Released: September 21, 1973

Songwriter: Jerry Marcellino Mel Larson Berry Gordy Don Fletcher Hal Davis

Producer: Norman Whitfield Hal Davis

[Chorus]
You better get it together
Or leave it alone
If you don't want my lovin'
I'll be gone
Get up, get up, get up

[Michael]
Get up off your high horse, girl
Think what you're doin', doin'
Get up off your high horse, girl
Think what you're doin' doin'
(I'm spinnin' around)
I'm spinnin' around
On your merry-go-round
You got me dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, dizzy

[Chorus]
Get it together
Or leave it alone (or leave it alone)
If you don't want my lovin'
I'll be gone

Now, now baby

Get it together
Or leave it alone
If you don't want my lovin'
I'll be gone

[Jermaine]
Get up off your high horse girl
Think what you're doin', doin'
Get up off your high horse girl
Think what you're doin' doin'

[Michael]
I can't stand all this confusion
All this shuckin' and jivin'
Keeps puttin' me down, down, down

[Chorus]
Get it together
Or leave it alone (or leave it alone)
If you don't want my lovin'
I'll be gone (gone, gone, gone, gone, gone)

[Michael]
Think, girl, what you're doin'
Throwin' this heart of mine all away
Oh, think, girl, you know I love ya
To keep a love like mine is hard this day

[Chorus]
Get it together
Or leave it alone
If you don't want my lovin'
I'll be gone
Get it together
Or leave it alone
If you don't want my lovin'
I'll be gone (gone, gone, gone, gone, gone)

Get it together or leave it alone...

The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5 were originally formed in 1963 under the name, The Jackson Brothers. The founding members were Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon. Michael would join the group as the lead singer a year later, a move which pushed Jermaine to sing the backing vocals and play the lead guitar.

After participating in a series of talent shows, they entered the professional music scene in 1967, signing with Steeltown Records and releasing ten singles. In 1969, they left Steeltown Records in order to sign with Motown.

In 1975, most of the Jacksons had opted out of recording any more music for Motown, expressing desires to have creative control over their songs, as well as royalties. Learning that they were earning only 2.8% of royalties from Motown, Joe Jackson, the father and manager of the group, began to negotiate a lucrative contract with Epic records, which offered a royalty rate of 20% per record. The deal was completed in June 1975. As Motown owned the name The Jackson 5, the group simply renamed themselves The Jacksons.