4 of The Jackson 5’s Best Songs (If You’re Not Already a Fan)

Before Michael Jackson took over the world with his solo career, he was winning over the hearts of Motown listeners with The Jackson 5. Here are a few of the best songs from the quintet, if you’re not already obsessed with this R&B group.

“ABC”

This song, which was also the title track for The Jackson 5’s sophomore album, was written by Barry Gordy, who wrote over 200 songs for Motown Records. If you look at the lyrics to this classic, it’s actually a pretty clever little song.

You went to school to learn girl
things you never knew before
like “I” before “E” except after “C”
and why 2 plus 2 makes 4
now, now, now
I’m gonna teach you, teach you, teach you
all about love girl, all about love
sit yourself down, take a seat
all you gotta do is repeat after me.

“I Want You Back”

Not only was this song the group’s first No. 1 hit, but it was also the first song they’d ever released. It sparked intrigue, to say the least, especially because the lead vocals of this song were performed by an 11-year-old Michael Jackson, who would later go on to become the King of Pop.

If this one gives you déjà vu, it’s probably because it’s been sampled by over 90 artists.

“I’ll Be There”

This ballad vows to carry the listener through all of life’s trials and tribulations, no matter what happens. According to Michael Jackson, this was the song that really solidified the group’s stardom.

“‘I’ll Be There’ was really the song that launched us, the one that said to the world, ‘We’re here and we’re not leaving,’” he wrote in his biography, Moonwalk. “It was number one for five weeks, which is very unusual. That’s a lot for one song, and it was one of my favorites of all the songs I’ve ever done.”

“Never Can Say Goodbye”

This one was actually originally written for The Supremes, another notably successful Motown group. “Never Can Say Goodbye” sings about being head over heels for a partner. So much so that you can’t quite seem to leave them when it’s time to go.

Gloria Gaynor also released her own version of this song, which went No. 1 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart.

Photo by: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images