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.
Make Tonight All Mine
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you dance, you steal the show
Just like you stealin' hearts
When the lights were low
All the guys are waiting
In the hallway, just to squeeze you tight
Oh, darling, no, no, no please, not tonight
You thrill my soul
C'mon, hold me close
Rock with me slow
Baby, don't let me go
Oh, baby, make tonight all mine
I can make you happy
Just gimme a try
Oh, I've waited such a long, long time
Make tonight all mine
(Baby, I)
Can satisfy you
Gonna 'lectrify you
C'mon, let me prove it, ha
Show you I can do it
Been walkin' like a shadow
Right behind you, by myself
While you've been walking home
With someone else
Don't you know it hurts me
Seeing you with other guys
Oh, darling, no, no, no please not tonight
When the party's over, let me walk you home
I'll hold you close
Rock with you slow
Never, never let you go
Oh, baby, make tonight all mine
I can make you happy
Just gimme a try
Oh, I've waited such a long, long time
Make tonight all mine
Oh, all, all mine, mine, mine, mine, yeah
Oh, baby, make tonight all mine
I can make you happy
Just gimme a try
Oh, I've waited such a long, long time
Make tonight all mine
Ooh (baby, I)
Hey, what do you say, girl?
Can we slip away, girl?
Let me get it to you
I can do it to you, you
Oh
Oh, baby, make tonight all mine
I can make you happy
Yeah
(Oh, I've waited such a long, long time)
(Oh, baby, make tonight all mine)
(Oh, I waited such a long, long time)
(Baby, I)
The Jackson 5's song "Make Tonight All Mine" is about a man who has been watching a girl dance and steal the show. He wants to have her all to himself for the night and promises to make her happy. He admits to waiting for a long time to have this chance with her and is persistent in his pursuit throughout the song. He is jealous of seeing her with other guys and asks for a chance to prove his love for her. The chorus is a plea for her to make tonight his and let him show her what he is capable of.
The lyrics paint a clear picture of a man's desire for a woman and his willingness to do whatever it takes to make her happy. He promises to electrify her and prove his love for her. The song captures the excitement of wanting someone and feeling like they are out of reach until one magical night when everything falls into place. The Jackson 5's harmonies and catchy beat add to the romantic tone of the song and make it a classic.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, baby, baby
The singer is expressing his affection for the woman he is addressing
I've been watchin' you, girl
The singer has been admiring the woman's actions as she dances
When you dance you steal the show
The woman's dancing is captivating and impressive
Just like you're stealin' hearts
The woman's charm and beauty makes her very desirable
When the lights are low
The romantic atmosphere enhances the singer's feelings
All the guys are waiting
Other men are also attracted to the woman
For a chance to squeeze you tight
The men want to dance and touch her
Oh, darlin', no, no, no
The singer is requesting that the woman does not give her attention to anyone else
Cause when you're in my arms, girl
The singer feels a strong connection with the woman when they are physically close
You thrill my soul
The feeling the singer has when he is with the woman is inexplicable and overwhelming
Come on hold me close, rock me slow
The singer is asking for physical contact and wants to feel relaxed and comfortable when they are together
Baby, don't let me go
The singer does not want the moment to end
Oh, baby MAKE TONIGHT ALL MINE
The singer wants to spend the night with the woman and have her all to himself
I can make you happy, just give me a try
The singer is confident that he can bring happiness and pleasure to the woman
Oh, I waited such a long, long time
The singer has been hoping for this moment for a while
Baby, I can satisfy you
The singer is claiming that he can fulfill the woman's needs and desires
Gonna electrify you
The singer wants to create an exciting and electric atmosphere for the woman
Come on let me prove it, ha
The singer wants to show and convince the woman that he is capable of satisfying her
Show you I can do it
The singer wants to demonstrate his ability to please the woman
Been walkin' like a shadow
The singer has been following the woman discretely
Right behind you, by myself
The singer has been alone while he's been following her
While you were walkin' home
The woman was headed home after the party
With someone else
The woman was with another man
Don't you know it hurts me
The singer is expressing how much it hurts him to see the woman he likes with someone else
Seein' you with other guys
The singer cannot tolerate the sight of the woman he likes in the arms of someone else
When the party's over
The party they are attending has ended
Let me walk you home
The singer wants to escort the woman safely to her house
I'll hold you close, rock you slow
The singer wants to embrace the woman and hold her tight, swaying with the rhythm of the music
Never, never let you go
The singer does not want to let go of the woman he cares for so deeply
All, all, all, mine, mine, mine, mine, yeah, yeah
The singer is ecstatic with the idea of having the woman all to himself
Hey, what you say, girl
The singer is asking the woman if she is willing to join him
Can we slip away, girl
The singer wants to leave the party with the woman
Wanna get to you, you
The singer wants to be closer to the woman
I can coochie coo you, oh
The singer is promising to be affectionate and loving towards the woman
Oh, baby, MAKE TONIGHT ALL MINE
The singer is reiterating his desire to spend the night with the woman and have her all to himself
I can make you happy, yeah
The singer confidently believes he can satisfy the woman and make her happy
Oh, I waited such a long, long time
This is the moment the singer has been waiting for a long time
Oh, baby MAKE TONIGHT ALL MINE
The singer wants to repeat the phrase once again to emphasize his desire
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Christine Perren, Christine Yarian, Freddie Perren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cris Sabanpan
on I Want You Back
Hlo