The Jacksons (album)

The Jacksons
Studio album by The Jacksons
Released November 5, 1976
Recorded June – October 1976
at Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genre Soul, R&B, funk, Philadelphia soul
Length 39:27
Label Epic Records
Philadelphia International Records
Producer Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff
McFadden & Whitehead
Victor Carstarphen
Dexter Wansel
The Jacksons
The Jacksons chronology
Joyful Jukebox Music
(1976)		 The Jacksons
(1976)		 Goin' Places
(1977)
Singles from The Jacksons
  1. "Enjoy Yourself"
    Released: September 29, 1976
  2. "Show You the Way to Go"
    Released: January 6, 1977
  3. "Dreamer"
    Released: March 14, 1977

The Jacksons is the thirteenth studio album by The Jacksons, the band's first album for CBS and under the name "The Jacksons," following their seven-year tenure at Motown as "The Jackson 5". Jackson 5 member Jermaine Jackson stayed with Motown when his brothers broke their contracts and left for CBS; he was replaced by youngest Jackson brother Randy. The album was released in 1976 for Epic Records and Philadelphia International Records as a joint venture.

History

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Rolling Stone(mixed)[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]

Philadelphia International heads Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff produced and executive produced the album, including their first top ten hit in two years "Enjoy Yourself", but had a difficult time focusing on a sound for the now-grown-up boy band. However, the group was able for the first time to write their own material, something that had been denied to them at Motown. The Jacksons composed "Style of Life" and "Blues Away" on their own. "Blues Away" was the first published song written by lead singer Michael Jackson, who began to take a more percussive vocal approach beginning with this album. This album also spawned a second successful R&B single, "Show You the Way to Go" (UK #1). Though never released as a single, "Good Times" became a popular album cut from regular quiet storm airplay. The album itself placed #36 and #6 on the pop and R&B album charts respectively.

The album was the Jacksons' first gold album, despite their having sold more than 10 million albums while at Motown. (Motown's sales and financial records were not presented for auditing by the RIAA until 1976).

Track listing

Side One

  1. "Enjoy Yourself" (recorded 1976) (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff) – 3:24
  2. "Think Happy" (recorded 1976) (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff) – 3:07
  3. "Good Times" (recorded 1976) (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff) – 4:57
  4. "Keep on Dancing" (recorded 1976) (Dexter Wansel) – 4:31
  5. "Blues Away" (recorded 1976) (Michael Jackson) – 3:12

Side Two

  1. "Show You the Way to Go" (recorded 1976) (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff) – 5:30
  2. "Living Together" (recorded 1976) (Dexter Wansel) – 4:26
  3. "Strength of One Man" (recorded 1976) (Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Victor Carstarphen) – 3:56
  4. "Dreamer" (recorded 1976) (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff) – 3:05
  5. "Style of Life" (recorded 1976) (Tito Jackson, Michael Jackson) – 3:19


Produced by:
1-3, 6, 9 - Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff
4, 7 - Dexter Wansel
5, 10 - Gamble, Leon Huff, Wansel, the Jacksons, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead
8 - McFadden, Whitehead and Victor Carstarphen [4]

Personnel

Lead vocals

Michael leads the tracks 4–6 and 9–10 on his own while he and his brother Jackie lead the vocals on tracks 1–3 and 7. All the brothers (except Tito) sing together on track 8.

Arrangements
Music
Technical

Charts

Chart (1977) Peak
position
Billboard Pop Albums[5] 36
Billboard Top Soul Albums[5] 6

Singles

Year Single Chart positions[6]
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. R&B
1976 "Enjoy Yourself" 6 2
1977 "Show You the Way to Go" 28 6

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[7] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Elias, Jason. The Jacksons: The Jacksons > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 03 October 2011.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Jacksons-The-Jacksons/release/4700613
  5. 1 2 "The Jacksons US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  6. ↑ "The Jacksons US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  7. ↑ "American album certifications – The Jacksons – The Jacksons". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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