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.
Let's Get It On
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tryin' to hold back this feeling for so long
And if you feel like I feel, baby
Then, c'mon, oh, c'mon
Let's get it on
Ah, baby, let's get it on
Let's love, baby
Let's get it on
We're all sensitive people
With so much to give
Understand me, sugar
Since we've got to be here
Let's live
I love you
There's nothing wrong with me
Loving you, baby no no
And giving yourself to me can never be wrong
If the love is true, oh baby
Ooh don't you know how sweet and wonderful life can be ooh
I'm asking you baby to get it on with me ooh ooh
I ain't gonna worry
I ain't gonna push, won't push you baby
So c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby
Stop beatin' 'round the bush, hey
Let's get it on
Let's get it on
You know what I'm talkin' 'bout
C'mon, baby
Let your love come out
If you believe in love
Let's get it on
Let's get it on, baby
This minute, oh yeah
Let's get it on
Please, please get it on
I know and you know what I've been dreaming of, don't you baby?
My whole body makes that feelin' of love, I'm happy
I ain't gonna worry, no I ain't gonna push
I won't push you baby, woo
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, darlin'
Stop beatin' 'round the bush
Oh, gonna get it on
Threatenin' you, baby
I wanna get it on
You don't have to worry that it's wrong
If the spirit moves ya
Let me groove ya good
Let your love come down
Oh, get it on
C'mon, baby
Do you know the meaning?
I've been sanctified
Girl, you give me good feeling
I've been sanctified
Oh dear I, baby
Nothing wrong with love
If you want to love me just let your self go
Oh baby, let's get it on
The lyrics of The Jackson 5's song Let's Get It On are filled with passion and a desire for intimacy. The opening lines express the feeling of holding back for so long and the desire to take that next step. The lyrics then invite the partner to join in and take the leap together. The song expresses a pure love that is innocent and uninhibited. The lyrics convey that there is nothing wrong with love, that loving someone is natural and pure. The song also highlights the importance of living life to the fullest, finding happiness together, and enjoying one's self in love.
The song showcases the essence of soul music of the 1970s but was written by Marvin Gaye in 1973 as a song on his album of the same name. The Jackson 5 covered the song a year later and achieved modest success on the charts. The lyrics of the song mostly revolve around sexual desire, but the context of the song can be larger. The essence of the song is the coming of age and acknowledging the feeling of love and the desire to express it.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been really tryin', baby
I've been putting in a lot of effort, darling
Tryin' to hold back this feeling for so long
Trying to suppress my emotions for a long time
And if you feel like I feel, baby
And if you share my feelings, my dear
Then, c'mon, oh, c'mon
Then, let's do this, come on
Let's get it on
Let's engage in physical intimacy
Ah, baby, let's get it on
Oh, darling, let's get intimate
Let's love, baby
Let's make love, my dear
Let's get it on, sugar
Let's engage in physical intimacy, sweetheart
We're all sensitive people
All of us are emotional beings
With so much to give
With a lot of love and affection to offer
Understand me, sugar
Comprehend my feelings, my dear
Since we've got to be here
Since we are here on this earth
Let's live
Let's make the most of it and enjoy our lives
I love you
I have affection towards you
There's nothing wrong with me
There's nothing inappropriate about me
Loving you, baby no no
Expressing my affection towards you, my dear
And giving yourself to me can never be wrong
And it can never be incorrect to offer yourself to me
If the love is true, oh baby
If the affection is sincere, oh my dear
Ooh don't you know how sweet and wonderful life can be ooh
Do you not realize how lovely and enjoyable life can be?
I'm asking you baby to get it on with me ooh ooh
I am requesting you, my dear, to engage in intimacy with me
I ain't gonna worry
I am not going to be anxious
I ain't gonna push, won't push you baby
I am not going to force you, my dear
So c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby
So come on, come on, come on, my dear
Stop beatin' 'round the bush, hey
Stop avoiding the topic, hey
You know what I'm talkin' 'bout
You know what I mean
C'mon, baby
Let's do this, my dear
Let your love come out
Express your love and affection
If you believe in love
If you have faith in love
Let's get it on
Let's engage in physical intimacy
This minute, oh yeah
Right now, oh yeah
Please, please get it on
Please, please engage in intimacy
I know and you know what I've been dreaming of, don't you baby?
I know what I have been fantasizing about, do you know too, my dear?
My whole body makes that feelin' of love, I'm happy
My whole being experiences the feelings of love, and I am delighted
Threatenin' you, baby
I am not forcing, my dear
I wanna get it on
I desire physical intimacy
You don't have to worry that it's wrong
You need not be concerned that it is inappropriate
If the spirit moves ya
If you feel compelled
Let me groove ya good
Let me satisfy you completely
Let your love come down
Express your love and affection fully
C'mon, baby
Let's do this, my dear
Do you know the meaning?
Do you comprehend what I am saying?
I've been sanctified
I have been blessed
Girl, you give me good feeling
You make me feel wonderful, my dear
Nothing wrong with love
There's nothing wrong with expressing love
If you want to love me just let your self go
If you want to express your love towards me, let yourself be free
Oh baby, let's get it on
Oh darling, let's engage in physical intimacy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Marvin Gaye, Ed Townsend
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cris Sabanpan
on I Want You Back
Hlo