Top 10 Jackson Five Songs

Photo: CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Jackson Five Songs list looks back at a musical group that has sold over 100 million records since they first formed in 1965. The group probably never knew the incredible success their future held for them when they were playing on the club circuit, when Michael Jackson was only five years old. After releasing a few singles on Steeltown Records, the group was signed to Motown Records, where they became an instant sensation. The Jackson Five’s first four single releases on Motown Records all went straight to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The Jackson Five would release nine albums on Motown Records from 1969 to 1975. When their recording contract with Motown ended, they signed with Columbia Records, releasing six more albums from 1976 to 1989. When the group signed with Columbia Records, they changed their name to just The Jacksons.

The group’s musical history, along with their personal family history, is a complex story. It’s a story this article will not explore. This one is all about the songs, and there were so many great ones. Our Top 10 Jackson Five songs list focuses pretty much on just the Motown years, with just one exception. We hope you enjoy this ride back to the great Jackson Five singles of the late 1960s and early 1970s. And in case you don’t remember or didn’t know, The Jackson Five were Michael, Marlon, Tito, Jermaine, and Jackie Jackson.

# 10 – State Of Shock

We open up our Top 10 Jackson Five songs list with a song that was recorded by the band when they had changed their name to simply The Jacksons after they had signed to CBS Records. The Jacksons’ song “State Of Shock” was released on the album entitled Victory. The Victory album was released in 1984. It was Jackson’s fifth album, released on CBS Records. The Jacksons had not released an album in four years. Of course, during that period, Michael Jackson was busy becoming the world’s biggest-selling pop star with the release of his album Thriller. It was interesting that Michael Jackson would reunite with his brothers for the Victory album, which was obviously all about the money. However, it would be the last time, as the Jacksons released only one more album after Victory, and it did not feature Michael Jackson.

The song “State Of Shock” is the only single by the Jacksons to appear on this top 10 list that was not released under the Jackson Five name. The song was written by Michael Jackson and Randy Hansen, who would later base most of his career on a Jimi Hendrix impersonation. (A real good one at that). The song featured a duet between Michael Jackson and the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger.

# 9 – Get It Together

The Jackson Five song “Get It Together” may be the least recognizable on this list. However, it’s an essential song in the band’s catalog. It was released on an album in which the group’s sound changed dramatically because Michael Jackson’s voice had matured from the high-pitched sound of elementary school years to a post-puberty sounding deeper male voice. The song was released on the album titled G.I.T.: Get It Together in 1973. The song broke the Billboard Top 40, peaking at number twenty-eight.

# 8 – Sugar Daddy

Continuing with our Top 10 Jackson Five songs list is the track “Sugar Daddy.” The song was released in 1971 as a single. It was also issued on the group’s Greatest Hits LP. The song was a massive success for the group as it just broke the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, peaking at number 10. The song was written by Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell, and Deke Richards, also known as The Corporation. These four songwriters were instrumental in the Jackson Five’s success, having already penned four consecutive number-one hits for the group.

# 7 – Mama’s Pearl

The Corporation was at it again with The Jackson Five. After achieving all those number-one singles, they continued to write big-time hits for the group. “Mama’s Pearl” may not have been a number-one hit, but it came pretty close as the song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. The song was released on their third release, titled simply Third Album.

# 6 – Dancing Machine

The Jackson Five’s hit single “Dancing Machine“ was released in 1974. Disco was slowly finding its way into mainstream culture after brewing behind the sconces in New York’s underground clubs. 1974 is a transitional year in music, and you can hear it in this great Jackson Five classic. It would be the Jackson Five’s last top 10 hit, as the song peaked at number two. The group had a pair of top-10 hits in the 1980s after changing their name to just the Jacksons.

# 5 – Never Can Say Goodbye

The Jackson Five almost scored another number-one hit with the great song “Never Can Say Goodbye.” The song just missed the number one spot, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. Gloria Gaynor would also have success with the song as her version also broke the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 in 1974. The song was initially intended for The Supremes.

# 4 – The Love You Save

The following four Jackson Five songs on this list all hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song “The Love You Save” was the third of four consecutive number-one singles the Jackson Five recorded between 1969 and 1970. “The Love You Save” was released on the Jackson Five’s second album titled ABC.

# 3 – I’ll Be There

It was tough to put the following three Jackson Five songs in order of importance or success. These are three of the biggest hits ever released by Motown Records and The Jackson Five. From our perspective, the order is pretty interchangeable. The song “I’ll Be There” was composed by Berry Gordy, Hal Davis, Bob West, and Willie Hutch. The track was released on the 1970 album ABC. It stands as the last of the four number-one singles the Jackson Five released between 1969 and 1970.

# 2 – ABC

One look at the title of this song, and you know you will be instantly singing this one. A perfect marriage of dance and melody made for one of the most memorable songs of 1969. The Corporation wrote the song. The Jackson Five heavily promoted the song by performing it on major network television shows when they first released it. “ABC” was the group’s second straight number-one hit.

# 1 – I Want You Back

We close out our top 10 Jackson Five songs list with the song that started it all. The classic song “I Want You Back” was the first single ever released by The Jackson Five. Most major-label recording groups never achieve the success of a number-one single. Those who do, with some exceptions, wait a while before they reach the number one spot. The Jackson Five did it on their very first single on a major label (Motown), and then three more times in a row between 1969 and 1970. “I Want You Back” was released on the Jackson Five’s first album, entitled Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5.