Joyful Jukebox Music
Encyclopedia
Joyful Jukebox Music came out after breaking the contract with Motown, Michael and his brothers had already released the album The Jacksons when it landed in the bins. Before this break, the Jackson 5 were working like animals, dozens of songs per album, Motown has gathered some recorded around the years 1972-1975, for recording sessions and albums: Skywriter
, Get It Together
, Dancing Machine
and Moving Violation
. Those years were very prolific for the Jackson brothers, since in addition to the aforementioned two albums and tracks, Jermaine, Michael and Jackie each had a solo album at that time (respectively Come Into My Life, Music & Me
, Jackie Jackson
and Forever, Michael
), Tito also recorded instrumental solos, which may one day emerge.
Joyful Jukebox Music, along with Boogie
, were distributed for a very short period, and the album remains the rarest of the Jackson 5. In 2004, it was available for a limited time from Hip-O Select, to compliment the Motown's 2001 "2 Albums on 1 CD" re-issue set of the Jackson 5's albums, on which some of these songs were issued as bonus tracks. Although only 5,000 copies were pressed, the album contains the previously unreleased full 15+ minute take of the song "Hum Along and Dance." It is currently available for purchase on iTunes
.
by Lindsay Planer (All Music)
Although technically credited to "The Jackson Five featuring Michael Jackson," Joyful Jukebox Music (1976) was actually issued after the quintet split from Motown, their home for five years and a total of 11 long-players. The majority of the contents had been cut several years earlier circa the sessions that yielded Skywriter (1973) and Get It Together (1973). As Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Randy and Michael had yet to surface with any new material from their freshly-inked deal with Epic Records, Motown was understandably eager to get their platters on the air and in the racks before the competition. One primary correlation connecting tracks on this collection to those aforementioned LPs and many of the band's earlier successes is the involvement of Freddie Perren (keyboard) and Fonce Mizell (keyboards). The pair were part of the Corporation, Motown's team of producers, musicians and composers whose elite membership also consisted of Bobby Taylor, Deke Richards (guitar) and the label's co-founder Berry Gordy. While certainly releasable, enthusiasts will be able to tell why the majority of the selections had originally been delegated to the cutting-room. That certainly shouldn't suggest that the entire affair is a washout as the lovely ballad "Through Thick and Thin," and the Perren co-penned up-tempo jiver "Make Tonight All Mine" are arguably better than anything that had turned up on either Skywriter or Get It Together. When dipping into the incalculably voluminous Motown back catalog, they only come up with an interesting, though ultimately dissatisfying, if not excessive overhaul of Marvin Gaye's "Pride and Joy." Worse still are the self-serving schmaltzy "We're Here to Entertain You" and the equally unnecessary closer "We're Gonna Change Our Style." Granted, compilers may have considered it as a fitting harbinger to the next stage in the Jacksons career, however modern ears will probably dismiss it as extraneous filler.
Remember All music journos are music elitists and idiot snobs, to diss the funky Get it Together LP in this review is just plain foolish.On this LP Pride and Joy stands out.
Skywriter
Skywriter was the sixth official studio album by The Jackson 5, released in March 1973. Lead singer Michael's vocals were now showing the signs of his maturing tenor voice, while Jermaine's voice had become much deeper in tone...
, Get It Together
Get It Together
Get It Together can refer to:* G.I.T.: Get It Together, album by the Jackson 5* "Get It Together" * "Get It Together" *"Get It Together" * "Get It Together", song by Grand Funk Railroad...
, Dancing Machine
Dancing Machine
"Dancing Machine" is a 1973 song recorded by The Jackson 5, released as a single in 1974. The group's first US Top Ten hit since 1971's "Sugar Daddy", "Dancing Machine" reached number two on the Billboard pop music charts in May 1974, and number one on the R&B charts...
and Moving Violation
Moving Violation
Moving Violation is the ninth and final official studio album released on Motown Records by The Jackson 5.By the end of their six-year run in Motown, all five Jackson brothers had matured dramatically in both age and vocals: youngest member Michael was, at 16, the only non-adult in the group...
. Those years were very prolific for the Jackson brothers, since in addition to the aforementioned two albums and tracks, Jermaine, Michael and Jackie each had a solo album at that time (respectively Come Into My Life, Music & Me
Music & Me
-Compilation album:Music & Me is sometimes confused with a Michael Jackson compilation album of the same name that Motown Records released in 1993...
, Jackie Jackson
Jackie Jackson (album)
Jackie Jackson is the self titled debut album from Jackie Jackson, the eldest member of the Jackson 5. The album was released on Motown Records....
and Forever, Michael
Forever, Michael
-Personnel:*Michael Jackson – lead and background vocals*David Blumberg - arranger*Jim Britt – photography*Hal Davis – producer*L.T. Horn – engineer, mixing*Eddy Manson – arranger, producer*Freddie Perren – arranger, producer...
), Tito also recorded instrumental solos, which may one day emerge.
Joyful Jukebox Music, along with Boogie
Boogie (album)
Boogie is a compilation album of both of previously released and unreleased tracks by the American band The Jacksons.it's released after the release of the Jacksons studio album Destiny in 1979-Background and composition:...
, were distributed for a very short period, and the album remains the rarest of the Jackson 5. In 2004, it was available for a limited time from Hip-O Select, to compliment the Motown's 2001 "2 Albums on 1 CD" re-issue set of the Jackson 5's albums, on which some of these songs were issued as bonus tracks. Although only 5,000 copies were pressed, the album contains the previously unreleased full 15+ minute take of the song "Hum Along and Dance." It is currently available for purchase on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
Track listing
- "Joyful Jukebox Music" (Tom Bee, Michael Edward Campbell) - 3:15 (Dancing Machine sessions, March 1974)
- "Window Shopping" (Clay Drayton, Tamy Smith, Pam SawyerPam SawyerPamela Sawyer, an American-based songwriter from Romford, East London.Sawyer worked with artists at Motown Records from 1967 to 1977. Before Motown she had been involved in hit records for the Young Rascals and Lulu, and wrote with Lori Burton with whom she also recorded as the Whyte Boots.Sawyer...
) - 2:47 (Dancing Machine sessions, December 8, 1973) - "You're My Best Friend, My Love" (Sam Brown III, Christine Yarian) - 3:24 (Forever Michael/ Moving Violation sessions, December 1974)
- "Love Is The Thing You Need" (Fonce Mizell, Larry Mizell) - 3:05 (Skywriter sessions, November 1972)
- "The Eternal Light" (Mel Larson, Jerry Marcellino) - 3:13 (Dancing Machine sessions, May 1974)
- "Pride and Joy" (Norman WhitfieldNorman WhitfieldNorman Jesse Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s...
, Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, William Stevenson) - 3:13 (Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
cover, G.I.T.: Get it Together sessions, May 1973) - "Through Thick and Thin" (Mel Larson, Jerry Marcellino) - 2:42 (Moving Violation sessions, November 1974)
- "We're Here To Entertain You" (Hal DavisHal DavisHarold Edward "Hal" Davis was an African American songwriter and record producer, best known as the key figure in the latter part of the Motown career of The Jackson 5....
, Nita Garfield, Charlotte O'Hara) - 3:02 (Dancing Machine sessions, March 1974) - "Make Tonight All Mine" (Freddie PerrenFreddie PerrenFrederick "Freddie" Perren was an American songwriter, record producer, arranger, and orchestra conductor best known for as a co-songwriter and co-producer of such mega-hits as "Boogie Fever" by the Sylvers, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, and "Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches &...
, Christine Yarian) - 3:19 (G.I.T.: Get it Together sessions, June - July 1973) - "We're Gonna Change Our Style" (Clay Drayton, Judy Cheeks) - 2:46 (Moving Violation sessions, February 1975)
Review
Although technically credited to "The Jackson Five featuring Michael Jackson," Joyful Jukebox Music (1976) was actually issued after the quintet split from Motown, their home for five years and a total of 11 long-players. The majority of the contents had been cut several years earlier circa the sessions that yielded Skywriter (1973) and Get It Together (1973). As Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Randy and Michael had yet to surface with any new material from their freshly-inked deal with Epic Records, Motown was understandably eager to get their platters on the air and in the racks before the competition. One primary correlation connecting tracks on this collection to those aforementioned LPs and many of the band's earlier successes is the involvement of Freddie Perren (keyboard) and Fonce Mizell (keyboards). The pair were part of the Corporation, Motown's team of producers, musicians and composers whose elite membership also consisted of Bobby Taylor, Deke Richards (guitar) and the label's co-founder Berry Gordy. While certainly releasable, enthusiasts will be able to tell why the majority of the selections had originally been delegated to the cutting-room. That certainly shouldn't suggest that the entire affair is a washout as the lovely ballad "Through Thick and Thin," and the Perren co-penned up-tempo jiver "Make Tonight All Mine" are arguably better than anything that had turned up on either Skywriter or Get It Together. When dipping into the incalculably voluminous Motown back catalog, they only come up with an interesting, though ultimately dissatisfying, if not excessive overhaul of Marvin Gaye's "Pride and Joy." Worse still are the self-serving schmaltzy "We're Here to Entertain You" and the equally unnecessary closer "We're Gonna Change Our Style." Granted, compilers may have considered it as a fitting harbinger to the next stage in the Jacksons career, however modern ears will probably dismiss it as extraneous filler.
Remember All music journos are music elitists and idiot snobs, to diss the funky Get it Together LP in this review is just plain foolish.On this LP Pride and Joy stands out.