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.
It's Too Late To Change The Time
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Too late)
In this automatic age
We shop through the Yellow Page
Gone is the corner store
There's a supermarket there for you (yeah)
People give way to change
And it's too late
Too late to change the time
Well, it's too late
Too late to change the time
And it's too late
Too late to change the time
But it's no too late to change your mind
It's a new day, a new age
A photograph just taken is
Ready one minute later
Cars are bigger and better
But the manufacturer's satisfied never
In a world full of crime
I can't let you take that ride
And it's too late
Too late to change the time
And it's too late
Too late to change the time
And it's too late
Too late to change the time
But it's not too late to
Change your mind, no, no
So you wanna be a star?
(So you wanna be a star?)
Already think you are (I think you are)
You don't have to go further
Than my lovin' arms
And it's too late
Too late to change the time
But it's not too late to change your mind
Are you sure you wanna go to New York City
(New York City)
Where girls make it big if they're pretty?
(If they're pretty)
Let's say you get that penthouse view
But who's gonna love you the way I do?
It's too late, too late to change the time
And it's too late, too late
To change the time, no
Too late, too late to change the time
But it's not too late to
Change your mind, yeah, yeah, yeah
It's too late, too late
(Too late) to change the time
It's too late, too late
(Too late) to change the time
Oh, too late, too late to change the time
But it's not too late to change
Your mind, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Too late, too late
(Too late) to change the time
The Jackson 5's "It's Too Late To Change The Time" is a reflection on the changes in society during the group's rise to fame. The song is focused on the idea that time passes too quickly and that people can't help but grow up and move on with their lives. The song is an homage to the past, and a lament for the present, as the world has changed so much.
In the song, the lyrics describe the changes that have happened in the world since the group was young. They talk about how the old corner store has been replaced by a supermarket, and how people now shop through the Yellow Pages. The song is a commentary on the loss of the personal touch in the new technological age, where people can shop online and avoid human interaction altogether.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of fame and success, and how people are always chasing after it, wanting to become stars. The Jackson 5 encourage the listener to stay true to themselves and to remember the people who love them, telling them it's not too late to change their mind and choose a different path in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Too Late
The time to change has passed and it cannot be undone.
Too Late
Time has elapsed and things have already been set in motion.
Too Late
The opportunity to change has passed and it cannot be regained.
In this almighty cage
The world has become a place of confinement and limitation.
We shop through the yellow page
Our lives have become impersonal and focused on consumerism.
Gone is the corner store
The small businesses have been replaced with big commercial chains.
There is a supermarket there for you
You can find everything you need at the large stores, but it lacks personal touch.
But feelings remain the same
Despite the changes in society, human emotions have not changed.
And it's too late, too late to change the time
The moment to make changes has passed and it cannot be reversed.
Well it's too late, too late to change the time
No matter how much we wish to change, it is impossible because the time has passed.
But it's not too late to change your mind (too late)
Although it is too late to change the circumstances, you can change your perception and attitude towards it.
It's a new day, a new age
We are living in a time of constant change and growth.
A photograph is taken, its ready one minute later
Advancement in technology has made development of photographs fast and easy.
Cars are bigger and better
Today's vehicles are larger and have more advanced features.
Manufacture satisfy Any world full of crime
Manufacturers are focused on profits rather than the real needs of the world, which is full of crime.
I can't let you take
I cannot allow you to take advantage of me.
So you want to be a star
You aspire to become famous.
I think you are
Your aspirations have merit.
You don't have to go further
You don't have to go to extreme measures to achieve your dreams.
Then my loving arms
You can find comfort and support within my embrace.
Are you sure you want to go to New York City
Are you certain that pursuing your dreams in the big city is what you truly want?
Where girls make it big if their pretty
In the entertainment industry, physical appearance seems to be more important than talent.
Let say you get that penthouse view
Suppose you achieve your dream of success and have everything you want.
But whose gonna love you the way I do
Even with all the success, you cannot replace the love and support of someone who truly cares for you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cris Sabanpan
on I Want You Back
Hlo