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.
Jam Session
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All The World
Must Come Together
Face The Problems
That We See
Then Maybe Somehow We Can Work It Out
I Asked My Neighbor
For A Favor
What Has Come Of
All The People
Have We Lost Love
Of What It's About
I Have To Find My Peace 'cause
No One Seems To Let Me Be
False Prophets Cry Of Doom
What Are The Possibilities
I Told My Brother
There'll Be Problems,
Times And Tears For Fears,
We Must Live Each Day
Like It's The Last
Go With It
Go With It
Jam
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't Too Much
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
It Ain't
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't
Don't You
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
The World Keeps Changing
Rearranging Minds
And Thoughts
Predictions Fly Of Doom
The Baby Boom
Has Come Of Age
We'll Work It Out
I Told My Brothers
Don't You Ask Me
For No Favors
I'm Conditioned By
The System
Don't You Talk To Me
Don't Scream And Shout
She Pray To God, To Buddha
Then She Sings A
Talmud Song
Confusions Contradict
The Self
Do We Know Right
From Wrong
I Just Want You To
Recognize Me
In The Temple
You Can't Hurt Me
I Found Peace
Within Myself
Go With It
Go With It
Jam
It Ain't
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't Too Much
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
It Ain't
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't
Don't You
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't Too Much
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
It Ain't
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't
Don't You
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
(Rap Performed By
Heavy D)
Jam Jam
Here Comes The Man
Hot Damn
The Big Boy Stands
Movin' Up A Hand
Makin' Funky Tracks
With My Man
Michael Jackson
Smooth Criminal
That's The Man
Mike's So Relaxed
Mingle Mingle Jingle
In The Jungle
Bum Rushed The Door
3 And 4's In A Bundle
Execute The Plan
First I Cooled Like A Fan
Got With Janet
Then With Guy
Now With Michael
Cause It Ain't Hard To...
(Michael)
Jam
It Ain't
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't Too Much
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
Get On It
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't
Don't Stop
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
It Ain't
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't
Don't You
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
It Ain't
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't
Don't You
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
It Ain't Too Hard For Me
To Jam [Repeat: x 9]
Get On It
Jam
It Ain't
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't
Don't You
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't Too Much
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't Too Much
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Jam
Too Much
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It Ain't
Don't You
It Ain't Too Much For Me To
Get On It
Get On It
Give It Baby
Give It To Me
Come On
You Really Give It Too Me
Got To Give It
You Just Want To Give It
The lyrics to The Jackson 5's song Jam Session are a call for unity and peace across the world. The first verse reminds us that all nations, all people, must come together to face the problems that we see in the world. The hope is that with enough effort, we can work it out. The second verse reflects on the changes happening in the world and how predictions of doom abound. It's acknowledged that there will be times of trouble, but we must live each day like it's our last. The chorus encourages everyone to "go with it" and jam out, because it's all going to be okay.
Line by Line Meaning
Nation To Nation
People around the world
All The World
Everywhere
Must Come Together
Need to unite
Face The Problems
Address the issues
That We See
Which are apparent
Then Maybe Somehow We Can Work It Out
There's hope if we try
I Asked My Neighbor
I talked to someone nearby
For A Favor
To do me a kindness
She Said Later
Not right now
What Has Come Of
What happened to
All The People
Everyone
Have We Lost Love
Do we still care
Of What It's About
The real meaning
I Have To Find My Peace 'cause
I need to be calm
No One Seems To Let Me Be
Can't get some space
False Prophets Cry Of Doom
Fake leaders talk of disaster
What Are The Possibilities
What can happen
I Told My Brother
I spoke with my sibling
There'll Be Problems,
We'll face difficulties
Times And Tears For Fears,
Difficult times
We Must Live Each Day
We should cherish every moment
Like It's The Last
As if it's the final one
Go With It
Follow the rhythm
Jam
Play music and dance
It Ain't Too Much Stuff
It's not too hard
It Ain't
It's not
Don't You
Don't
The World Keeps Changing
The Earth is always evolving
Rearranging Minds
People's mentality changing
And Thoughts
And ideas
Predictions Fly Of Doom
Prophecies of disaster
The Baby Boom
The post-WWII generation
Has Come Of Age
Has grown up
We'll Work It Out
We'll find a solution
Don't Scream And Shout
Don't yell
She Pray To God, To Buddha
She worships different deities
Then She Sings A Talmud Song
Then she sings a Jewish psalm
Confusions Contradict The Self
Uncertainties affect one's identity
Do We Know Right From Wrong
Are we aware of morals
I Just Want You To Recognize Me
I want you to acknowledge me
In The Temple
At the place of worship
You Can't Hurt Me
You won't harm me
I Found Peace Within Myself
I feel content with myself
Here Comes The Man
Someone's arriving
Hot Damn
Wow
The Big Boy Stands
A tall man is there
Movin' Up A Hand
Raising one's hand
Makin' Funky Tracks
Creating cool music
With My Man
With my friend
Michael Jackson
The singer Michael Jackson
Smooth Criminal
One of MJ's songs
Mike's So Relaxed
Michael Jackson is very calm
Mingle, Mingle, Jingle In The Jungle
People are socializing
Bum Rushed The Door
People crowded at the entrance
3 And 4's In A Bundle
People are gathered
Execute The Plan
Follow the strategy
First I Cooled Like A Fan
Initially, I acted calmly
Got With Janet, Then With Guy
Collaborated with Janet and Guy
It Ain't Too Hard For Me To Jam
It's not too difficult for me to dance
Get On It
Start dancing
Give It Baby
Dance with enthusiasm
Come On
Let's go
You Really Give It Too Me
You're dancing well
Got To Give It
Gotta dance
Too Much
Exaggerating
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: MICHAEL JACKSON, RENE MOORE, DWIGHT MYERS, TEDDY RILEY, BRUCE SWEDIEN, BRUCE F SWEDIEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Áine Fortune
Wow, Joseph's pretty good on that guitar! I can see where Tito gets his talent from!
Laura Lurvink
Oh god, miss these old times so much!!! :(
nutothis1
Tito had the guitar skills of a grown man.
treeZon1
dooooooope
Queencitysoul
@fremontirvingtonlow1 The Some Girls/Michael the Lover that was released on 45 on the Dynamo label (much larger label than Steeltown) was obviously overdubbed and cleaned up from some earlier tape, probably in 1969 after "I Want You Back" hit. It has a string section, the strings sound clean, but the orig. drum kit (not the overdubbed bongos) and vocals sound distorted and ragged. I have a blue Steeltown "21" 45, and a red Atco-imprinted "Big Boy" as well as the Dynamo "21"/Some Girls 45.
nutothis1
Did Motown buy up these songs? You've changed is on Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5. I saw the pre-Motown CD at Rasputin's Records, where I live. I am going to buy it.
fremontirvingtonlow1
I'm resently interested in getting and most original copy of "big boy" as i can find. first I found different online info online as follows [An ex-engineer, who engineered on all the sessions, has confirmed the Jackson 5 recorded eight songs for Steel-Town, only six of which have been released, including: • Big Boy. • You’ve Changed. • We Don’t Have To Be Over 21 (To Fall In Love). • Jam Session (the version on the B-side of Big Boy). Two of the six released songs are unconfrmed -
nutothis1
@JPLGDAPL His mother said that Mike wanted to sing like Jermaine. I guess, that of all of the brothers, Mike really looked up to Jermaine
fremontirvingtonlow1
Two of the six released songs are unconfirmed, but are probably: • Some Girls Want Me For Their Lover (aka Michael The Lover). • I Found A Love.] Me again, So that would mean this song is on the flip-side of "Big Boy" but wait. Then on few other sights, show the discography of Steeltown released first release was "big boy"/"You've changed" so I think this credits you right as the 2nd release, so why is this the only blue label I've seen? and why is there other 1st releases w/tagging label-
fremontirvingtonlow1
THANX SOO MUCH FOR DA POST! SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE IM CHASING A DINOSAUR. IT DON'T EXIST, 4REALZ SOME SONGS/TITLES IN MY BOOK JUST..BUT WHEN IT WAS SOLD ONLINE SOMEWHERE AT SOMETIME/ IT BACKS UP THE BAND MEMBERS STORY-CONFIRMED..Happy Digging..