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 (see Randy & The Gypsys). 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. 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, 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. 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.
Ain
The Jacksons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's enough I'm done
Can't take it anymore
Until I change my mind like last time
And the time before
The truth is we're no good but
I keep coming back for more
I'm torn
Like it won't disappear with the night
But then it cuts like a knife
Another comedown runaway train
Confusion abuses my brain
But we won't change
Cuz this ain't love
But how come
We go 'round in circles
And I can't get enough
Of this hopeless broken fun
Maybe we're drunk
Maybe we're lonely
Maybe it's late I don't care
Just hold me
Pretend like the morning won't come
And come over
It's been a minute and I'm wishing
That you'd just come closer
The door's unlocked don't care
If we don't talk when we're sober
Can't remember what we're fighting 'bout anymore
It's not important
So let's ignore it
But I hate how much I crave you after
A few drinks my heart beats faster for you
Call me a fool
Retreat to my empty bed
And try to sleep but you're in my head
Ain't nothing new
It's just what you do
Cuz this ain't love
But how come
We go 'round in circles
And I can't get enough
Of this hopeless broken fun
Maybe we're drunk
Maybe we're lonely
Maybe it's late I don't care
Just hold me
Pretend like the morning won't come
No this ain't love
No this ain't love
But how come
We go 'round in circles
And I can't get enough
Of this hopeless broken fun
Maybe we're drunk
Maybe we're lonely
Maybe it's late I don't care
Just hold me
Pretend like the morning won't come
No this ain't love
No this ain't love
The Jacksons' song "Ain't No Sunshine" has lyrics that tell the story of someone who keeps going back to a toxic relationship despite knowing it's not good for them. The lyrics speak of the addiction to the rush of being in the relationship, the moments when it feels right, and the eventual pain that follows. The person acknowledges that they're torn between their desire for the relationship and their awareness that it's not love. They choose to ignore the problems and instead focus on the present moment, even if it means pretending that the morning won't come. The lyrics express the feeling of being trapped in a circle of destructive behavior, unable to escape the cycle.
Line by Line Meaning
Just go
I want to end things and leave.
That's enough I'm done
I'm fed up and I'm done with this situation.
Can't take it anymore
It's too much and I can't handle it anymore.
Until I change my mind like last time
I might make a different decision later, like I have before.
And the time before
I've been through this cycle of indecisiveness before.
The truth is we're no good but
We're not good for each other, it's the truth.
I keep coming back for more
Despite knowing it's not good for me, I can't help but come back.
I'm torn
I'm conflicted and unsure about what to do.
Cuz in the moment it always feels right
Even though I know it's not, I feel like it's the right thing to do in the moment.
Like it won't disappear with the night
I hope and believe that this feeling won't go away by morning.
But then it cuts like a knife
The truth and reality hit hard and painfully.
Another comedown runaway train
It's like a rollercoaster of emotions that spirals out of control.
Confusion abuses my brain
I'm consumed by confusion and it's taking a toll on me mentally.
But we won't change
Despite all of this, we won't change our behavior or our pattern.
Cuz this ain't love
What we have isn't love, it's something else entirely.
But how come
Even though it's not love, we keep going around in circles and coming back to each other?
We go 'round in circles
We're stuck in this cycle and can't seem to break free.
And I can't get enough
Despite everything, I still crave more of this situation.
Of this hopeless broken fun
It's a cycle that's hopeless and broken, but it still feels like fun sometimes.
Maybe we're drunk
Perhaps this is all fueled by alcohol.
Maybe we're lonely
Maybe we're just lonely and looking for someone to fill the void.
Maybe it's late I don't care
The time doesn't matter, I just want to be held and feel wanted right now.
Just hold me
All I want is to be held and comforted in this moment.
Pretend like the morning won't come
Let's escape reality and pretend that this moment will never end.
And come over
Come to me, be with me in this moment of vulnerability.
It's been a minute and I'm wishing
It's been a while and I'm wanting to feel close to you again.
That you'd just come closer
I want you to be physically closer to me right now.
The door's unlocked don't care
I don't care about anything else right now, even my own safety.
If we don't talk when we're sober
Even when we're sober, we don't talk about what's going on between us.
Can't remember what we're fighting 'bout anymore
It's all become a blur and I can't even remember why we were fighting in the first place.
It's not important
Whatever it was, it's not important right now.
So let's ignore it
Let's brush it under the rug and forget about it, for now.
But I hate how much I crave you after
Despite everything, I hate how much I still want to be with you after all of this is said and done.
A few drinks my heart beats faster for you
With just a few drinks, I feel my heart racing for you again.
Call me a fool
I know this isn't healthy, but I can't help myself.
Retreat to my empty bed
I'm left alone in my bed, feeling empty and wanting more.
And try to sleep but you're in my head
I can't sleep because thoughts of you are consuming me.
Ain't nothing new
This situation and these feelings are nothing new, they've been going on for a while now.
It's just what you do
This is just how things are between us, it's become routine.
No this ain't love
I keep telling myself that what we have isn't love, but something else entirely.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Thomas Bales
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind