with them
I´ve had nothing to do
Without their girlfriend, the artist doesn't have anything to occupy their time
She made my days through and through
Their girlfriend used to be their constant companion and made their days complete
That´s why I´m glad it´s cloudy
The singer is happy that it's overcast
Starting to rain
It's beginning to rain
Now I can stay at home
The rain provides an excuse for the artist to stay inside
You see I need this excuse
The artist wants an excuse to stay indoors
And there´s no need denying
The singer is acknowledging that they want to be alone
I want to be alone
The singer desires solitude
Now when this rain subsides
The artist is looking to the future when the rain stops
I guess I´ll have to go outside
The artist will have to leave the house once the rain stops
But I still have nothing to do
Even when outside, the artist still doesn't have anything planned
´Cause this girl I lost
The singer is still mourning the loss of their girlfriend
She was my world and I recall
The artist remembers how important their girlfriend was to them
She made me fell ten feet tall
Their girlfriend made the singer feel confident and strong
Falling...
Unknown, could be a reference to tears or the rain continuing to fall
She´s broken my heart
The singer's girlfriend has caused them emotional pain
Ooh, raindops, raindops, raindops, raindops keep on falling
The repetition of the phrase 'raindrops keep on falling' could be a reference to the continuous emotional pain the artist is feeling
Girl she´s gone
The artist's girlfriend is no longer with them
Ooh, Raindops, raindops, raindops, raindops keep on falling yeah
Reiteration of the previous line
Contributed by Logan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cris Sabanpan
on I Want You Back
Hlo