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 Heard It Through The Grapevine )
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Bout your plans to make me blue
With some other guy you knew before
Between the two of us guys
You know I loved you more
It took me by surprise I must say
When I found out yesterday
Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine
Oh I heard it through the grapevine
Oh I'm just about to lose my mind
Honey, honey yeah.
I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine baby
I know a man ain't supposed to cry
But these tears I can't hold inside
Losin' you would end my life you see
'Cause you mean that much to me
You could have told me yourself
That you loved some one else
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine
And I'm just about to lose my mind
Honey, honey yeah
I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine, baby
People say believe half of what you see
Son and none of what you hear
But I can't help but be confused
If it's true please tell me dear
Do you plan to let me go
For the other guy you loved before?
Don't you know I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
I heard it through the grapevine
I'm just about to love my mind
Honey, honey, yeah
I heard it through the grapevine,
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
The Jackson 5's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is about a lover who discovers that their partner is planning to break up with them for another man, and their subsequent hurt and confusion. The beginning of the song sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, as the singer expresses their surprise at discovering the truth by using the metaphor of hearing "it through the grapevine." This phrase implies that the singer has received information through an informal or unreliable channel, and that this knowledge is spreading rapidly amongst others. This is a common theme in soul music, where the grapevine becomes a symbol of human connection and communication, but also of the consequences of gossip and lies.
The rest of the song speaks to the singer's feelings of love and frustration. They emphasize that they loved their partner more than the other man, and that losing them would be devastating. The line "I know a man ain't supposed to cry" speaks to the stereotype of masculinity that men should remain stoic and unemotional. The singer is challenging this notion by admitting that they are crying over the loss of their partner. As the song progresses, the singer becomes more desperate, asking their partner if they plan to leave them for the other man. The final repetition of the refrain drives home the sadness and confusion that the singer is feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
I bet you're wonderin' how I knew
You might be curious about how I found out
'Bout your plans to make me blue
About your intentions to make me unhappy
With some other guy you knew before
You being involved with someone else from the past
Between the two of us guys
Compared to the other person you're seeing
You know I loved you more
I loved you with greater intensity
It took me by surprise I must say
It was unexpected and caught me off guard
When I found out yesterday
When I discovered the truth yesterday
Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine
I got the information through indirect and unofficial channels
Not much longer would you be mine
You won't be mine for much longer
Oh I heard it through the grapevine
Oh, I learned the truth unofficially
Oh I'm just about to lose my mind
Oh, I'm becoming insane with anger and disappointment
Honey, honey yeah.
Addressing the person being spoken to
I know a man ain't supposed to cry
Society expects men not to show their emotions by crying
But these tears I can't hold inside
But I can't stop myself from crying
Losin' you would end my life you see
Losing you would make me feel like my life is over
'Cause you mean that much to me
Because you're very important to me
You could have told me yourself
You should have been honest with me directly
That you loved some one else
That you were in love with someone else
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
Instead, I found out through indirect means
And I'm just about to lose my mind
And I'm almost going crazy with anger and sadness
People say believe half of what you see
Some people say to trust only some of what you see
Son and none of what you hear
Additionally, don't trust what you hear
But I can't help but be confused
Despite this advice, I still can't help but feel unsure
If it's true please tell me dear
If what I heard is true, please confirm it
Do you plan to let me go
Are you intending to leave me?
For the other guy you loved before?
To be with the other guy you loved previously?
Not much longer would you be mine, baby
You won't be mine for much longer, babe
I'm just about to love my mind
I'm going crazy with anger and disappointment
Honey, honey, yeah
Addressing the person being spoken to
I heard it through the grapevine
I found out indirectly
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BARRETT STRONG, NORMAN WHITFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cris Sabanpan
on I Want You Back
Hlo