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.
Medley: I Want You Back/ ABC/ The Love You Save
The Jacksons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those pretty faces always make you stand out in a crowd
Wen someone picked you from the bunch
One glance was all it took
Now it's much to late for me to take a second look
Oh, baby give me one more chance (show that I love you)
Won't you please let me (back in your heart)
But now that I see you in his arms (I want you back)
Yes I do now (I want you back)
Ooh oh baby (I want you back)
Yeah, Yeah, yeah yeah (I want you Back)
Na, na, na, na
You went to school to learn, girl
Things you never never knew before
I before E except after C
And why two plus two makes four
Now Now Now I'm going to teach all about love yeah
Sit yourself down take a seat
All you have to do is repeat after me
ABC it's easy as 123
Simple as Do, Re, Mi, ABC, 123, baby you and me
Sit down girl i think I love you
No get up girl show me what you can do
ABC baby, 123 baby, Do re MI baby
That's how easy love can be
Stop you better save me
Stop stop stop you better save me
When we played tag in grade school you wanted to be it
But chasing boys was just a fad you crossed your heart you'd quit
When we grew up you traded you promised for my ring
Now just like back in grade school you're doing that same old thing
Stop the love you save may be your own
Darling take it slow or someday you'll be all alone
Better stop the love you save may be you own
darling look both ways before you cross me
you're heading for the danger zone
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
S is for save me
T is for take it slow
O is for Oh, no
P is for please please don't go
Love you save may be your own someday you may be all alone save me girl
Stop!
The Jacksons’ song “Medley: I Want You Back/ ABC/ The Love You Save” is a catchy and upbeat tune that combines three of their hit songs. The lyrics of the first song, “I Want You Back,” are about regretting breaking up with a former lover and wanting to be given another chance to show affection. The singer realizes that they let their pride get in the way and didn't appreciate the person when they had them to themselves. The ABC song encourages learning about love and relationships, and how they're as simple to learn as the alphabet. It also expresses romantic interest in someone that the singer hopes to teach about love too. Finally, the lyrics of “The Love You Save” warn against falling for the wrong person and advocating for self-protection. The song encourages slowing down and observing a relationship's dynamics before committing to avoid heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
When I had you to myself I didn't want you around
I didn't appreciate the value of your presence in my life when I had you all to myself, I took you for granted and didn't see how special you were.
Those pretty faces always make you stand out in a crowd
It's difficult for me to compete for your attention because everyone else seems to be drawn to you due to your physical appearance.
Wen someone picked you from the bunch
When someone else showed interest in you and chose you over other potential options,
One glance was all it took
You were so captivating and special that it just took one look for someone else to see how great you are.
Now it's much to late for me to take a second look
Sadly, I didn't realize how much I wanted you until someone else took you away, and now it's too late for me to try and win you back.
Oh, baby give me one more chance (show that I love you)
I'm pleading with you to give me another opportunity to demonstrate how much I care for you and love you.
Won't you please let me (back in your heart)
I'm asking you to allow me to re-enter your life and be a part of your heart and experience once again.
Oh, darling I was blind to let you go (let you go baby)
I realize now how foolish and blind I was to let you slip away from my life, and I'm filled with regret for my actions.
But now that I see you in his arms (I want you back)
Seeing you with someone else has made me realize how much I truly desire to have you back in my own arms.
Yes I do now (I want you back)
I am declaring that I do indeed want to have you back in my life, with confidence and commitment.
Ooh oh baby (I want you back)
An expression of my strong desire and longing to have you back in my life and by my side.
Yeah, Yeah, yeah yeah (I want you Back)
An emphatic declaration that I truly, deeply want to have you back in my life and I am resolute in this desire.
Na, na, na, na
A fun and catchy musical interlude, indicating the joy and excitement that comes with the idea of being reunited with the one you love.
You went to school to learn, girl
A recognition of the fact that you have grown and developed as a person since our time together, and have gained new knowledge and experiences.
Things you never never knew before
Acknowledging that you have been exposed to new ideas and perspectives, and have grown in ways that I may not have been aware of previously.
I before E except after C
A playful and lighthearted reference to the way we learned spelling in elementary school, indicating a willingness to impart knowledge and offer guidance.
And why two plus two makes four
A nod to basic arithmetic, suggesting that there are simple and logical explanations for many things in life, including love.
Now Now Now I'm going to teach all about love yeah
An enthusiastic declaration that I am eager to share my ideas and insights about love, and help you to understand it more completely.
Sit yourself down take a seat
An invitation to listen and learn, to sit down and engage in a conversation about love, relationships, and what truly matters in life.
All you have to do is repeat after me
A suggestion that learning about love is a simple process, and that by following my lead and repeating my words and ideas, you can gain a deeper understanding of this important topic.
ABC it's easy as 123
A clever and catchy way of suggesting that love is not complicated, and that there are simple and straightforward principles to follow in order to experience it fully.
Simple as Do, Re, Mi, ABC, 123, baby you and me
A playful and charming way of expressing the idea that love can be easy and enjoyable, like singing a simple song or reciting a nursery rhyme.
Sit down girl i think I love you
An expression of affection and attraction, a suggestion that I have strong feelings for you and desire to be close to you.
No get up girl show me what you can do
An invitation to break free from the ordinary and explore new experiences and possibilities, an encouragement to take chances and engage with life fully.
Stop you better save me
A playful way of suggesting that I need your help and intervention, a recognition that I may be getting in over my head and should slow down and be more cautious.
Stop stop stop you better save me
An emphatic and urgent plea for support and guidance, an acknowledgment that I may not be able to handle things on my own and need your assistance.
When we played tag in grade school you wanted to be it
A reference to a childhood game, indicating that we have known each other for a long time and share many memories and experiences.
But chasing boys was just a fad you crossed your heart you'd quit
A recognition that we have both grown and changed since our childhood, and that our priorities and interests have evolved over time.
When we grew up you traded you promised for my ring
A suggestion that we have become more serious in our relationship over time, and that we have made promises and commitments to each other that we take seriously.
Now just like back in grade school you're doing that same old thing
A playful yet poignant observation that, despite the passage of time, some things remain constant in life, and that we still have much in common and share similar experiences.
Stop the love you save may be your own
A gentle warning that taking risks and pursuing love can be rewarding, but also carries risks and dangers, and that it is important to proceed with caution.
Darling take it slow or someday you'll be all alone
An expression of genuine concern and caring, indicating that I want you to be happy and fulfilled, but also that I recognize the risks and challenges involved in pursuing love.
Better stop the love you save may be you own
A repetition of the earlier warning, underscoring the importance of being smart and cautious when pursuing love and romantic relationships.
darling look both ways before you cross me
A playful yet serious reminder that actions have consequences, and that making a misstep in love could have negative impacts on our relationship and our lives.
you're heading for the danger zone
A reference to the lyrics of a popular song, indicating that taking unnecessary risks in love could lead to disaster or failure.
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
A repeated phrase that suggests the importance of staying calm, focused, and level-headed in the face of potential challenges and risks.
S is for save me
An example of word play, as each letter of the alphabet is assigned a new meaning related to love and relationships.
T is for take it slow
Another example of word play, offering clever and memorable advice for those seeking to find love and build strong relationships.
O is for Oh, no
A playful and lighthearted reminder that love can be challenging and complicated, but also fun and exciting.
P is for please please don't go
A final plea and reminder that love is important, and that it is worth taking chances and pursuing with energy and commitment.
Love you save may be your own someday you may be all alone save me girl
A restatement of the central theme of the song, indicating that being smart and cautious in love is critical, and that there are risks involved in pursuing love and relationships.
Stop!
A final indication that the song has reached its conclusion, inviting listeners to reflect on its message and themes.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind