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.
This Place Hotel
The Jacksons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ten years ago on this day, my heart was yearning
I promised I would never ever be returning
Where my baby broke my heart and left me yearning
As we walked into the room, there were faces
Staring, glaring, tearing through me
Someone said, "Welcome to your doom"
This is scaring me
We walked up the stairs still concealing gloom
There were two girls sitting in my room
She walked up to my face
And said this is the place
You said meet you right here at noon
This is Heartbreak Hotel
Welcome to Heartbreak Hotel
So this is Heartbreak Hotel
This place is Heartbreak Hotel
Hope is dead
She thought that I had cheated for another lover
I turn my back to see that I am undercover
Now I can't convince this girl there ain't no other (hee hee)
Someone's evil to hurt my soul
Every smile's trial thought in beguile
To hurt me (this is scaring me)
Then the man next door had told
He's been here in tears for fifteen years
This is scaring me
We came to this place, where the vicious dwell
And found that wicked women run this strange hotel
There was Sefra and Sue
Every girl that I knew
And my baby said love is through
This is Heartbreak Hotel
Welcome to Heartbreak Hotel
So evil Heartbreak Hotel
This place is Heartbreak Hotel
Someone's stabbin' my heart
(Heartbreak Hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Ten years ago today
(Heartbreak Hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Someone's stabbin' my heart
(Heartbreak Hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Ten years ago today
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Hurting my mind
(Heartbreak Hotel)
You break my baby's heart
(Heartbreak Hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Just welcome to the scene (woo)
The song "This Place Hotel" by The Jacksons starts with the singer reminiscing about a past heartbreak. Ten years ago, his heart was broken by his lover, who left him yearning for her. The lyrics narrate how he arrives at a hotel, and as he walks into the room, he feels uncomfortable and intimidated by the hostile stares from several people. Then he meets two women in his room, one of them being his lover, who tells him that this is the place they were supposed to meet. The chorus of the song reveals the name of the hotel - Heartbreak Hotel.
The verses of the song are expressive of the pain and uncertainty that arise from heartbreak. The lyrics seem to convey that heartbreak is not just a personal experience but can be found in people and places as well. The story further unfolds, and the character of the song meets various people in the hotel, each with their version of a heartbreak story. The song concludes with the singer experiencing stabbing pain in the heart and welcoming the listener to the Heartbreak Hotel.
Line by Line Meaning
Live in sin
Ten years ago, I had a relationship with someone I wasn't married to
Ten years ago on this day, my heart was yearning
In the past, I was longing for something I couldn't have
I promised I would never ever be returning
I vowed to never come back to the place where my heart was broken
Where my baby broke my heart and left me yearning
My lover hurt me deeply and I wanted them back
As we walked into the room, there were faces
Upon entering the room, I saw multiple people looking at me
Staring, glaring, tearing through me
Their looks were intense and felt like they were breaking me down
Someone said, "Welcome to your doom"
Someone welcomed me to what felt like my inevitable failure
Then they smiled with eyes that looked as if they knew me
They then smiled at me like they had known me for a long time
This is scaring me
I started to feel scared and uneasy
We walked up the stairs still concealing gloom
We walked up the stairs still deeply sad and covering it up
There were two girls sitting in my room
I saw two girls sitting in my room when I arrived
She walked up to my face
One of the girls came up to my face
And said this is the place
She pointed out that this was the place we had arranged to meet
You said meet you right here at noon
I had previously arranged to meet someone in the room at noon
This is Heartbreak Hotel
I realized I was in a place where people come to experience heartbreak
Welcome to Heartbreak Hotel
I received a less than enthusiastic welcome to the hotel
So this is Heartbreak Hotel
I finally realized where I was
This place is Heartbreak Hotel
I confirmed that I had arrived at Heartbreak Hotel
Hope is dead
I had lost all faith that things would get better
She thought that I had cheated for another lover
My lover suspected I had been unfaithful
I turn my back to see that I am undercover
When I tried to explain, they refused to believe me
Now I can't convince this girl there ain't no other (hee hee)
Despite my attempts, I couldn't convince them that I hadn't cheated
Someone's evil to hurt my soul
Someone did something malicious to wound me emotionally
Every smile's trial thought in beguile
Every time someone seemed friendly, I questioned their motives
To hurt me (this is scaring me)
I started to feel like people were out to get me and this scared me
Then the man next door had told
The man in the adjacent room shared with me
He's been here in tears for fifteen years
He had been crying in Heartbreak Hotel for fifteen years
We came to this place, where the vicious dwell
This hotel was full of cruel and heartless people
And found that wicked women run this strange hotel
I discovered that it was wicked women who ran this eerie hotel
There was Sefra and Sue
I recognized women I knew named Sefra and Sue at the hotel
Every girl that I knew
All the women I was familiar with were there too
And my baby said love is through
My lover informed me that our romantic relationship was over
Someone's stabbin' my heart
It felt like someone was actively causing me emotional pain
(Heartbreak Hotel)
I was situated in Heartbreak Hotel
Ten years ago today
This all happened a decade ago on this same day
Hurting my mind
My thoughts were being weighed down by pain
You break my baby's heart
My lover caused emotional harm to me and broke my heart
Just welcome to the scene (woo)
I was begrudgingly welcomed to Heartbreak Hotel
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Michael Jackson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brahmsbrahms3671
Rip Michael
Lyrics
Heartbreak Hotel (This Place Hotel)
Ten years ago on this day, my heart was yearning
I promised I would never ever be returning
Where my baby broke my heart and left me yearning
As we walked into the room, there were faces
Staring, glaring, tearing through me
Someone said welcome to your doom
Then they smiled with eyes that looked as if they knew me
This is scaring me
We walked up the stairs still concealing gloom
There were two girls sitting in my room
She walked up to my face
And said this is the place
You said meet you right here at noon
This is heartbreak hotel
Welcome to heartbreak hotel
So this is heartbreak hotel
This place is heartbreak hotel
Hope is dead
She thought that I had cheated for another lover
I turn my back to see that I am undercover
Now I can't convince this girl there ain't no other
Someone's evil to hurt my soul
Every smile's trial thought in beguile
To hurt me
Then the man next door had told
He's been here in tears for fifteen years
This is scaring me
We came to this place, where the vicious dwell
And found that wicked women run this strange hotel
There was Sefra and Sue
Every girl that I knew
And my baby said love is through
This is heartbreak hotel
Welcome to heartbreak hotel
So evil heartbreak hotel
This place is heartbreak hotel
Someone's stabbin' my heart
(Heartbreak hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak hotel)
Ten years ago today
(Heartbreak hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak hotel)
Someone's stabbin' my heart
(Heartbreak hotel)
This is heartbreal hotel
(Heartbreak hotel)
Ten years ago today
(Heartbreak hotel)
Hurting my mind
(Heartbreak hotel)
You break my baby's heart
(Heartbreak hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak hotel)
Just welcome to the scene
@starkstify
Live in sin
Ten years ago on this day
My heart was yearning
I promised I would never ever be returning
When my baby broke my heart and left me yearning
As we walked into the room
There were faces staring
Glaring, tearing through me
Someone said welcome to your doom
Then they smiled with eyes
That looked as if they knew me
This is scaring me
We walked up the stairs
Still concealing gloom
There were two girls
(Sitting in my room)
She walked up to my face
Said this is the place
You said meet you right here at noon
This is Heartbreak Hotel
Welcome to Heartbreak Hotel
So this is Heartbreak Hotel
This place is Heartbreak Hotel
Hope is dead
She thought that I had cheated for another lover
I turn my back to see that I'm undercover
Now I can't convince this girl there ain't no other
Someone's evil to hurt my soul
Every smile's a trial thought
In beguile to hurt me
This is scaring me
Then the man next door had told
She's been here in tears for fifteen years
This is scaring me
We came to this place
Where the vicious dwelt
Found that wicked women
(Run this strange hotel)
There was Sefra and Sue
Every girl that I knew
And my baby said love is through
This is Heartbreak Hotel
Welcome to Heartbreak Hotel
So evil
(Heartbreak Hotel)
This place is Heartbreak Hotel
Someone's stabbin' my heart
(Heartbreak Hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Ten years ago today
(Heartbreak Hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Someone's stabbin' my heart
(Heartbreak Hotel)
This is heartbreak hotel
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Ten years ago today
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Hurting my mind
(Heartbreak Hotel)
You break my baby's heart
(Heartbreak Hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak Hotel)
Just welcome to the scene
@bluemum196
Lyrics
Live and sin
Ten years ago on this day, my heart was yearning
I promised I would never ever be returning
Where my baby broke my heart and left me yearning
As we walked into the room, there were faces
Staring, glaring, tearing through me
Someone said welcome to your doom
Then they smiled with eyes that looked as if they knew me
This is scaring me
We walked up the stairs still concealing gloom
There were two girls sitting in my room
She walked up to my face
And said this is the place
You said meet you right here at noon
This is heartbreak hotel
Welcome to heartbreak hotel
So this is heartbreak hotel
This place is heartbreak hotel
Hope is dead
She thought that I had cheated for another lover
I turn my back to see that I am undercover
Now I can't convince this girl there ain't no other
Someone's evil to hurt my soul
Every smile's trial thought in beguile
To hurt me
Then the man next door had told
He's been here in tears for fifteen years
This is scaring me
We came to this place, where the vicious dwell
And found that wicked women run this strange hotel
There was Sefra and Sue
Every girl that I knew
And my baby said love is through
This is heartbreak hotel
Welcome to heartbreak hotel
So evil heartbreak hotel
This place is heartbreak hotel
Someone's stabbin' my heart
(Heartbreak hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak hotel)
Ten years ago today
(Heartbreak hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak hotel)
Someone's stabbin' my heart
(Heartbreak hotel)
This is heartbreal hotel
(Heartbreak hotel)
Ten years ago today
(Heartbreak hotel)
Hurting my mind
(Heartbreak hotel)
You break my baby's heart
(Heartbreak hotel)
This is Heartbreak Hotel
(Heartbreak hotel)
Just welcome to the scene
@DanFreeman723
There is no human being that can sing this song correctly except for MJ. True masterpiece.
@tonyjones5062
So very true the man was so very talented
@saladfingersismydad
True, I like to (badly) try though! hehe
@anthonytaylor7928
It was all of the brothers
@memeee7737
Yep😊
@ta4life27
Well duh he wrote it
@maryjenkins8043
Fell in love with this song Fall of 80'... still loving it 43 years later 😅
@alanwiseman-kc3bx
so am i always pops up in my lists, made me cuz cry wen she just split from her manwen i came back into me bedroom, dont fink she ever heard of it, i know she luvs it now, rest u leg on the end, soz legeng supamike
@mjvhsedits
My momma love this song so much, she used to get up and dance to this song because she was so obsessed with this song and the jacksons and she used to make me and get up and dance with her too. But i miss her so much, i can see her dancing to this song in heaven ♡︎ 😔🙏🏾
@grbgeslnger24
🙏🏻✌🏼