The Jackson 5

Songwriter: Arthur “T-Boy” Ross Leon Ware

Producer: Hal Davis

[Intro: Michael Jackson]
Everybody clap your hands

[Verse 1: Michael Jackson]
Can it be I stayed away too long?
Did I leave your mind when I was gone?
It's not my thing trying to get back
But this time let me tell you where I'm at
You don't have to worry 'cause I'm coming
Back to where I should have always stayed
And now I've learned the meaning to your story
And it's enough love for me to stay, yeah
Can it be I stayed away too long?
Did I leave your mind when I was gone?
Well, it's not my thing trying to get back
But this time let me tell you where I'm at

[Chorus: Michael Jackson]
I wanna, wanna be where you are, woo
Anywhere you are, oh
I wanna, wanna be where you are, oh oh, yeah
Everywhere you are

[Verse 2: Michael Jackson]
Please don't close the door to our future
There's so many things we haven't tried
I'm gonna love you better than I used to
And give you all the love I have inside, yeah

[Instrumental break]

[Chorus: Michael Jackson]
I wanna, wanna be where you are, hey
Anywhere you are, oh
I wanna, wanna be where you are, oh yeah
Everywhere you are, come on, fellas, woo

[Bridge: Michael Jackson & (The Jacksons)]
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Nananana, baby, sing it to me
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Gotta be where you are, come on, baby, sing it
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Woo
(I wanna be where you are, anywhere you are)
Do your thing, man, woo
Ladies and gentlemen, my little brother Randy
Take it away, fellas
(I wanna be where you are, nananana, baby, anywhere you are)
(I wanna be where you are, nananana, baby, anywhere you are)
Oh, I got to go, yeah
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Oh yeah, no no no
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Sing it to me, baby boy
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Oh oh
(Goodbye, my love, I hate to leave ya)
I gotta go, yeah
(Goodbye, my love, I hate to go)
See ya later, alligator
(Goodbye, my love, I hate to leave ya)
Hate to leave you, my baby
(Goodbye, my love, I hate to go)
Oh, oh yeah (I got to go)
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, I gotta go
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
I gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Wanna be where you are
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Wanna be where you are, woo
Wanna be where you are, arigato, woo

[Outro: The Jackson 5 & (Michael Jackson)]
Goodbye, my love, I hate to leave ya
(I gotta go, yeah)
Goodbye, my love, I hate to go
(See ya later, alligator)
Goodbye, my love, I hate to leave ya
(Oh, hate to leave you, my baby)
Goodbye, my love, I hate to go
(No no no no)
I wanna be, I wanna be, oh
I wanna be, I wanna be, oh
I wanna be, I wanna be, oh
I wanna be, I wanna be, oh
I wanna be, I wanna be, oh
(Gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta)
I wanna be, I wanna be, oh
(Wanna be where you are)
I wanna be, I wanna be, oh
(Wanna be where you are)
I wanna be, I wanna be, oh

[Outro: The Jackson 5]
Arigato, we love you
Arigato, we love you
Arigato

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.

more tracks from the album

In Japan!

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In Japan! (1973)

The Jackson 5 popular songs

I Wanna Be Where You Are (Live in Japan, 1973)The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5

In Japan!