Released: December 18, 1969

Songwriter: Holland-Dozier-Holland Brian Holland Lamont Dozier Eddie Holland

Producer: Bobby Taylor

Standing in the shadows of love
I'm getting ready or the heartaches to come

Standing in the shadows of love
I'm getting ready for the heartaches to come
Can't you see me standing in the shadows of love?
I'm getting ready for the heartaches to come

I wanna run but there's no place to go
'Cause heartaches will find me I know
Without your love, the love I need
It's the beginning of the end of me
'Cause you've taken away all my reasons for living
When you pushed aside all the love I've been giving
Now wait a minute!

Didn't I treat you right
Now baby didn't I, didn't I, didn't I?
Didn't I do the best I could
Now didn't I, didn't I?

(Don't you leave me) standing in the shadows of love
Getting ready for the heart aches to come
Can't you see me standing in the shadows of love?
I'm tryin' my best to get ready for the heart aches to come

All alone I'm destined to be
With misery my only company
It may come today, or it may come tomorrow
But it's for sure I ain't got nothing but sorrow
I thought your conscience would kinda bother you
How can you watch me cry after all I've done for you?
Hold on a minute!

I gave you all the love I had
Now didn't I, didn't I, didn't I?
When you needed me I was always there
Now wasn't I, wasn't I?

Don't you leave me (standing in the shadows of love)
I'm getting ready for the heartaches to come
I'm trying not to cry out loud
'Cause all this cryin' it ain't, it ain't gonna help me none

Now what did I do, girl, to cause all this grief?
Now what did I say to make you want to leave?
Now wait a minute!

I gave my heart and soul to you
Now didn't I, didn't I, didn't I?
And didn't I always treat you good
Now didn't I, didn't I?

Standing in the shadows of love
I'm getting ready or the heartaches to come
[repeat to fade]

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.