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.
Music's Takin' Over
The Jacksons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That can teach you right from wrong
If you listen closely (well)
There's a lesson in the song
Music is a doctor
That can cure a troubled mind
Listen to the music (say it again)
The rhythms and the rhymes
[Chorus]
('Cause) Music's takin' over
Music makes you dance
Music's takin' over
Just give music a chance (say it again)
Music is a comfort
When you're all alone
Just turn up your music
And you don't need nobody home
Music is a power
People depend on every day
They make their decisions
By the records that they play
[Chorus]
Let's dance, let's dance, let's dance
Music is a sound
That makes the boys and girls get down
In "Music's Takin' Over," The Jacksons sings about the power of music and how it can fulfill several roles in our lives. The song starts with the lyrics "Music is a teacher/ That can teach you right from wrong/ If you listen closely (well)/ There's a lesson in the song." This stanza highlights how music can serve as an educator, and we can draw insights from the lyrics to become better people.
The second stanza asserts that music can work as a doctor that can cure a troubled mind. The line "Listen to the music (say it again)/ The rhythms and the rhymes" underscores that the sounds and lyrics of a song can help us quell our anxieties or negative thoughts. Similarly, the next stanza posits music as a comfort that can keep us company when we're lonely. We can turn up our music and dance even if no one else is present.
The chorus celebrates how music can make us groove and enjoy ourselves. The lines "Music's takin' over/ Music makes you dance/ Music's takin' over/ Just give music a chance (say it again)" convey that music has the power to take control of us, and we should let it move us. The last part of the song encourages listeners to dance, acknowledging that music is a sound that can bring people together in pure joy and fun.
Line by Line Meaning
Music is a teacher
Music can impart valuable life lessons
That can teach you right from wrong
It can help distinguish between right and wrong
If you listen closely (well)
Active listening is required to truly understand its message
There's a lesson in the song
Each song has a unique lesson to offer
Music is a doctor
Music has therapeutic effects on one's mental well-being
That can cure a troubled mind
It has the ability to alleviate one's psychological problems
Listen to the music (say it again)
Pay attention to the music and its effects
The rhythms and the rhymes
The beats and lyrics are an essential part of music
Music's takin' over
Music is becoming more dominant and influential
Music makes you dance
It has a lively and energetic effect on people
Just give music a chance (say it again)
Try listening to music with an open mind
Music is a comfort
It provides a sense of solace and ease
When you're all alone
Especially when loneliness is a factor
Just turn up your music
Increase the volume of music
And you don't need nobody home
It eliminates the need for company
Music is a power
It holds significant influence over people
People depend on every day
It is a crucial part of people's daily lives
They make their decisions
People's choices are often influenced by music
By the records that they play
The music they listen to shapes their actions and behavior
Let's dance, let's dance, let's dance
Invitation to enjoy and dance to the music
Music is a sound
It is a type of sound
That makes the boys and girls get down
It has a lively and energetic effect on both men and women
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GENE MCFADDEN, JOHN WHITEHEAD, VICTOR CARSTARPHEN, VICTOR LEON CARSTARPHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ste.b.7400
I like this song too much, oh "listen closely, there's a message in the song"
@elyviegas2716
Michael xxxxxx love you❤ xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxely
@princeroyy8388
Most underated Jackson’s album I’ll say
@massimomasetti8787
Infatti hai ragione è indubbiamente il miglior pezzo che ha fatto!
@miayanes6104
Albums Motown 25th anniversary party 🎊 🎉 🥳 ♥ ❤ 💕 🎊 🎉 🥳 ♥ ❤ 💕 🎊 🎉 🥳 ♥ ❤ 💕 🎊 🎉 🥳 ♥
@johncaldwell881
I agree 💯
@Diwani_Spark14
I agree both albums done with Gamble & Huff were underrated and should’ve been more celebrated. Motown had stagnated the brothers. These albums you heard a different energy and sound and they were able to write and produce 2 songs on each album that lead to Destiny and then Michael’s solo success.
@analizawells8326
We used to jam in the clubs with this song
@metronoth
UNDERRATED
@sunsetxdriver7503
Michael’s voice in this 🔥🔥🔥