ABC/D.Ross Presents [Import]

Track Listings

1. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

2. Nobody

3. I Want You Back

4. Can You Remember

5. Standing In The Shadows Of Love

6. You've Changed

7. My Cherie Amour

8. Who's Lovin' You

9. Chained

10. (I Know) I'm Losing You

11. Stand

12. Born To Love You

13. ABC Track Listing:

14. The Love You Save

15. One More Chance

16. ABC

17. 2-4-6-8

18. (Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need

19. Don't Know Why I Love You

20. Never Had A Dream Come True

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Import version of Motown's '2 Classic Albums On 1 CD Series'. Reissue of 'Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5' (1969) and 'ABC' (1970) together on 1 CD. Packaged in a full color slipcase with original artwork and 8 page booklet. The former LP peaked at #5 & is out of print in the U.S. Universal.

ABC/D.Ross Presents,Jackson 5,Soul/R & B

Tracks:

Excerpts From: Pee Wee's Big Adventure
Excerpts From: Batman
Excerpts From: Dick Tracy
Excerpts From: Beetlejuice
Excerpts From: Nightbreed
Excerpts From: Darkman
Excerpts From: Back To School
Excerpts From: Midnight Run
Excerpts From: Wisdom
Excerpts From: Hot To Trot
Excerpts From: Big Top Pee Wee
Excerpts From: The Simpsons
Excerpts From: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Jar
Excerpts From: Tales From The Crypt
Excerpts From: Face Like A Frog
Excerpts From: Forbidden Zone
Excerpts From: Scrooged

Customer Reviews:

Great compilation - and that's just the first half........2005-09-14

I first got this on cassette in the summer of '94 and listened to it every day, drawn by its thematic range and compositional depth. And that was just side-one.

Elfman pioneered the sound that drives today's movie adaptations of comic-books and darker-themed children's stories. Side-One kicks things off with a rollicking, hyper-cartoonish theme from the first Pee-Wee movie - the one where Pee-Wee searches for his beloved bike. Elfman's theme contains layers of different rides - on tightropes, highways, in the middle of a NASCAR rally - which rudely yet melodically crash into each other.

The Batman entry actually contains several pieces - the opening credits, the extended sequence in the cathedral and the climax - which show Batman's darkened extreme at its "Frank Miller" best. (Dir. Tim Burton couldn't sustain the mood in the next sequel, and the franchise took a turn towards the camp of the TV series with the next 2 movies.)

The theme for "Dick Tracy" is perhaps the most romantic on this disc, a quality that surpasses the theme's comic-book origins, but ends on an ironic note that's pure Elfman.

"Beetlejuice" (opening & closing credits) gives Elfman's childish ID a chance to stretch its legs, or in this case, slam-dance.

"Nightbreed" is an enigma wrapped in a dark mystery, and that's just Elfman's score. Elfman's work on this movie is as good as the movie wasn't, having a more powerful narrative than the script - easily the best track on the entire disc, one likely to exceed the movie in its dose of chills.

"Darkman" doesn't quite rise to the occasion, though the score may be hobbled by the movie itself, which seldom surpassed one of the many "Batman" clones of the early 1990's. "Darkman" (the movie, I mean) excelled as a parody of many comicbook staples (the wronged hero, the relentless villain, the scientific breakthrough with just one flaw), but not enough to escape being largely anonymous. Within those constraints, it's still a moving if scary piece.

When is Elfman not like Elfman? When he was in the mid-late `80's and scored "Back to School" (A Rodney Dangerfield vehicle) and "Midnight Run". Horns in "School" bring it closer to Elfman's over-the-top style, while "Run" sounds like a love-theme for the run-down, out-of-the-way parts of America that seldom appear in Elfman-movies. "Run" is a fun score for a fun movie - it's nothing like Elfman's previous work but it perfectly captures the on-the-road-without-a-map craziness of the movie.

To this day, I don't know why I never ventured to Side-two, but it's irrelevant. Even half this disc is worth it

The best of Elfman!!!.......2005-09-05

I was obsessed about getting this CD right from when I heard about it. I found it at the library and was so excited about it, and it didn't let me down. In fact, it was a lot better than I expected. It's a fun and creepy (strange mix, but it really works!) collection of Danny Elfman's film and television soundtracks. The first track, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, is probably my favorite. Also, I really like Batman and Wisdom. Batman is creepy and dark, and Wisdom is just weird, in the best possible way.
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes film music, or everyone who is even the tiniest bit an Elfman fan. It's amazing!

Great Collection, A LIttle Too Eclectic.......2003-08-19

You should be able to tell from the movies and TV shows listed here whether or not you'd be interested in this collection. It's a little too eclectic for my tastes (hence only 4 stars) but better than volume 2. I think thatthe miscellaneous collected ites here along with the previously unreleased stuff should make this worth buying. Especially if you're a fan of Elfman's movie soundtrack work.

What Great Music.......2003-05-11

I fell in love with the music of Danny Elfman when Beetlejuice came out. There was something different about the music that he made. When Edward Scissorhands, and then Nightmare Before Christmas - I knew this man was a musical master. Its the verbal form of surrealism.

super.......2003-04-17

What a great CD. Danny's music is so original and inventive. this CD contains his pre 90's quirky, gothic music. it's all very well written and beautifully orchestrated. batman and darkman contain some really excellent long, dark, gothic cues that really take u away from reality. in my opinion no one, apart from howard shore, is as inventive and original as danny in the world of filmmusic. he far surpasses the repetitive works of williams or horner. buy this, and volume two, and keep supporting one of the greatest film composers of all time.ohh...and buy fellowship of the ring and two towers by howard shore....amazing work!

Average customer rating:

No superlative good enough for this found in my thesaurus
A Triumphant Debut for one of THE BEST groups in music history!!
Exuberant Music
CLASSIC CHILDHOOD FAVORITE...STILL SOUNDS FRESH (ABC that is
Strong debuts of the J-5

Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5/ABC
The Jackson 5
Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

Motown | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Philly Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Teen Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Bubblegum | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

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Similar Items:

Third Album/Maybe Tomorrow
Lookin' Through the Windows/Goin' Back to Indiana
Dancing Machine/Moving Violation
Got to Be There
Goin' Places

ASIN: B00005N8V6
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Tracks:

Zip A Dee Doo Dah
Nobody
I Want You Back
Can You Remember
Standing In The Shadows Of Love
You've Changed
My Cherie Amour
Who's Lovin' You
Chained
(I Know) I'm Losing You
Stand!
Born To Love You
The Love You Save
One More Chance
ABC
2-4-6-8
(Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need
Don't Know Why I Love You
Never Had A Dream Come True
True Love Can Be Beautiful
La La (Means I Love You)
I'll Bet You
I Found That Girl
The Young Folks
Oh, I've Been Bless'd

Amazon.com

Gary, Indiana, brothers the Jackson 5 scored pop and R&B No. 1's with their first four singles for Motown, three of which are collected here. The mythical claim that Diana Ross discovered the Jacksons might have helped gain attention, but their talent clearly spoke for itself. A quartet of writer-producers, including company head Berry Gordy, devised a sound that melded the new funk with smooth soul. "I Want You Back," "ABC," and "The Love You Save" were influenced by Sly and the Family Stone while proving their own new, terrific thing. Both kids and adults embraced it: that 11-year-old Michael was a precocious talent amid a strong group dynamic made the 5 undeniable.

After the quickly assembled debut LP carrying the Ross credit, their identity as an album act was solidified by 1970's ABC, which found them thoroughly convincing on everything from school-days riffs like the title tune to a cover of Funkadelic's "I'll Bet You." The idea of a group "growing" from disc to disc may be clichéd, but this CD shows it was both literally and figuratively true in the Jackson 5's case. The rare outtake "Oh, I've Been Bless'd" is included as a bonus track. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

No superlative good enough for this found in my thesaurus.......2006-03-16

Below you will find a lengthy analysis of the opening song on this record "I want you back." If a single song can generate this kind of response, imagine the musical content of the entire 21 song record.

This song obliterates me. All the performances are incredible, including, to quote a friend, Michael's astounding, dumbfounding lead vocal.

The bass part sounds to me as if it came straight from the composer and arranger, but in any matter it's stuffed full with inventive ideas and super fonky! Given the calculated nature of this recording I would expect the arranger to have worked out the bass part note for note. The recording is a careful tapestry of many sounds that blend together to give the overall effect. The intro is a good example. The melody played by the bass is wonderful, but that melody is doubled by other instruments plus other things are woven around that melody, all indicating that the arranger wrote it all out note for note, the bass player serving to faithfully play the arrangement.

(Un)fortunately, any excellence in other portions of this song is obscured by Michael's unbelievable vocal. So much stuff, so much soul, so much range and flexibility. This vocal is way in the unbelievable range for any artist. But to come from a brand new 11 year old is, as my friend put it so well, "dumbfounding." (If this selection does not feature sound clips, look at other Jackson 5 records here on Amazon to hear the mentioned snippets.)
*He sounds a little hoarse and that increases the authority.
*The way he uses subtle, rhythmic vibrato on the word "me" in the phrase "won't you please let me back in your heart." (Hear this on the Amazon snippet.)
*The pause and surprise attack on the word "back" in the same phrase. (Hear this on the Amazon snippet.)
*The screaming with 100% authority.
*The drifting out of tune on the words "now, baby, yeah" in the phrase "Yes I do now, Oh oh baby, yeah yeah yeah yeah, Nah Nah no no." (Is there a technical term for this "drifting out of tune" vocal technique?) (Hear this on the Amazon snippet.)
*The authority and inventiveness and soul of the scatting on that same phrase and other scats in the song, including the various fun "Huh"s.
*The natural way he does the call and response sections with his brothers.
*The perfect timing all over the place, including jumping on some of the responses a little early.
*The exciting vocal build on the phrase "All I want, all I need, all I want, all I need!" with the fantastic atonal exclamation on the second "all I want."
And on and on. You could almost analyze every single note the guy sings. The fact that this guy could do this at 11 years old shows beyond any question that singing at this level requires talent given to you directly by God. You can't get it and you can't learn it. God either gave it to you or He didn't. My guess is that some genius worked out most of this stuff and recorded a track for Michael to sing along with during the session. I mean God given talent or not, Michael could not have come up with that stuff on his own, atonal, drifting out of tune, etc. But to even sing along and get these results....incredible. Plus, who was that singing genius that came up with all that stuff?

Other great parts of the song are the pervasive background vocals, the excellent call and response, the subtle, almost inaudible use of strings and background vocalizing, and the various guitar parts that weave an interesting tapestry.

One thing that I think is ground breaking but at the same time takes away from this arrangement is the calculated, restrained drum part. The drum part sounds completely canned, written out and played note for note. It's not exuberant; instead it's carefully restrained. To my ears it sounds too mellow for this joyous, raucous romp. But it's groundbreaking because this style of drumming became prevalent later and today in the 2000s you rarely hear any drum pyrotechnics in favor of a steady drum beat that does not break the flow of the song.

I wonder if all the vocals on this recording are Jacksons? I assume they are and that shows the talent of this family and the quality of this product.

Excellence and analysis of each individual part aside, the real value of this song, besides Michael's vocal which you simply can not retire to the background, is the overall sound. Each part is carefully calculated and blended to create a unique, exuberant, joyful, new, and instantly recognizable sound that's unlike anything that had been heard before. Though each part is worthy of study, perhaps the best way to listen to this song is with a 6 inch speaker through an AM radio in your car. And isn't that the way it was meant to be?

Larry Brown

A Triumphant Debut for one of THE BEST groups in music history!!.......2005-10-19

I'm only 22 years old and i am a big fan of the Jacksons history. When I bought this album,it showed me exactly what was to come out of this group years later down the road. The first song Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Da is the perfect 2 start off a debut album. The next 3 tracks,"Nobody","Can You Remember?",and their classic single "I Want You Back" (which in my opinion would be the only J5 song 2 sound good without any drums playing in the background). A standout track on the first album is "Born To Love You" where Michael and Marlon do their own vocal-trade off. Considering I like 2 sing all of Marlon Jacksons' parts on their songs. The follow-up album was also pretty good,but the lack of hit material after the song "2-4-6-8" is why this review is only 4 stars,but HEY!! it's still a good CD 2 own in your collection.

Exuberant Music.......2004-12-17

The J5 debut and sophomore discs on Motown are collected here and, interestingly enough, the two albums sound remarkably different. The first, "Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5" is rooted in the older Motown sound, produced largely by Bobby Taylor and including several covers (in fact, nearly all the songs were covers). For the most part, these covers are made very unique, but aren't really exciting or fresh. The exception to this rule is their smoking, bluesy soul on "Who's Loving You." This was the b-side to the only single on the album, the #1 smash "I Want You Back," regarded by many critics as perhaps the most perfect pop song ever released. Aside from these two tracks, the album shifts between decent pleasantries and ho-hum covers. If released in 1966, this album would have been much better suited than it was in 1969. When the first shouts of "The Love You Save" come through the speakers, it's clear that the "ABC" half of this disc is going to be very different. At times spunky, gorgeous, and precocious, "ABC" is one kiddie album that shouldn't be overlooked. In one recent poll of critics and musicians alike, it ranked among the top 100 albums. Containing two more #1 hits, this was a successful record and the basis for what woule become the Jackson 5's signature sound for years, until songs like "Get It Together" and "Dancing Machine" helped propel them towards the funk/dance arena.

CLASSIC CHILDHOOD FAVORITE...STILL SOUNDS FRESH (ABC that is.......2004-03-19

I am 40 years old and still listening to this album. I still can't get over how absolutley fabulous these songs are. 2-4-6-8 has a hook that I can't get out of my head. Don't Know Why I Love You is classic J-5. Michael wails on this one, nice cover of a Stevie Wonder song. Of course..ABC and The Love You Save are the instant classics on this album..but howabout "I'll Bet You" and "The Young Folks"..The Young Folks is a cover of a Supremes song, but the J5's version demolishes it. My all time fave though is "One More Chance".. I think I have played this song over a thousand times. What a great ballad. Nice melody and vocal performance. This would have gotten 5 stars, bought I still am not fond of "True Love Can Be Beautiful" and "Never HAd a Dream Come True". Their next great lp was "Maybe Tomorrow".

Strong debuts of the J-5.......2002-08-03

Not counting the Steeltown records, these albums were the debuts of the J/5. Couldn't have started on a better note! Much has been said about the original tunes, but the J/5 were brilliant at covering tunes and making them their own. These versions of "Can You Remember," "Stand," "Born to Love You," "Standing in the Shadows of Love," "Oh How Happy," "La la Means I love You," "Come Round Here," "Who's Lovin' You," etc. usually outclass the original versions. This two-cd set lives up to the cliche' ALL KILLER NO FILLER!

'70s Preservation Society Presents Disco Fever: 40 Top Hits

Average customer rating:

'70s Preservation Society Presents Disco Fever: 40 Top Hits
Various Artists , The Hustle (Van McCoy) 2. Turn The Beat Around (Vicki Sue Robinson) 3. If I Can't Have You (Yvonne Elliman , Wind & Fire/Emotions) 5. In The Bush (Musique) 6. Never Knew Love Like This Before (Stephanie Mills Boogie Wonderland (Earth , Kool & the Gang) 8. Ring My Bell (Anita Ward) 9. Bad Luck (Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes) 10. Car Wash (Rose Royce , Another Love Like Mine (Lou Rawls) 15. Boogie Oogie Oogie (A Taste Of Honey) 16. Born To Be Alive (Patrick Hernandez , Inc.) Rock Freak) (G.Q.) 18. Shame (Evelyn "Champagne" King) 19. Boogie Fever (The Sylvers) 20. Funkytown (Lipps , Bee Gees) 2. Got To Be Real (Cheryl Lynn) 3. I'm Your Boogie Man (KC & The Sunshine Band) 4. Love Hangover (Diana Ross , More, More (Pt. 1) (Andrea True Connection) 7. Fly Robin Fly (Silver Convention The Nightlife (Disco 'Round) (Alicia Bridges) 6. More , Let Me Be Misunderstood (Santa Esmerelda) 9. More Than A Woman (Tavares) 10. Heart Of Glass (Blondie) 11. Disco Inferno (The Trammps) , and A Fifth Of Beethoven (Walter Murphy) 19. Right Back Where We Started From (Maxine Nightingale) 20. I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Disco | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000MZ6ROQ

Product Description

Includes: DISC ONE: 1. The Hustle (Van McCoy) 2. Turn The Beat Around (Vicki Sue Robinson) 3. If I Can't Have You (Yvonne Elliman) 4. Boogie Wonderland (Earth, Wind & Fire/Emotions) 5. In The Bush (Musique) 6. Never Knew Love Like This Before (Stephanie Mills) 7. Ladies Night (Kool & the Gang) 8. Ring My Bell (Anita Ward) 9. Bad Luck (Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes) 10. Car Wash (Rose Royce) 11. Don't Leave Me This Way (Thelma Houston) 12. Y.M.C.A (Village People) 13. Take Your Time (Do It Right) (S.O.S. Band) 14. You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine (Lou Rawls) 15. Boogie Oogie Oogie (A Taste Of Honey) 16. Born To Be Alive (Patrick Hernandez) 17. Disco Nights (Rock Freak) (G.Q.) 18. Shame (Evelyn "Champagne" King) 19. Boogie Fever (The Sylvers) 20. Funkytown (Lipps, Inc.) DISC TWO: 1. Night Fever (Bee Gees) 2. Got To Be Real (Cheryl Lynn) 3. I'm Your Boogie Man (KC & The Sunshine Band) 4. Love Hangover (Diana Ross) 5. I Love The Nightlife (Disco 'Round) (Alicia Bridges) 6. More, More, More (Pt. 1) (Andrea True Connection) 7. Fly Robin Fly (Silver Convention) 8. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Santa Esmerelda) 9. More Than A Woman (Tavares) 10. Heart Of Glass (Blondie) 11. Disco Inferno (The Trammps) 12. Knock On Wood (Amii Stewart) 13. Boogie Nights (Heatwave) 14. Disco Lady (Johnnie Taylor) 15. Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1) (Marvin Gaye) 16. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now (McFadden & Whitehead) 17. T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia) (M.F.S.B. Featuring The Three Degrees) 18. A Fifth Of Beethoven (Walter Murphy) 19. Right Back Where We Started From (Maxine Nightingale) 20. I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)

Average customer rating:

Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5/ABC
The Jackson 5
Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

Motown | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Philly Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Teen Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Bubblegum | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Average customer rating:

Big Debut

Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Disco | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

Motown | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Philly Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
Nobody
I Want You Back
Can You Remember
Standing in the Shadows of Love
You've Changed
My Cherie Amour
Who's Lovin' You
Chained
(I Know) I'm Losing You
Stand!
Born to Love You

Customer Reviews:

Big Debut.......2007-01-24

The Jackson 5 exploded on to the music scene in late 1969 with one of the greatest singles of all time, "I Want You Back". The song is as perfect a three minute single as you could record. The five brothers from Gary, Indiana had been honing their craft on the road for a few years before being discovered by the Motown label. Although Diana Ross gets credit for discovering the band, it was really Bobby Taylor form the label's virtually unknown Bobby & The Vancouvers that brought the brothers to Berry Gordy's attention. History aside, their first album is titled Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 and band does their mentor proud with a stellar debut that is mostly made up of cover tunes, but shows off the brother's picture perfect vocals. As mentioned, "I Want You Back" is the centerpiece of the album and the song shot to number one on the charts. Their cover of The Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You" shows off young Michael's impressive vocal skills while their take on Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour" allows Jermaine to shine. Other great tracks include "Nobody", "You've Changed" and a killer remake of the Four Tops "Standing In The Shadows Of Love".

The Best Of American Music - The Limited Presents Motown

Average customer rating:

The Best Of American Music - The Limited Presents Motown

Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000F3Q6SC

Product Description

Track Title 1. Got To Give It Up -- Marvin Gaye 2. It's A Shame -- The Spinners 3. Being With You -- Smokey Robinson 4. These Eyes -- Junior Walker & The All Stars 5. I'll Be There -- The Jackson 5 6. Ain't No Mountain High Enough -- Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 7. Going To A Go-Go -- Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 8. My Guy -- Mary Wells 9. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) -- Junior Walker & The All Stars 10. I Can't Get Next To You -- The Temptations 11. Ain't That Peculiar -- Marvin Gaye 12. Bernadette -- The Four Tops

Average customer rating:

Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5/ABC
The Jackson 5
Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Motown | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Philly Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Teen Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Bubblegum | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Average customer rating:

No superlative good enough for this found in my thesaurus
5 Star Music, 5 Star Presentation!

Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5/ABC
The Jackson 5
Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

Motown | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Philly Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Teen Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Bubblegum | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

R&B | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004WZ5V
Release Date: 2000-10-23

Tracks:

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
Nobody
I Want You Back
Can You Remember
Standing In The Shadows Of Love
You've Changed
My Cherie Amour
Who's Lovin' You
Chained
(I Know) I'm Losing You
Stand
Born To Love You
ABC Track Listing:
The Love You Save
One More Chance
ABC
2-4-6-8
(Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need
Don't Know Why I Love You
Never Had A Dream Come True
True Love Can Be Beautiful
La La (Means I Love You)
I'll Bet You
I Found That Girl
The Young Folks

Album Description

Import version of Motown's '2 Classic Albums On 1 CD Series'. Reissue of 'Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5' (1969) and 'ABC' (1970) together on 1 CD. Packaged in a full color slipcase with original artwork and 8 page booklet. The former LP peaked at #5 & is out of print in the U.S. Universal.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Reissue of Two Albums on One CD of their First Breakthru Albums, Chock with Lots their Hits.

Customer Reviews:

No superlative good enough for this found in my thesaurus.......2006-03-16

Below you will find a lengthy analysis of one song on this record "I want you back." If a single song can generate this kind of response, imagine the musical content of the entire 21 song record.

This song obliterates me. All the performances are incredible, including, to quote a friend, Michael's astounding, dumbfounding lead vocal.

The bass part sounds to me as if it came straight from the composer and arranger, but in any matter it's stuffed full with inventive ideas and super fonky! Given the calculated nature of this recording I would expect the arranger to have worked out the bass part note for note. The recording is a careful tapestry of many sounds that blend together to give the overall effect. The intro is a good example. The melody played by the bass is wonderful, but that melody is doubled by other instruments plus other things are woven around that melody, all indicating that the arranger wrote it all out note for note, the bass player serving to faithfully play the arrangement.

(Un)fortunately, any excellence in other portions of this song is obscured by Michael's unbelievable vocal. So much stuff, so much soul, so much range and flexibility. This vocal is way in the unbelievable range for any artist. But to come from a brand new 11 year old is, as my friend put it so well, "dumbfounding." (If this selection does not feature sound clips, look at other Jackson 5 records here on Amazon to hear the mentioned snippets.)
*He sounds a little hoarse and that increases the authority.
*The way he uses subtle, rhythmic vibrato on the word "me" in the phrase "won't you please let me back in your heart." (Hear this on the Amazon snippet.)
*The pause and surprise attack on the word "back" in the same phrase. (Hear this on the Amazon snippet.)
*The screaming with 100% authority.
*The drifting out of tune on the words "now, baby, yeah" in the phrase "Yes I do now, Oh oh baby, yeah yeah yeah yeah, Nah Nah no no." (Is there a technical term for this "drifting out of tune" vocal technique?) (Hear this on the Amazon snippet.)
*The authority and inventiveness and soul of the scatting on that same phrase and other scats in the song, including the various fun "Huh"s.
*The natural way he does the call and response sections with his brothers.
*The perfect timing all over the place, including jumping on some of the responses a little early.
*The exciting vocal build on the phrase "All I want, all I need, all I want, all I need!" with the fantastic atonal exclamation on the second "all I want."
And on and on. You could almost analyze every single note the guy sings. The fact that this guy could do this at 11 years old shows beyond any question that singing at this level requires talent given to you directly by God. You can't get it and you can't learn it. God either gave it to you or He didn't. My guess is that some genius worked out most of this stuff and recorded a track for Michael to sing along with during the session. I mean God given talent or not, Michael could not have come up with that stuff on his own, atonal, drifting out of tune, etc. But to even sing along and get these results....incredible. Plus, who was that singing genius that came up with all that stuff?

Other great parts of the song are the pervasive background vocals, the excellent call and response, the subtle, almost inaudible use of strings and background vocalizing, and the various guitar parts that weave an interesting tapestry.

One thing that I think is ground breaking but at the same time takes away from this arrangement is the calculated, restrained drum part. The drum part sounds completely canned, written out and played note for note. It's not exuberant; instead it's carefully restrained. To my ears it sounds too mellow for this joyous, raucous romp. But it's groundbreaking because this style of drumming became prevalent later and today in the 2000s you rarely hear any drum pyrotechnics in favor of a steady drum beat that does not break the flow of the song.

I wonder if all the vocals on this recording are Jacksons? I assume they are and that shows the talent of this family and the quality of this product.

Excellence and analysis of each individual part aside, the real value of this song, besides Michael's vocal which you simply can not retire to the background, is the overall sound. Each part is carefully calculated and blended to create a unique, exuberant, joyful, new, and instantly recognizable sound that's unlike anything that had been heard before. Though each part is worthy of study, perhaps the best way to listen to this song is with a 6 inch speaker through an AM radio in your car. And isn't that the way it was meant to be?

Larry Brown

5 Star Music, 5 Star Presentation!.......2000-11-29

The J5's first two albums were among the best soul LPs of their era : melodic, funky, and fun; "ABC" is still the best J5 album for all-round quality of material. The real treat here, though, besides the terrific music (you know the hits, but try "Don't Know Why I Love You" (a breathtaking Stevie Wonder cover) or "2-4-6-8" (kiddie music, but fun), is the care lavished on these recordings. If you've heard the old US-released Motown 2-on-1 CD's of the 1980's, you may recall how flat and claustrophobic they sounded. Not these UK reissues. The remastered sound is spacious, dynamic, and ultra-clean. Add to that the classy cardboard slipcovers over the slimline jewel cases containing full reproductions of the front and back LP cover artwork of both LPs and you'll wonder what's up with US Motown that the British are doing a better job with American soul music. Anyway, only "ABC" is currently in print in the US, so you'll be doubly glad to spring for this reasonably-priced import. Added note : According to the booklet, a selection of 2-on-1 1960's Supremes and Temptations CDs are also available in this series. If they're anything like this one....

R&B Music:

R&B Music

r&b music

Recommended Music:

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Chopin: Ballade No. 4, Polonaise-fantaisie, Barcarolle, Berceuse

Concerti for Strings

Music CD: Arboles [Import]

Day for Night [Import]

Dalida: La Légende [Box set] [Import]

El Amor

Certified Country

Christmas Gift for You

Bolero [Import]

Cannonball Adderley Collection, Vol. 6: Cannonball Takes Charge

Cookin' with Calamity

Cook Your Woofers

You Can Be a Daddy, But Never Daddy-O

Shape of Things to Come

1. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
2. Nobody
3. I Want You Back
4. Can You Remember
5. Standing In The Shadows Of Love
6. You've Changed
7. My Cherie Amour
8. Who's Lovin' You
9. Chained
10. (I Know) I'm Losing You
11. Stand
12. Born To Love You
13. ABC Track Listing:
14. The Love You Save
15. One More Chance
16. ABC
17. 2-4-6-8
18. (Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need
19. Don't Know Why I Love You
20. Never Had A Dream Come True
See all 25 tracks on this disc