Rock and Roll History Thread Special Edition: MICHAEL JACKSON

[ABlairican Pie]

Welcome to a Rock and Roll History Special Edition where we focus on the life
of the greatest, most dynamic performer of pop music:


MICHAEL JACKSON.


Immensely talented, incredibly wealthy, groundbreaking in his accomplishments, a soul whose life was overshadowed by personal pain, public scrutiny, scandal, and rumour. But we remember him for the gift of music, his love of performing live and giving his all. In this thread we look back at the amazing life of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

MICHAEL JACKSON:

1958--2009

[ABlairican Pie]

Michael Joe Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, a working-class suburb of Chicago. His parents Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson and Katherine Esther Scruse, also had eight other children, Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy, and later, Janet. Michael was the seventh of the clan of siblings, who was a few years older than Randy. His father was a steel worker who performed often with an r & b group called the Falcons, while his mother, a devout Jehovah's Witness, raised her children according to her strict faith.

Jackson was pushed into performing at an early age: Joe seemed to have wanted to live vicariously through his musical children, and pushed his sons incessantly, even abusively toward that end. At a very young age, Michael endured constant whippings, verbal humiliation, endless rehearsals, in ordered to be molded for the stage, according to the future star. But in a way, this had a positive effect, it disciplined him into becoming a better performer. However, as with many show biz parents, this would scar young Michael--his father held him upside down by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks", according to Marlon. He was no less severe with his other children, even pushing and tripping them to land into walls. His method of discipline even went so far as to crawl into Michael's open bedroom window, wearing a scary mask and waking him, frightening him as he lie asleep. This was to teach his children not to sleep with the window open. This incident traumatized Michael so much that throughout his life, he had recurring nightmares of being kidnapped.

Michael even spoke openly about his abuse in a 1993 interview on Oprah. He claimed that he often cried from loneliness and would even begin to vomit upon seeing his father. His father would even threaten him and his brothers with a belt if they did not perform their moves correctly.

At the age of five, young Michael showed remarkable ability as a singer and a performer, even playing with his brothers at a school Christmas recital. Later in the mid-60's, he and Jermaine became the lead vocalists of the group, now named the Jackson 5 in 1964, and hit the "chitlin' circuit", black clubs and venues which even had them open for strip shows and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.

An early shot of the Jackson brothers band:

Jackson family photo:

Michael as a baby:

Michael at the age of 7:

Michael at 8 in a class photo:

Another Jackson family photo:

The Jackson brothers' band when they were known as The Ripples and the Waves:

[ABlairican Pie]

The Jackson 5 released several songs on a local record label, Steeltown, including a track called "Big Boy", their first single, in 1968. The single was not as good as it could have been, but still, this was a thrill for the Jackson brothers to have their music on vinyl. Michael sang well on it, but it was only a pale shadow of his future musical prowess. One of the Jackson 5's first supporters was the r & b duo Sam and Dave, who helped get the group a spot on an Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in 1967. Motown caught wind of the boys' talent, through the praise of Gladys Night, but were reluctant to sign them, due to founder Barry Gordy already having a teen star Stevie Wonder on his label and not wanting to get in trouble with child labor laws and the like. He decided that he did want to sign them, but first some serious negotiation had to be enacted to get them out of their Steeltown contract. Finally, the young men were taken under Barry Gordy's wing, and the rest, of course, was history.

Motown in 1968 was literally Hitsville U.S.A. in those years. The country had seen in a short time a wave of everything from the British Invasion of the Beatles, the Stones, and other bands from England, the homegrown folk revolution with Bob Dylan, and the psychedelic era with bands such as Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, Cream, and Jefferson Airplane. But the biggest names were coming out of Motown's roster, such as Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, the Four Tops, and countless others. Soon the new young talented band called the Jackson 5 would join the lineup of stars, and Michael, the little boy with the big talent, would be at the forefront.

Gordy received a videotaped copy of the boys' Apollo performance and was completely knocked over. He simply had to sign them. He took them to his Los Angeles home where they spent time with Gordy's family and Diana Ross took Marlon and Michael in to her home there, while she and Gordy groomed them for stardom.

[Purffin]

It so sad the way the Jackson children were treated by their father. Michael seemed very misunderstood, its so sad.
One thing i admired about him was his love for animals.

Well now he is at peace.

[tanquant]

Thanks for the information and the pictures.
I hope that Joe Jackson suffers from endless amount of guilt for the way he treated Michael and his brothers. Now would be a good time to go to the four remaining and at least say I'm sorry while he still has the chance. Child abuse is a horrible thing that no child should endure. There are better ways to discipline a child than scaring them half to death. Poor Michael. Nobody knows what he went through but him and God. The suffering, loneliness and the scars from childhood. He really was misunderstood.

[Jessica]

He really was misunderstood.

Aww, yes, he was. His did not treat him good. He was a great performer though, and his songs are so great!!!

[ABlairican Pie]

Once signed to the label, the Motown PR team began to make the boys appear more marketable to the general public. They made their ages younger in press kits to enhance their youth appeal, and Michael's age was listed as nine, though he was in fact two years older. This would make him "cuter", adorable, and more accessible to the pre-teen demographic. In addition to altering their ages and other details of their lives and personal history, the PR team also added another twist. Two band members who accompanied the Jackson 5, Johnny Jackson (no relation) and Ronnie Rancifer, were listed as cousins to make the Jackson 5 seem as if they were a complete family affair. On top of that, it was decided that the band would be attached to a major star to spark interest. The PR team designated Diana Ross as the big name who "discovered" them. In later versions of the story, it was explained that Ross allegedly discovered them after being introduced to them by Gary, Indiana, mayor Richard G. Hatcher at a benefit concert where they had played for him. These marketing ploys paid off handsomely. The Jackson 5 had arrived.

During the summer and early fall of 1969, the Jackson 5 rehearsed and practiced diligently. Diana Ross introduced the band to the public on August 11 that year at a club called The Daisy in Beverly Hills. Soon, the band made their first television appearance at the Miss Black America Pageant at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The Jackson 5 released their first single, "I Want You Back", in November, 1969. The song, written by Gordy and a team of songwriters known collectively as "The Corporation", hit Number #1 on the charts by January 1970. The single was added to their debut album, Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5. The song set the standard for future Jackson 5 recordings--the band incorporated, at the direction of Gordy, a pop and doo-wop sound into their brand of soul which became known as "bubblegum soul".


I Want You Back

Uh-huh huh huh huh
Let me tell ya now
Uh-huh

VERSE 1:
When I had you to myself
I didn't want you around
Those pretty faces always made you stand out in a crowd
But someone picked you from the bunch
one glance was all it took
Now it's much too late for me to take a second look

CHORUS:
Oh baby give me one more chance
(show you that I love you)
Won't you please let me
(back in your heart)
Oh darlin' I was glad to let you go
(let you go baby)
But now since I see you in his arms
(I want you back)
Yes I do now
(I want you back)
Ooh ooh baby
(I want you back)
Ya ya ya ya
(I want you back)
Na na na na

VERSE 2:
Tryin' to live without your love
Is one long sleepless night
Let me show you girl
That I know wrong from right
Every street you walk on
I leave tearstains on the ground
Following the girl
I didn't even want around
Let me tell you now

CHORUS:
Oh baby all I need is one more chance
(show you that I love you)
Won't you please let me
(back to your heart)
Oh darlin' I was BLIND to let you go
(let you go baby)
But now since I see you IN HIS ARMS
Uh-huh
A buh buh buh buh (2 times)
All I want
A buh buh buh buh
All I need
A buh buh buh buh
All I want
A buh buh buh buh
All I need

(Jermaine):
Oh just one more chance
to show you that I love you
baby! (6 times)

(I want you back)
(Jackie):
Forget what happened then
(I want you back)
(Jermaine):
Let me live again

Oh baby I was BLIND to let you go
But now since I see you in his arms
(I want you back)
(Jackie):
Spare me of this cause
(Jermaine):
Gimme back what I lost

Oh baby I need one more chance ha
I tell ya that I love you

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by Purffin

It so sad the way the Jackson children were treated by their father. Michael seemed very misunderstood, its so sad.
One thing i admired about him was his love for animals.

Well now he is at peace.

Michael's father even taunted him by calling him "big nose".


And we can see how this affected his appearance later on.

[ABlairican Pie]

And the hits kept rolling from there. America instantly fell in love with The Jackson 5's brand of traditional "Motown Sound"
and so-called "bubblegum soul". Further hits such as "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There" all topped the charts
in 1970. Other successful hits included "Mama's Pearl" and "Never Can Say Goodbye".

Now that his boys were extremely successful, Joseph and Katherine moved out to California with the rest of the family to "Hayvenhurst", a gated mansion in Los Angeles. Joe's dream of living vicariously through his sons' good fortune in
entertainment had finally come true.

Now that the Jackson 5 were among the biggest names in music at this point in 1971, they had eclipsed Motown's other
big name, the Supremes, who had dominated the charts for the past several years. A huge marketing campaign for the
Jackson 5 targeted teens and pre-teens with merchandise such as patches, stickers, coloring books, posters, and the like,
with the familiar "J5" heart-shaped logo which was initially featured on Johnny Jackson's drum kit. And it did not stop there.
A magazine called Right On! was launched to promote other rising r & b artists, with special emphasis on the The Jackson 5.
A Rankin-Bass cartoon (the company which made the popular holiday specials such as 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Raindeer',
'Frosty the Snowman', and others), 'The Jackson 5ive', also aired on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The show featured the
brothers in fictionalized comical escapades, similar to other popular cartoons at that time such as 'Josie & the Pussycats',
where a rock group became involved in some sort of episode of intrigue and danger with criminal culprits and their nefarious
plots, with the main characters emerging as heroes--and interspersing it with their music. Though the actual brothers'
voices were not used, their music was aired on the program. Diana Ross did in fact lend her voice to the first episode.
Michael's pet snake Rossy and mice, Ray and Charles, obviously named after the famed singer, served as comical mascots
in their animated adventures. The series was re-broadcast in 1984-85 was Jackson was hitting another wave of popularity.

The album ABC was released in the spring of 1970 with the title track and "The Love You Save", as well as a cover of Funkadelic's "I'll Bet You" and "I Found That Girl", which featured Jermaine on lead vocals while Michael sang on the others.
The group's Third Album was also released that year, which featured "I'll Be There" as well as "Goin' Back To Indiana",
"How Funky Is Your Chicken", "Mama's Pearl", and a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Waters".


I remember as kid at the age of about seven or eight, in 1970, I saw a Post Sugar Crisp commercial on Saturday morning
with Sugar Bear introducing the Jackson 5 as they sang their current hit song, "I'll Be There". I never knew how big that
song was going to get--so big that even Mariah Carey even covered it. But the cartoon was my first real exposure to the
group. I remember a funny joke Michael told on one episode. They were trying to find clues to who committed some crime,
and Michael says, "Why not look in the closet?" And the brothers said, "Why look in there?" And he replies, "I always look for
clues in the *clues*-closet (meaning *clothes*)!!" LOLOLOLOL!!!! I was a kid, I thought that was pretty funny!!

A B C

Michael: A buh-buh buh buh-buh
J5: A buh-buh buh buh-buh
Michael: You went to school to learn, girl
Things you never, never knew before...
Jermaine: Like I before E except after C...
Michael: And why 2 plus 2 makes four
Now now now, I'm gonna teach you...
J5: Teach you, teach you
Michael: All about love, dear...
J5: All about love
Jermaine: Sit yourself down, take a seat
All you gotta do is repeat after me.

CHORUS:
J5: ABC
Michael: Easy as...
J5: 123
Michael: Or simple as...
J5: Do re mi
Michael: ABC, 123, baby, you and me girl
J5: ABC
Michael: Easy as...
J5: 123
Michael: As simple as...
J5: Do re mi
Michael: ABC, 123, baby, you and me girl

J5: ABC
Michael: Easy as...
J5: 123
Michael: Or simple as...
J5: Do re mi
Michael: ABC, 123, baby, you and me girl
J5: ABC
Michael: Easy as...
J5: 123
Michael: As simple as...
J5: Do re mi
Michael: ABC, 123, baby, you and me

Tito: Come on, let me love you just a little bit
Jackie: Come on, let me love you just a little bit
Jermaine: I'm a going to teach how to sing it out
Michael: Come on, come one, come on
Let me show you what it's all about!
Reading, writing and arithmetic
Are the branches of the learning tree
Jermaine: But without the roots of love every day, girl
Michael: Your education ain't complete
T-T-T-Teacher's gonna show you
J5: Show you, show you
Michael: How to get an A
J5 How to get an A
Jermaine: Spell "me" "you"
Jermaine: Listen to me baby, that's all you gotta do
REPEAT CHORUS twice
BRIDGE:
ABC is easy like counting up 3
That's how easy love can be
that's how easy love can be
sing a simple melody
123, you and me
Michael: Sit down, girl!
I think I love you!
No!
Get up, girl!
Show me what you can do!
Shake it, shake it, baby, come on now!
Shake it, shake it, baby, ooo oooh!
Shake it shake it, baby, huh!
ABC, baby, nah nah!
123,
Do re mi, baby, huh!
That's how easy love can be.
123, BABY,
ABC, BABY,
DO RE MI, BABY
THAT'S HOW EASY LOVE CAN BE
IT'S EASY, IT'S EASY LIKE COUNTING UP TO 3
SING A SIMPLE MELODY
THAT'S HOW EASY LOVE CAN BE
Jermaine:I'M A GONNA TEACH YOU HOW TO SING IT LOUD
Michael:COME ON, COME ON, COME ON,
LEMME SHOW YOU WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT
ABC, IT'S EASY , IT'S LIKE COUNTING UP TO 3
SING A SIMPLE MELODY
THAT'S HOW EASY LOVE CAN BE
Jermaine:I'M A GONNA TEACH YOU HOW TO SING IT LOUD
SING IT LOUD, SING IT, GO, SING IT, GO SING IT
Michael:ABC, IT'S EASY AS 123.. (FADES

The Love You Save

J5:Stop! Na na na! You'd better save it!
Stop, stop, stop, you'd better save it!

Michael: 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
Your promise for my ring
Now just like back to grade school
You're doing the same old thing!

CHORUS:
Stop! The love you save may be your own!
Darling, take it slow
Or some day you'll be all alone.
You'd better stop the love you save may be your own!
Darling, look both ways before you cross me
You're headed for the danger zone.

Michael: I'm the one who loves you!
I'm the one you need!

Jermaine: Those other guys will put you down
As soon as they succeed!

Michael: They'll ruin your reputation!
They'll label you a flirt!

Jermaine: The way they talk about you
They'll turn your name to dirt, oh!

Second verse:
Michael: Isaac said he kissed you
Beneath the apple tree
When Benjie held your hand he felt
E-lec-tri-ci-tee!
When Alexander called you
He said he rang your chimes.
Christopher discovered
You're way ahead of your times!


CHORUS:
Stop! The love you save may be your own!
Darling, take it slow
Or some day you'll be all alone.
You'd better stop the love you save may be your own!
Darling, look both ways before you cross me
You're headed for a danger zone.

BRIDGE:

J5: Slow down.
Slow down.
Slow down.
Slow down.

Michael:
S is for "Save it"
T is for "Take it slow"
O is for "Oh, no!"
P is for "Please, please, don't go!"

Jermaine: The love you save may be your own...

Michael: Some day you may be all alone...

Jermaine: Stop it!
Michael: Save it, girl!
Jermaine: Baby! Ooooh!
Michael: Youu better stop the love you save may be your own

Michael: You'd better stop! the love you save may be your own!
Jermaine: Please, please
Or some day, some day baby,
You'll be all alone

Michael: I'm the one who loves you!
I'm the one you need!

Jermaine: Those other guys will put you down as soon as they succeed. (Michael:
Ahhhhh!)

Michael: Stop! The love you save may be your own, baby
Jermaine: You’d better stop it, stop it, stop it girl! or someday you’ll be
allll alone. The way they talk about you
They'll turn your name(*2) to dirt.

Stop! The love you save may be your own!

Jermaine: Don’t cha know don’t cha know. Some day baby you’ll be alll alone.
(wait a while) Those other guys will put you down as soon as they succeed.

Michael: Stop! The love you save may be your own!
Darling(fades)


I'll Be There

You and I must make a pact, we must bring salvation back
Where there is love, I'll be there

I'll reach out my hand to you, I'll have faith in all you do
Just call my name and I'll be there

I'll be there to comfort you,
Build my world of dreams around you, I'm so glad that I found you
I'll be there with a love that's strong
I'll be your strength, I'll keep holding on

Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter
Togetherness, well that's all I'm after
Whenever you need me, I'll be there
I'll be there to protect you, with an unselfish love that respects you
Just call my name and I'll be there

I'll be there to comfort you,
Build my world of dreams around you, I'm so glad that I found you
I'll be there with a love that's strong
I'll be your strength, I'll keep holding on

If you should ever find someone new, I know he'd better be good to you
'Cause if he doesn't, I'll be there
Don't you know, baby, yeah yeah
I'll be there, I'll be there, just call my name, I'll be there

(Just look over your shoulders, honey - oo)

I'll be there, I'll be there, whenever you need me, I'll be there
Don't you know, baby, yeah yeah

I'll be there, I'll be there, just call my name, I'll be there...

[ABlairican Pie]

Here's a little something I couldn't resist:

[ABlairican Pie]

In 1971 and 1972, the Jackson 5 appeared in two t.v. specials, 'Going Back To
Indiana' and 'The Jackson 5 Show'.

By that time, Jacksonmania had dissipated, as most trends are doomed to do, and the record-buying public had moved on. The Jacksons were still popular, but not to the extent as they were in their prime a year or so before. Behind the scenes, a rift began between the Jacksons and Motown. The lads were growing up into adolescence, and the label still pushed them as a cute teenybopper bubblegrum group. It was time for a change. It was later agreed by the group, their father, and by music critics that the reason for their decline was that the label did not update their image. During that time, they did come out with a few hits, such as "Looking Through the Windows" in 1972, the album G.I.T. (Get It Together) in 1973, and the dance hit "Dancing Machine", which popularized the "Robot" dance routine.

It was time for Motown to act. The label decided to market Michael and Jermaine, the two focal points of the group, as solo artists. Michael had sung a new hit, the title track to the soundtrack of 'Ben', the sequel to the popular horror movie 'Willard', about a disturbed young man and his army of rats. Ben appeared in his own followup movie about the king of the rats befriending a lonely child. The song was a huge hit and the start of a new phase in the young singer's career.

An interesting parallel developed between the storylines of the 'Willard' and 'Ben' movies, and the life of young Michael Jackson. Both movies revolved around the exploits of a hated, misunderstood creature and his human friends, first Willard, whose only playmates were the teeming rodents, and the young child in the sequel, who was incapacitated by medical problems and taunted by bullies. In addition to his marionette puppets he created for his own amusement, Ben the rat became his only friend, like a pet. Both the child and the rat were also misunderstood and persecuted, which made them practically understand and empathise with each other in their own special way. In a similar manner, the sequel seems to be a parallel with Jackson's own isolation and being treated as "different" because
of his fame. He was not "ugly" like Ben the rat, to others, but he was still treated in the same way because Michael was "cute". It was only ugly in reverse. Simply different, unusual. on a higher level than most other mere mortals.


An intriguing piece of trivia: The song "Ben" was originally written for America's other current teenybopper heartthrob , Donny Osmond, but he was unavailable to do the recording. So the honor went to Michael.

Ben

Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I'll never be alone
And you my friend will see
You've got a friend in me (you've got a friend in me)

Ben, you're always running here and there
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
If you ever look behind and don't like what you find
There's something you should know
You've got a place to go (you've got a place to go)

I used to say
I and me
Now it's us
Now it's we

(I used to say
I and me
now it's us
now it's we)

Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as i do
I wish they would try to
I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben
(a friend) like Ben

(A friend) Like Ben


Looking Through the Windows

LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOW
LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOW (AHHHH)
LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOW
LOOK..LOOK..LOOK THROUGH THE WINDOW
(OOOOH AHHHH)
LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOW

LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS
THE WINDOW TO YOUR HEART (OH BABY YEAH)
I CAN SEE ITS CLOUDY
THE RAIN'S ABOUT TO START

LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS (LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS)
IT SEEMS I'VE CAUSED YOUR FEARS (YEA YEA YEA)
AND A LITTLE DOUBT GIRL (AND A LITTLE DOUBT GIRL)
AND NOW IT'S BRINGIN' TEARS (AND ITS BRINGIN' TEARS)

REMEMBER...

JUST REMEMBER WHAT EVER MAKES YOU FEEL THAT WAY
DON'T YOU WORRY 'CAUSE I'M GONNA STAY
RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE (BY YOUR SIDE)
TO KEEP ON LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS
LOOKIN' IN YOU EYES
(OOH LOOKIN' IN YOUR EYES, EYES, EYES)
(LOOKIN, LOOKIN' IN YOUR EYES, EYES, EYES)

LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS (LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS)
SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY WAY (YEAH)
I CAN KNOW YOUR FEELINGS
IF YOU STILL LOVE ME TODAY

REMEMBER...

JUST REMEMBER WHAT EVER MAKES YOU FEEL THAT WAY
DONT YOU WORRY 'CAUSE IM GONNA STAY
RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE
TO KEEP ON LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS
LOOKIN' IN YOU EYES
(OOH, LOOKIN' IN YOUR EYES, EYES, EYES)
(LOOKIN, LOOKIN' IN YOU EYES, EYES, EYES)

LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS
THE WINDOW TO YOUR HEART

LOOKIN' THROUGH THE WINDOWS
THE WINDOW TO YOUR HEART

ZA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA
DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA

FADE


Dancing Machine

Dancing, dancing, dancing
She's a dancing machine

Ah baby
Move it baby

Automatic, Systematic
Full of color, self-contained
Tuned and gentle to your vibe

Captivating, Stimulating
She's such a sexy lady
tune the channel to your box

She's moving, she's grooving
Dancing untill the music stops, now

Yeah

Rhythmatic, acrobatic
She a dynamite attraction
At the drop of a coin she comes alive, yea
She knows what she's doing
She's super bad now
She's geared to really blow your mind

Dancing, dancing, dancing
She's a dancing machine

Ah baby
Do it baby
Dancing, dancing, dancing
She's a dancing machine

Ah baby
Move it baby

She's a dance, dance, dance, dance, dancing machine
Watch her get down, watch her get down
As she do, do, do her thing
Right on the scene

She's a dance, dance, dance, dance, dancing machine
Watch her get down, watch her get down
As she do, do, do her thing
Right on the scene

Come on baby
Come on baby
Baby
Baby

Shake it baby
Shake it babe

Baby
Baby
Baby

She's a dance, dance, dance, dance, dancing machine
Watch her get down, watch her get down
As she do, do, do her thing
Right on the scene

She's a dance, dance, dance, dance, dancing machine
Watch her get down, watch her get down
As she do, do, do her thing
Right on the scene

I like it
I like it
I love you
i like it

She's a dance, dance, dance, dance, dancing machine
Watch her get down, watch her get down
As she do, do, do her thing
Right on the scene

She's a dance, dance, dance, dance, dancing machine
Watch her get down, watch her get down

[ABlairican Pie]

Mama's Pearl: (Music over photo still):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqpp7FuIYYk

The Love You Save:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yY8m...eature=related

I Want You Back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfJu_Bom2sA

ABC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYx3B...eature=related

Never Can Say Goodbye:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snihd...eature=related

Ben:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQyvQ...eature=related

Dancing Machine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD2Os...eature=related

Jackson 5 locking video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tICestGPPbs

Jackson 5 cartoon opening credits:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJw_M...lated=1&fmt=18

[ABlairican Pie]

In the early/mid-70's, the group decided to take their leave of Motown. Though they had gotten their huge start on the successful label, they had not been allowed to grow or mature under their guidance. One problem the group had with the label was that they were not able to record their own compositions nor play their own instruments recordings, even though they had done so in their own home studio; instead, they had to sing what The Corporation and other in-house writers had composed for them, as well as have their instrumental parts on their albums performed by the session musicians known as The Funk Brothers in Motown and The Wrecking Crew at Hitsville West, its Los Angeles affiliate. Joseph felt it was time for his boys to shop for a new label, they could be more of a success elsewhere.

In 1975, the group began talks with CBS Records, who offered a decent 20% percent per record, compared to Motown's measly 2%. On top of that, the new label allowed them to perform and record their own songs and play their own instruments. Motown tried with no success to keep the band on its label, but then sued them for breach of contract. The label eventually agreed to let them go to join CBS. There was one condition, however, to their joining: they could no longer use the name
'The Jackson 5', due to Motown owning the Jackson 5 trademark. The band chose their new name, The Jacksons, as they headed for their new label. In another surprising turn of events, the group replaced Jermaine with their fourteen-year-old brother Randy, as Jermaine, who was focusing on his own solo career, decided to remain with Motown and Barry Gordy, his father-in-law after marrying his daughter Hazel in 1973. Randy had been an unofficial member of the group, only playing conga drums onstage.

With the departure of the Jacksons to a new label, Motown would never have another huge, successful act as part of its lineup. The label would branch out into other subsidiaries, but its glory days were over. Gordy said of the Jackson 5, that they were "the last big stars to come rolling off the [Motown] assembly line."

The group also began a variety show in 1976, 'The Jacksons', on CBS, which included all members of the Jackson clan. Their variety show was their first ever hosted by an African-American family. It was developed in order to compete with ABC's new variety show, 'Donnie and Marie', which featured the cutest Osmond with his even cuter sister (interestingly, this was the second time the Jacksons rivaled the Osmonds on television for the cutest teen idol crown: during the time of 'The Jackson 5' Saturday morning cartoon airing, Rankin-Bass also released a similar animated cartoon featuring the Osmonds in their series in the early 70's). 'The Jacksons ran for one season until its cancellation in March of next year.

One of the Jacksons' first singles for the new label was "Enjoy Yourself", released in 1976, released on CBS' Philadelphia International label. The group released its self-titled album, The Jacksons, in 1976, and its followup, Goin' Places, in 1977. Ironically, the latter album's title belied the actual commercial momentum of the group on their new label, the second album was stalled in sales. The first album went only gold, compared to the stellar sales of The Jackson 5's heyday. Apparently the new label was not doing enough to promote them, nor were they allowing them full creative and artistic control. They decided that it was time to keep shopping for a new label yet again.

Enjoy Yourself

Chorus:
Enjoy yourself
Enjoy yourself
Enjoy yourself with me

Enjoy yourself
Enjoy yourself
Enjoy yourself with me

You better enjoy yourself
You better enjoy yourself

You sittin over there
Starin into space
While people are dancin'
Dancin all over the place

You shouldnt worry about things you can't control
Come on girl while the night is young
Why dont ya mix up the place, let it go

[Chorus]

Let's have some fun
Let's have a good time you and me
Sittin there with your mouth all out
Just sweet as you can be

Why dontcha live, live the life ya got
Come on girl let's spin it
While the music's live and hot..whoo!

[Chorus]

Jackie: Baby girl I've been watchin you?
I can wipe away that frown
For you and I to get together

We can tear the house down
Or we can tear the house down
Or we can tear the whole house down..whoo!

[Chorus]

[ABlairican Pie]

Frustrated with their previous attempts to write and perform their own music under their previous labels, the Jacksons decided to produce the music on their own. They also found it was time to find a label which would treat them right. They moved found it in CBS/Epic, after moving from CBS's subsidiary Philadelphia International, and released their new album, 'Destiny', in 1978. The album featured their biggest post-Motown hit, "Shake Your Body (Down To the Ground", which hit the Billboard charts at #7 on the Hot 100 and #3 on the Billboard R & B charts, achieving double platinum status, while the album itself sold platinum. The album hit the Billboard 200 charts at #11, and the R & B charts at #3.

The other top single on the album, "Blame It On the Boogie", was originally written by English artist Mick Jackson, who had his own version on the British charts around that time, but the version done by the Jacksons was the bigger seller of the two--but only slightly. Regardless, the Jacksons were painfully reminded that they would no longer be the superstars that they were at the turn of the decade. They would sell respectably, but lightning would not strike twice. At least, not for all members collectively. But for one....


Shake Your Body (Down To the Ground)

I don't know whats going happen to you baby
But I do know that I love ya
You walk around this town with your head all up in the sky
And I do know that I want ya

Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground

You tease me with your loving to play hard to get
Cause you do know that I want ya
You walk around this town with your head all up in the sky
And I do know that I want ya

Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground

You are the spark that lit the fire inside of me
And you know that I love it
I need to do just something to get closer to your soul
And you do know that I want ya

Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground

You tease me with your loving to play hard to get
Cause you do know that I want ya
I need to do just something to get closer to your soul
And you do know that I want ya

Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake you body down to the ground
Let's dance, let's shout
Shake it over!

Down down down down down.
Shake it over!
Lets dance, lets shout
Dance shout.


Blame It On the Boogie

My baby's always dancin'
And it wouldn't be a bad thing
But I don't get no loving
And that's no lie

We spent the night in Frisco
At every kind of disco
And from that night I kissed
Our love goodbye

CHORUS:
Don't blame it on sunshine
Don't blame it on moonlight
Don't blame it on good times
Blame it on the boogie

Don't blame it on sunshine
Don't blame it on moonlight
Don't blame it on good times
Blame it on the boogie

VERSE:
That nasty boogie bugs me
But somehow it has drugged me
Spellbound rhythm gets me
On my feet

I've changed my life completely
I've seen the lightning leave me
My baby just can't take
Her eyes off me

CHORUS:
Don't blame it on sunshine
Don't blame it on moonlight
Don't blame it on good times
Blame it on the boogie

Don't you blame it on sunshine
Don't blame it on moonlight
Don't blame it on good times
Blame it on the boogie

I just can't
I just can't
I just can't control my feet

I just can't
I just can't
I just can't control my feet

I just can't
I just can't
I just can't control my feet

I just can't
I just can't
I just can't control my feet

CHORUS:
Don't blame it on sunshine
Don't blame it on moonlight
Don't blame it on good times
Blame it on the boogie

Don't blame it on sunshine
Don't blame it on moonlight
Don't blame it on good times
Blame it on the boogie

VERSE:
This magic music grooves me
That dirty rhythm moves me
The devil's gotten to me
Through this dance

I'm full of funky fever
And fire burns inside me
Boogie's got me in a
Super trance

CHORUS:
Don't blame it on sunshine
Don't blame it on moonlight
Don't blame it on good times
Blame it on the boogie

Don't blame it on sunshine
Don't blame it on moonlight
Don't blame it on good times
Blame it on the boogie

Owww - sunshine
Whoo - moonlight
Yeah - good times
Mmmm - boogie

You just gotta - sunshine
Yeah - moonlight
Good times
Good times - boogie

Don't you blame it - sunshine
You just gotta - moonlight
You just wanna - goodtimes
Yeah - boogie
Ohh blame it on yourself - sunshine
Ain't nobody's fault - moonlight
But yours and that boogie - goodtimes
On all night long - boogie

Yours and that boogie - sunshine
Ain't nobody's fault - moonlight
But yours and that boogie - goodtimes
Dancin' all night long - boogie

Blame it on yourself - sunshine
Ain't nobody's fault - moonlight
But yours and that funky funky boogie al night long - goodtimes

[ABlairican Pie]

As Jacksonmania began to taper off somewhat, Michael Jackson released his first solo album, Got To Be There, in January 1972. Motown felt it was time for the cutest, most talented of the Jackson 5 to start is own spinoff career while still recording with his brothers. The album was preceded with the title track released as a single that previous fall. Michael's foray into a solo career coincided with the rise of his teen idol rival, none other than Donnie Osmond, who sang sugary sweet anthems and ballads of teen romance, such as "Sweet and Innocent" and "Puppy Love", the latter of which was a cover of a 50's pop hit. In the same way, Jackson's "Rockin' Robin" was a cover of a
50's tune. The album also included covers of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine", Carole King's "You've Got a Friend" and the Supremes' "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone".

The album charted very highly and critics gushed with praise over the album by the young Jackson: Rolliing Stone commented that te album "...slick, artful and every bit as good as the regular Jackson 5 product...a sweetly touching voice...innocence and utter professionalism...fascinating and finally irresistible."

Jackson's next album, Ben, featured the title track soft song about the misunderstood rat of the movie of the same name who terrorized the populace. The song became Jackson's first #1 single, though it spent only a week on the American charts. "Ben" was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Song. Originally, the album cover art featured Michael in the top portion of the illustration and the movie poster of Ben in the lower half, before it was quickly replaced with only the shot of Michael. The image of Ben lurking over fleeing humans obviously wouldn't have sat well with many record buyers!

Michael's next album, Music & Me, released in 1973, was put out at a painful time of transition in the young singer's life. He was quickly becoming a teenager, not the sweet kid fronting a successful singing group, and adolescence was hitting him and his voice hard. R & B was becoming a little more sophisticated than what was successful a few years before, fully blooming into soul and what would become disco. Were the Jackson 5 growing with the times, were they allowed to? After being deeply impressed by other successful Motown artists as Marvin Gaye and Steve Wonder, Michael expressed his wish to do his own material on the album. The label refused his request. Though the album shows Michael with a guitar on the cover, he did not play any instruments on the album, it was merely a pose. Michael complained to his father about how poorly the label was treating him by not allowing any creative freedom, which would prompt the elder Jackson to negotiate with, and ultimately, leave the label with launched his stardom with his famous brothers. "With a Child's Heart", a Stevie Wonder cover, was the main single from the album. Motown only gave the album scant promotion since Michael was on tour with his brothers.

Michael's 1975 album, Forever, Michael, was the last he would record for Motown, before he left the label almost a year later. The album saw Michael moving into a smooth soul direction that would characterize his work with Epic later on. Unfortunately, the album was eclipsed by the success of the Jackson 5 hit "Dancing Machine". The album did feature such Top 40 singles as "We're Almost There" and "Just a Little Bit Of You".