The Jacksons (album)
1976 studio album by The Jacksons
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The Jacksons is the eleventh studio album by the Jacksons, the band's first album for Epic Records 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 Epic, and 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.[2]
- Sigma Sound (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- Paragon Studios (Chicago, Illinois)
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| Released | November 5, 1976[1] | |||
| Recorded | June–September 1976 | |||
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| Length | 39:27 | |||
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| The Jacksons chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Jacksons | ||||
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Critical reception
| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C+[4] |
| Rolling Stone | mixed[5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
| Uncut | [7] |
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 record 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 on this album. The album also spawned a second successful R&B single, "Show You the Way to Go" (UK no. 1). Though never released as a single, "Good Times" became a popular album cut from regular quiet storm airplay.
Commercial performance
Track listing
All tracks are written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Enjoy Yourself" |
| Michael Jackson and Jackie Jackson | 3:24 |
| 2. | "Think Happy" | Michael Jackson and Jackie Jackson | 3:07 | |
| 3. | "Good Times" | Jackie Jackson | 4:57 | |
| 4. | "Keep on Dancing" | Dexter Wansel | Michael Jackson | 4:31 |
| 5. | "Blues Away" | Michael Jackson | Michael Jackson | 3:12 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Show You the Way to Go" | Michael Jackson | 5:30 | |
| 7. | "Living Together" | Wansel | Jackie Jackson | 4:26 |
| 8. | "Strength of One Man" |
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| 3:56 |
| 9. | "Dreamer" | Michael Jackson | 3:05 | |
| 10. | "Style of Life" |
| Michael Jackson | 3:19 |
| Total length: | 39:27 | |||
Personnel
Arrangements
- Bobby Martin, Jack Faith, Dexter Wansel
Producers
- 1–3, 6, 9 – Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff
- 4, 7 – Dexter Wansel
- 5, 10 – Gamble, Huff, Wansel, the Jacksons, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead
- 8 – McFadden, Whitehead and Victor Carstarphen[8]
Music
- MFSB, Tito Jackson, Randy Jackson
Technical
- Jay Mark, Joe Tarsia – mixing
- Joe Tarsia – recording
- John Berg – album design
- Harou Miyauchi – cover drawings
- Norman Seeff – photography
Charts
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[13] | Gold | 500,000^ |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||