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.
Ready or Not
The Jacksons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not sure what it means
My baby's feeling funny in the morning
She's having trouble getting into her jeans
Her waist-line seems to be expanding
Although she never feels like eating a thing
I guess we'll reach some understanding
When we see what the future will bring
I met her in a crowded barroom
One of those typical Hollywood scenes
I was doing my very best Bogart
But I was having trouble getting into her jeans
I punched an unemployed actor
Defending her dignity
He stood up and knocked me through that barroom door
And that girl came home with me
Now baby's feeling funny in the morning
She says she's got a lot on her mind
Nature didn't give her any warning
Now she's going to have to leave her wild ways behind
She says she doesn't care if she never spends
Another night running loose on the town
She's gonna be a mother
Take a look in my eyes and tell me brother
If I look like I'm ready
I told her I had always lived alone
And I probably always would
And all I wanted was my freedom
And she told me that she understood
But I let her do some of my laundry
And she slipped a few meals in between
And the next thing I remember, she was all moved in
And I was buying her a washing machine
My baby's feeling funny in the morning
She says she's got a lot on her mind
Nature didn't give her any warning
But she's feeling better about it all the time
She says she's ready for some meaning
After all of her running around
Well bless my soul, she's got a rock-and-roll band man
Thinking 'bout settling down
The lyrics to The Jacksons' song "Ready or Not" tell a story about a relationship and the unexpected changes that come with it. The singer expresses confusion and seeks an explanation for their partner's behavior. They notice that their partner is having trouble fitting into their jeans and her waist-line is expanding, even though she claims to have a lack of appetite. The singer hopes that they will understand the situation better as time goes on and they see what the future holds.
The song then shifts to a flashback of how the singer and their partner initially met. They were in a crowded barroom, and the singer was trying to impress their partner by emulating the iconic actor Bogart. However, they struggled to win their partner over. In a moment of defending their partner's dignity, a fight breaks out with an unemployed actor. The singer gets knocked through the barroom door, but surprisingly, their partner goes home with them.
As time goes on, the partner reveals that she is feeling different, especially in the morning. She mentions having a lot on her mind and feeling a sense of change. It becomes evident that nature didn't provide her with any warning, and she realizes she needs to let go of her wild ways. She expresses a willingness to leave her old lifestyle behind and embraces the idea of becoming a mother. The singer, however, questions their readiness for this new chapter in their lives.
The song concludes with the revelation that despite the singer's initial desire for freedom and living alone, their partner gradually becomes a more permanent part of their life. She moves in with them, and the singer finds themselves buying her a washing machine. The partner's mindset begins to shift, and she starts feeling better about the changes that are taking place. She expresses a readiness for more meaning in life and hints at the possibility of settling down with a rock-and-roll band man.
Overall, "Ready or Not" reflects the journey of a couple as they navigate unexpected changes and ultimately come to terms with the idea of settling down and embracing a new phase in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone's going to have to explain it to me
I don't understand the situation and need someone to clarify it for me
I'm not sure what it means
I'm uncertain about the significance or interpretation of it
My baby's feeling funny in the morning
My partner is experiencing odd or unusual sensations when she wakes up
She's having trouble getting into her jeans
She is finding it difficult to fit into her pants
Her waist-line seems to be expanding
Her waist measurement is increasing in size
Although she never feels like eating a thing
Despite not having any appetite
I guess we'll reach some understanding
I believe we will come to a mutual comprehension or agreement
When we see what the future will bring
Once we witness or experience what the future holds
I met her in a crowded barroom
I encountered her in a busy bar
One of those typical Hollywood scenes
A scenario that is characteristic of Hollywood stereotypes
I was doing my very best Bogart
I was attempting to imitate or portray Humphrey Bogart
But I was having trouble getting into her jeans
However, I struggled to establish a romantic or intimate connection with her
I punched an unemployed actor
I threw a punch at an actor who currently has no job
Defending her dignity
In order to protect her honor or self-respect
He stood up and knocked me through that barroom door
He retaliated by hitting me, causing me to crash into the bar's exit
And that girl came home with me
Despite the altercation, she chose to accompany me back to my place
Now baby's feeling funny in the morning
Now my partner experiences peculiarity or uneasiness upon waking
She says she's got a lot on her mind
She states that she has many things occupying her thoughts
Nature didn't give her any warning
She received no natural indications or signs about her current situation
Now she's going to have to leave her wild ways behind
She is now required to abandon her previously unrestrained or impulsive behavior
She says she doesn't care if she never spends
She states that she is unconcerned about not indulging or engaging in certain activities
Another night running loose on the town
Another occasion of being carefree and unrestricted in the city
She's gonna be a mother
She is going to become a parent
Take a look in my eyes and tell me brother
Look into my eyes and honestly inform me, my friend
If I look like I'm ready
Do I give the impression of being prepared or willing?
I told her I had always lived alone
I informed her that I had constantly resided by myself
And I probably always would
And most likely, I would continue to do so
And all I wanted was my freedom
My sole desire was to maintain my independence and liberty
And she told me that she understood
And she reassured me that she comprehended and empathized
But I let her do some of my laundry
However, I permitted her to handle some of my laundry tasks
And she slipped a few meals in between
Additionally, she discreetly provided me with a few meals
And the next thing I remember, she was all moved in
Suddenly, she had completely settled and occupied my living space
And I was buying her a washing machine
Moreover, I found myself purchasing a washing machine specifically for her
My baby's feeling funny in the morning
My partner experiences peculiar or odd feelings when she wakes up
She says she's got a lot on her mind
She expresses having numerous thoughts or concerns
Nature didn't give her any warning
Nature did not provide her with any prior notification or indication
But she's feeling better about it all the time
However, she gradually feels more positive or optimistic about it
She says she's ready for some meaning
She declares her readiness for a purpose or significance
After all of her running around
Following her extensive engagement in various activities
Well bless my soul, she's got a rock-and-roll band man
Well, it is astonishing, she is involved with a male member of a rock band
Thinking 'bout settling down
Contemplating the idea of establishing a stable and committed lifestyle
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jackson Browne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind