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 Bet You
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ice cubes on a red hot stove will melt
And I'll bet ya
A drowning man's very first word is help
And I'll bet ya
If you bet on a horse and the horse don't win, you lose
And I'll bet ya
I'll bet ya
If you want a winning hand
If you want a perfect man
Bet you never lose my love
I'm gonna win, and I'll bet ya (whoa, yeah)
Bet you never lose with love
I'm gonna win, and I'll bet ya
Take a car, without fuel, it ain't gonna move
And I'll bet ya
A carpenter can't build his house without any tools
And I'll bet ya
And if your shoes are too small, they hurt your feet
I'll bet ya
And you can't know what's goin' on if you're asleep
Oh, I'll bet ya
If you want a winning hand
If you want a perfect man
Bet you never lose my love
I'm gonna win, and I'll bet ya (whoa, yeah)
Bet you never lose my love
I know I'm gonna win, and I'll bet ya
Ooh (ooh)
Ah
Bet you never lose my love
I'm gonna win (whoa, yeah)
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
Bet you never lose my love
The Jackson 5's song "I Bet You" is a catchy tune that is full of playful lyrics and upbeat music. The lyrics are centered around the idea of making bets and taking risks, with the singer boasting that he is always going to come out on top when it comes to love. The first verse of the song gives several examples of bets that the singer will make and win, such as betting that ice cubes on a red hot stove will melt or that a drowning man's first word will be "help." The second verse continues with more examples, such as a car without fuel not being able to move and a carpenter not being able to build a house without tools.
Overall, the song is about taking chances and believing in oneself. The singer is confident that he will never lose when it comes to love, and he encourages his significant other to take the same risk and bet on him. The song is a fun and lighthearted take on the idea of betting and risk-taking, with the underlying message that sometimes it is necessary to take a chance on love.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, I'll bet ya
I am willing to wager something on what I am about to say
Ice cubes on a red hot stove will melt
I am confident that something obvious and inevitable will happen
A drowning man's very first word is help
I am sure that someone in a desperate situation will ask for assistance
If you bet on a horse and the horse don't win, you lose
I am telling you that the outcome of a certain situation is predetermined such that a failure is inevitable
If you try, to sit on air, you're gonna fall
I am warning you that certain actions have an obvious consequence
If you want a winning hand
If you desire success in what you’re doing
If you want a perfect man
If you expect someone to be flawless
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
I'm gonna win, and I'll bet ya (whoa, yeah)
I strongly believe that I will be successful
Take a car, without fuel, it ain't gonna move
I am saying that certain things are necessary for functionality or performance
A carpenter can't build his house without any tools
Certain skills and resources are crucial to accomplish tasks
And if your shoes are too small, they hurt your feet
I am advising you to be mindful of physical discomforts and their causes
And you can't know what's goin' on if you're asleep
You must be attentive if you want to understand what is happening around you
Ooh (ooh)
Vocalization for emphasis
Ah
Vocalization for emphasis
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
I'm gonna win (whoa, yeah)
I strongly believe that I will be successful
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Bet you never lose my love
I am confident that my love for you is unwavering and will never falter
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: George S Clinton, Sidney A. Barnes, Theresa Lindsey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@louisb5563
As a little kid of 6-7yrs old, a certain cereal had a cut out 45 single of a couple of The J5's hit songs up to that time (1971-'72) and I sooo wanted "ABC" or "I Want You Back", but got this song and was at 1st disappointed. Because it was The Jacksons I gave it a couple of more listens and realized in my little 1st grade mind that this was on another level and it matured my tastes in a way that I did NOT expect. One of my favs from the classic J5 sound-"Time capsule worthy", yes, I know, like most of their catalog...I know...Right On✌🏼
@twyatt75
I had the same record from the cereal box and felt the same disappointment when it wasnt a hit then I started to like it.
@louisb5563
@@twyatt75 Right On Tim!👍🏻
@brianvernon249
I was a 4 yr old boy given the original version of this song. Last LP for my Fisher-Price record player. My parents never heard of Funkadelic, but they gave their 4 yr old son a song that’ll change his life.
Apathy. Apathy is why I am who I am.
@modeljetjuggernaut4864
This was on Funkadelic's first album released in '69. That song had more of an instrumental freakout as most of Funkadelic's first 2 albums were. Think Hendrix and the best of Motown mixed together and that's what they were. I urge any funk / heavy guitar rock fan to check them out (Funkadelic 1969 and Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow 1970) This Jackson 5 Cover was great too - though it was shortened for the radio format.
@aicram62
You can probably thank Jackie for these oldie covers
@clumsiii
I'm watching this great interview w George Clinton on revolt yt channel - George just mentioned this song. I had to look it up. You would enjoy this interview, the stories are amazing and this is the third time I had to search for a song i never heard of in only 20 some minutes
@mandyjohnson1109
The kingdom is heaven is within. Oh wow that takes me back.
@botrrun9399
This family was so talented. They could have crossed into so many genres. But we know the climate of this country. If this got pushed today, it would wreck the charts. facts
@billiea9756
2:18 that C7!!!!😭😭 you're already amazing Michael, but this..👌