Let’s put aside all the inevitable talk about personal lives, scandals, and alleged (and documented) weirdness for a minute (which is admittedly pretty hard to do) and go back to the beginning of Michael Jackson’s career when he was a member of the Jackson 5. We know now that times weren’t exactly perfect for the brothers back then, but you’d never guess it from their music, which was undeniably just about the most joyous and ecstatic pop music around as the ’70s began. The songs were perfectly formed nuggets of bubblegum soul, and the performances were brilliant, but most of all, the Jacksons’ voices (especially Michael’s, with his bursting-at-the-seams, impossibly soulful sound) were so full of life-affirming energy that it was impossible to hear them and not feel good deep inside. The hits they cranked out are amazing enough (”ABC”,”The Love You Save”, “I Want You Back”, “Dancing Machine,” and more), but even a quick listen back to their albums finds a wealth of wonderful deep cuts.

(from Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5)
“You’ve Changed”
“Chained”

(from ABC)
“2-4-6-8″

(from Ultimate Motown Rarities Collection, Vol. 1)
“You Really Got a Hold on Me”

(from Third Album)
“Can I See You in the Morning”

(from Looking Through the Windows)
“Don’t Let Your Baby Catch You”

(from Skywriter)
“Uppermost”
“Ooh, I’d Love to Be with You”

(from Get It Together)
“Get It Together”