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.
Be Not Always
The Jacksons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And if always
Bow our heads in shame
Always, please be not always
And if always
Bow our heads in blame
Cause time has made promises
Just promises
Faces, did you see their faces
Did they touch you
Have you felt such pain
To have nothing
To dream something
Then lose hoping
Is not life but lame
But time has made promises
Just promises
Mothers cry, babies die
Helplessly in arms
While rockets fly
And research lies
In progress to become
But what of men
Of flesh and blood
We turn our backs on life
How can we claim to stand for peace
When the races are in strife
Destroying life
Always, be not always
But if always
Bow our heads in shame
Always, please, please be not always
Cause if always
Bow our heads in blame
Cause time, time has made promises
Death promises
The Jacksons' song "Be Not Always" is a plea for humanity to be more compassionate and empathetic towards one another. The repeated line "always be not always" suggests that the pain and suffering in the world should not be a constant, that it can be changed if we choose to actively pursue change. The lyrics go further to implore listeners to not turn a blind eye to the suffering of others, to not let the promises of time pass us by without making progress towards a better future.
The song also touches on the theme of loss, both tangible and intangible. The line "to have nothing, to dream something, then lose hoping" speaks to the loss of hope in a better future, while the mention of "mothers crying" and "babies dying helplessly in arms" alludes to the very real loss of life in times of war and conflict. The final line, "death promises," serves as a reminder that death is a promise we all share, and that it is up to us to make the most of our time on earth.
Line by Line Meaning
Always be not always and if always, bow our heads in shame.
We must not always behave in the same way, and if we do, we should feel embarrassed about it.
Always, please be not always.
Let us not always repeat a pattern of behavior.
And if always, bow our heads in blame.
If we continue to do the same thing, we should be ashamed of ourselves.
'Cause time has made promises, just promises.
The future may seem hopeful, but we cannot always rely on promises.
Faces, did you see their faces?
Have you seen the expressions on people's faces, especially those who are suffering?
Did they touch you?
Did their plight affect you personally?
Have you felt such pain?
Have you experienced the same level of suffering as those in need?
To have nothing, to dream something, then lose hoping. Is not life but lame?
When we have nothing and aspire for something, but then lose hope, life seems pointless.
Mothers cry, babies die helplessly in arms while rockets fly and research lies in progress to become.
Mothers weep as their children die, while others focus on developing weapons instead of finding solutions.
But what of men are flesh and blood?
We must remember that we are all human, made of flesh and blood.
We turn our backs on life.
We ignore the value of life and the importance of helping others.
How can we claim to stand for peace when the race is armed in strife, destroying life?
We cannot claim to be advocates for peace when we engage in violent conflict and destruction.
Always, be not always.
We should not always repeat our own actions.
But if always, bow our heads in shame.
If we do repeat our actions, we should be ashamed of ourselves.
'Cause time has made promises, just promises. Death promises.
The future is uncertain, and death is the only thing we can guarantee.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL JACKSON, MARLON JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MysticAngels_
LYRICS
Always, be not always
And if always, Bow our heads in shame
Always, please be not always
And if always, Bow our heads in blame
Cause time has made promises
Just promises
Faces, did you see their faces
Did they touch you
Have you felt such pain
To have nothing
To dream something
Then lose hoping
Is not life but lame
But time has made promises
Just promises
Mothers cry, babies die
Helplessly in arms
While rockets fly
And research lies
In progress to become
But what of men
Of flesh and blood
We turn our backs on life
How can we claim to stand for peace
When the races are in strife
Destroying life
Always, be not always
But if always, Bow our heads in shame
Always, please, please be not always
Cause if always, Bow our heads in blame
'Cause time, time has made promises
Death promises
@anime_weeb436
"Mother's cry
Babies die
Helplessly in arms
Where rockets fly
And research lies
In progress to become
But what if men
A flesh and blood
Return our backs on life
How can we claim to stand for peace
When the races are in strife
Destroying life"
Those lyrics always have me in tears 😢 So incredibly beautiful!
@magicalflare9133
Always, be not always
And if always, bow our heads in shame
Always, please be not always
And if always, bow our heads in blame
'Cause time has made promises
Just promises
Faces, did you see their faces?
Did they touch you?
Have you felt such pain
To have nothing
To dream something
Then lose hoping?
Is not life but lame?
But time has made promises
Just promises
Mothers cry, babies die
Helplessly in arms
While rockets fly
And research lies
In progress to become
But what of men
Of flesh and blood?
We turn our backs on life
How can we claim to stand for peace
When the races are in strife
Destroying life?
Always, be not always
But if always, bow our heads in shame
Always, please, please be not always
'Cause if always, bow our heads in blame
'Cause time, time has made promises
Death promises...
@trayvoncreighton7886
Michael's voice is incredible 😍
@gmcneoplan84
This song was pure Michael Jackson. He loved making songs like this with messages that had memorable beat production attached to them like Man in the Mirror, Human Nature, Gone too Soon, and others.
@Milkers777
Very underrated Ballad by The King Of Music Michael Joseph Jackson😭🙌🏽👑❤️💕💫
@framboise8895
It's by all the Jacksons, not only him
@Milkers777
@@framboise8895 This is MJ’s song written and composed by him just like Heartbreak Hotel was even tho Randy co wrote it with MJ he just put the song on the Jacksons album👑💯
@marie-jomilon9969
Ce n´est pas une de ses chansons les plus connues , c´est pourtant une de celles que je préfère , la moindre vibration de sa voix nous bouleversé. Merci Michael 💖💞
@teijapuro
If you really admire/respect/love MJ, you should at least know his real name: MICHAEL JOE JACKSON!!!!!
@TheEchovoices
ONE OF the saddest songs he ever sang
@ileanavicktoria978
This is Michael Jackson's Masterpiece😢
@SwiftWarrior07
A rare song of Michael ❤️