The Jackson 5 - ABC

*Composed By Berry Gordy, Jr./Alphonso Mizell/Freddie Perren/Deke Richards

Title track of the Jackson 5's second album, issued in May 1970 in the US and August 1970 in the UK.

Originally titled '1-2-3' and 'ABCD' - demo versions are known to exist.

Premiered on the American Bandstand TV show in the US, on which Michael also revealed he was a big Beatles fan.

Appeared on a promotional film sent to concert promoters in 1970, to let them know who the Jackson 5 were - performance filmed at the group's first Motown concert in Philadelphia.

Released as a single in February 1970 in the USA and May 1970 in the UK. Achieved no.1 in the States on both the Hot 100 (for two weeks), where it topped Let It Be by the Beatles, and the R&B chart (for four weeks). Charted at no.8 in the UK (as usual, a tougher audience).

It outsold the Jackson 5's debut hit, I Want You Back, and was the no.8 best selling single of 1970 in the US.

Motown celebrated the success of ABC by pressing gold (yellow) vinyl copies, with an accompanying press release that states: 'Because of all the million selling records we've had in the past, none soared beyond the million mark faster than ABC bu the Jackson 5. It did it in less than 12 days!'

Following its success, co-writer Freddie Perren confessed the music of ABC is the chorus of I Want You Back. "All we did was take that music and keep playing it, adding a couple of steps to it,' he admitted. "We cut the track for ABC before I Want You Back was really a big hit!"

It is cited by Michael, in the early 1970s, as one of his three favourite songs he had recorded for Motown, along with I'll Be There and Never Can Say Goodbye. Also named by Michael as one of his three personal Motown favourites in his autobiography, Moonwalk, published in April 1988.

Featured in 'It All Started With', an episode of the Jackson 5 cartoon series, in 1971.


ABC - Lyrics

Michael: A buh-buh buh buh-buh

J5: A buh-buh buh buh-buh

Michael: You went to school to learn, girl
Things you never, never knew before...

Jermaine: Like I before E except after C...

Michael: And why 2 plus 2 makes four
Now now now, I'm gonna teach you...
J5: Teach you, teach you

Michael: All about love, dear...
J5: All about love

Jermaine: Sit yourself down, take a seat
All you gotta do is repeat after me.

CHORUS:

J5: ABC
Michael: Easy as...
J5: 123
Michael: Or simple as...
J5: Do re mi
Michael: ABC, 123, baby, you and me girl!
J5: ABC
Michael: Easy as...
J5: 123
Michael: Or simple as...
J5: Do re mi
Michael: ABC, 123, baby, you and me!

Tito: Come on, let me love you just a little bit!
Jackie: Come on, let me love you just a little bit!
Jermaine: I'm a going to teach how to sing it out!
Michael: Come on, come one, come on
Let me show you what it's all about!

Reading, writing and arithmetic
Are the branches of the learning tree

Jermaine: But without the roots of love every day, girl

Michael: Your education ain't complete
T-T-T-Teacher's gonna show you

J5: Show you, show you

Michael: How to get an A!

J5: Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!

Michael: Spell "me" "you"
J5: Add the two!
Jermaine: Listen to me baby, that's all you gotta do!

REPEAT CHORUS

BRIDGE:
Michael: Sit down, girl!
I think I love you!
No!
Get up, girl!
Show me what you can do!

Shake it, shake it, baby, come on now!
Shake it, shake it, baby, ooo oooh!
Shake it shake it, baby, huh!
123, baby, oo ooo!
ABC, baby, nah nah!
Do re mi, baby, huh!
That's how easy love can be.

J5: ABC
Michael: ABC, it's easy

Easy as123
It's like counting up to 3
Or simple as Do re mi
Sing a simple melody
ALL: That's how easy love can be!