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.
The Wall
The Jackson 5 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But somehow it doesn't feel the same
You built the wall so high between us
And you tell me that you haven't changed
[Chorus]
Tear down the wall that I can feel between us
The hidden wall that hides the real love
Tell me my love has got the strength to take it
Tell me what's wrong we'll make it
Tear it on down, yeah tear the wall down
I thought I really knew you baby
Almost the way I know myself
But now you're actin' like a stranger
And you changed girl into somebody else
[Chorus]
In The Jackson 5's song Wall, the lyrics describe a relationship where the singer's partner has built an emotional wall between them. Despite physically being close, the singer feels distant and disconnected. The line "You tell me that you haven't changed" suggests that the partner may not be aware of the wall they have created or its effects on the relationship. The chorus of the song calls for the partner to tear down the wall and reveal their true love. The singer pleads to be shown that their love is strong enough to overcome the wall and that they can work together to make things right again.
The lyrics paint a picture of a typical relationship problem where one partner withdraws or becomes emotionally distant, which can cause tension, confusion, and frustration between both partners. The song speaks to a universal experience of wanting to feel close and intimate with someone and overcoming obstacles to achieve that connection. The use of the metaphor of a wall as a barrier to love is powerful, and the chorus emphasizes the need for vulnerability, openness, and trust to build a strong foundation for love.
Line by Line Meaning
You hold me close to you my baby
You are physically close to me, but emotionally you are far away.
But somehow it doesn't feel the same
Our relationship is not the same as it used to be.
You built the wall so high between us
You created a barrier between us which is difficult to overcome.
And you tell me that you haven't changed
You claim that you have not changed, but your behavior tells a different story.
Tear down the wall that I can feel between us
Break down the emotional barrier that separates us.
The hidden wall that hides the real love
The emotional wall that conceals our true feelings for each other.
Tell me my love has got the strength to take it
Assure me that our love is strong enough to overcome the obstacle.
Tell me what's wrong we'll make it
Let's work together to identify and solve the problem.
Tear it on down, yeah tear the wall down
Let's break down the emotional barrier that's separating us.
I thought I really knew you baby
I used to believe that I knew you very well.
Almost the way I know myself
I understood you almost as well as I understand myself.
But now you're actin' like a stranger
Your behavior is unfamiliar to me and makes me feel like I don't know you anymore.
And you changed girl into somebody else
You have transformed into a different person before my eyes.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JERRY MARCELLINO, MEL LARSON, PAMELA JOAN SAWYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kailyn Brooks
(Verse 1: Michael)
You hold me close to you my baby
But somehow it doesn't feel the same
I see the wall surround between us
And you tell me that you haven't changed
Oh
Tear down the wall that I could feel
Between us
The hidden wall that hides the real love
Tear it on down, tear the wall down
Whoa
Tell me the love that's got to feel to take it
Tell me what's wrong we'll make it
Tear it on down, yeah, tear the wall down
(Verse 2: Michael)
I thought I really knew you, baby
I thought I really knew you still
I see the wall surround between us
And you changed, girl into somebody else
Whoa, baby
Tear down the wall that I could feel between us
The hidden wall that hides the real love
Tear it on down, tear the wall down
Whoa
Tell me the love has got to feel to take it
Tell me what's wrong we'll make it
Tear it on down, yeah, tear the wall down
Whoa
gary kelly
I don`t care what anyone says Maybe Tomorrow is one of the finest albums ever recorded, unfortunately it was released just as the novelty of the Jackson brothers was starting to wear off and most people were burned out.
Jimi Morris
Great album. The wall was my favorite song.
Benji
Ditto Dat!
Pamela Williams-Lacy
I have to disagree, this Lp solidified their place in music and as a group that was just beyond their years. The J5 were far from a novelty act.
Troy Arrington
Well...I am sure there was a time when they had to re-invent,themselves...however...I think they were far from being a novelty act. 😊
David Gray
Many great songs other than "Maybe Tomorrow" and "Never Can Say Goodbye." This song, "It's Great to be Here," "We've Got Blue Skies," "Petals," "My Little Baby."
Waykers 13
As a kid being one year younger than MJ I remember seeing this album cover in the store window in Brooklyn, wishing I could buy it, wishing I had a record player to play it on, as my big toe poke through the hole on the bottom of my sneaker once again scraping the ground. Funny every album of the Jackson 5 take me to a place and time in my life.
Banjo Pears
Hope all is well
DennyDreadBassMan
The J5 are one of the reasons I started playing bass back in 1970. I saw them one the Ed Sullivan Show and I also saw them live three times. The girls all loved Jermaine back then.
rick16323
Im proud to say I saw them on Ed Sullivan also