The Jackson 5 Album: “Lookin' Through the Windows/Goin' Back to Indiana”

First of all, Looking Through The Windows is my very favorite Jackson Five album. It was the first one that I ever owned and I can never get enough of listening to this. Recently, I finally decided to get all of the Jackson Five albums on CD.

What bothers me is that this CD and Dancing Machine/Moving Violations takes 10 - 14 days to ship. What's up with that? That is really unforgivable. Heck, even the Third Album/Maybe Tomorrow Skywriter/Get It Together Cds are now out of print. This just boggles the mind.

Anway, as for the music, Looking Through The Windows is a great album. Sure, the Jackson Five were getting older and the 'bubble gum' sound was getting a bit old, but as a last effort for the genre it can't be beat. I think it stands up much better than the follow up, Skywriter. Now there is an album that is a real disapointment. The Jackson Five would start to bounce back with Get It Together, but the damage was done.

Goin' Back To Indiana was never one of my favorite albums, but the live section (recorded at thier '71 Gary, Indiana return concert) is really the best part of the album and worth the price just for that. It really shows that the Jackson Five were just as electric live as they were on TV.

Highly recomended CD but try and find it elsewhere or buy it used. The 10-14 day wait is absurd.

UPDATE: Well, it looks like this disc along with Dancing Machine/Moving Violation are on their way to being discontinued. Less than a week after I purchased Looking Through The Windows (and it still hasn't shipped) the Amazon listing was updated to show that you can only now get this used. What a bummer. I checked some other CD websites and many of them have had both Windows and Dancing Machine on back order since last year and are still waiting (in some cases over three months) for more stock to arrive. Yep, my guess is that the Jackson Five catalog is slowly being discontinued. Snatch up what you can now because they may not be around for much longer.

This is a pretty good combination here! GBTI is an interesting history lesson with a beat that you can dance to. Some of it is off of a 1971 TV special of the same name (which I vaguely recall watching when I was around 6 years old). The skit stuff might work better as a DVD of this special (are you listening Berry Gordy?), but to hear the J5 Live with "Cousin" Johnny Jackson on drums and Ronnie Rancifer on the organ (whatever happened to those guys?) as well as Jermanine and Tito actually playing guitar and bass is amazing. Makes you wonder why Motown didn't let these guys really play their own instruments on their records all along. They really cook it up!

LTTW is a favorite of mine in part for personal reasons. I was visiting relatives in Harlem when I was 7 during the summer of 1972 and this and MJ's solo "Ben" were all over the radio. Back in Charleston, all the kids were digging this LP and I've always felt that "Dont Let Your Baby Catch You Fooling Around" was sadly underrated (originally considered too suggestive when recorded in 1969-go figure)! But childhood memories aside, this is a great CD and will easily explain why the J5 ruled the youth culture of the era. Listen and enjoy.

Finally,Motown re-releases The Jackson 5's original albums,and none I've been waiting for to be on CD more than LTTW.The first J5 LP I've ever owned,I've played it until it was so scratched,that hearing it in crisp clean digital makes it sound as fresh as when I got it 20 years ago(a cutout item I picked for my 10th birthday) The album itself may have the production line feel of most Motown recordings,but the performances are fantastic.The fantastic title track(written by actor Clifton Davis who also wrote Never Can Say Goodbye) emulates Issac Hayes production ala Shaft in its accents and cresendos.Jackson Browne'sDoctor My Eyes is a surprisingly strong performance from Michael.The buried treasure on the album is If I Had To Move A Mountain,a go for broke love song with a strong arrangement,and an emotional delivery from MJ Going Back..is an interesting album featuring live recordings of the group sans the studio polish,showing the J5 as a tight little combo.I Want You Back sounds very energetic and even makes the amazing studio version sound anemic My only complaint with the whole reissue series is the lack of details in the linar notes,as well as not replicating the original artwork,besides that,the return of these classic albums in remastered sound is all the more welcome

Lookin' Through The Windows contains good songs, but Goin' Back To Indiana isn't so good with Introes, Medleys...

The Jackson Five experienced success right out of the box with their first four singles hitting number one and their next two peaking at number two. To capitalize on their immense popularity, Motown produced a television special that centered around a homecoming concert the band performed in their home state of Indiana. The resulting album, Goin' Back To Indiana, is a great snap shot of the band. They had cut their teeth on the road and despite their young ages, they exhibit an experienced professionalism. The first three songs are from the special with Bill Cosby and Tommy Smothers providing some comic relief before and between stellar versions of "I Want You Back" and "Maybe Tomorrow". "The Day Basketball Was Saved" is a goofy number that certainly loses something without the visual aid that television provided. It is excessively long and doesn't really work well on the album. The homecoming show segment kicks off with three cover songs. The first two are roof raising versions of Sly & The Family Stone's "I Want To Take You Higher" & "Stand" and the third is a great take on Traffic's "Feelin' Alright". "Walk On" is a funky, Isaac Hayes' styled song that is combined with a rolling "The Love You Save" for a nicely contrasted medley. The album closes with a let it all hang out version of the title track. Lookin' Through The Windows is a mellower album that show a maturation in the band's sound. Michael's voice is changing, so the teenybopper angle that some previous songs took, no longer fits. The album opens with a great version of "Ain't Nothin' Like The Real Thing" and then moves into the stirring title track which has a really original sound. "Don't Let Your Baby Catch You Crying" has a tight pace and "To Know" is yet another beautifully sung song. They follow with two covers, a soulful version of Jackson Browne's "Doctor My Eyes" (which was top ten hit in England) and hyperactive version of "Little Bitty Pretty One" which made its way to number 13. "E-Ne-Me-Ne-Mi-Ne-Moe" is a fast paced song while "If I Have To Move A Mountain" is a breath takingly beautiful song that the harmonies just soar on. "Children Of The Light" is an inspirational song that has a peace and love sentiment to it and "I Can Only Give You Love" has on point trading vocals between Michael & Jermaine.