The Jackson 5

Released: August 26, 1972

Songwriter: Arthur “T-Boy” Ross Leon Ware

Producer: Hal Davis

[Spoken Intro: Michael Jackson]
And the next song I'm gonna do
Is another song taken from that same album
And this release is a single right now entitled "I Wanna Be Where You Are"

[Verse 1: Michael Jackson]
Can it be I stayed away too long?
Did I leave your mind when I was gone?
But 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

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, you got it
But this time let me tell you where I'm at

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

[Verse 2: Michael Jackson]
Please don't close the door to our future
There's so many things that 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
Everywhere you are, oh oh
I wanna, wanna be where you are, oh
Everywhere you are, oh oh, hey

[Outro: Michael Jackson & (The Jacksons)]
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh) Now now now baby now
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh) Now now baby now
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh) Now now now baby now
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
I wanna be, I wanna be where you are
Anywhere you are
Do your thing, man, ho, get on up
Anywhere you are
Take it away, fellas
I wanna be where you are, now now now now, baby
Anywhere you are
Hey
I wanna be where you are, now now now now, baby
Anywhere you are
Hey, ah, ah yeah
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh) I wanna be, now now now baby now
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh) Now now now now now baby now
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh) I wanna be, now now now baby now
(I wanna be, I wanna be, oh)
Thank you

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.

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