The Jackson 5

Released: October 26, 1976

Songwriter: Fonce Mizell Larry Mizell

Producer: Fonce Mizell Freddie Perren

[Chorus]
(Love is the thing you need)

Ooh, I know a fortune teller
A very freaky fella
How 'bout you like me to tell ya
(Love is the thing you need) Let me say now

A family physician
Gave me a prescription
For a nice disposition
(Love is the thing you need)

So, when all your frustrations
Don't receive no medication
How bad you feel
Oh, it's just unreal
Oh, you can't get no satisfaction
When your mind is overacting
And you don't give your self the love you need

(So get on up)
And get down, down, down
With some good ol' funky, funky love
(Love is the thing you need) Fellas
(Love is the thing you need) Ah, hit it

Make you feel so good
Make your body shake like crazy
Give yourself a get and go, yeah
(Love is the thing you need) The midnight hour

(Love is the thing you need) (Love is the thing you need)
(Love is the thing you need) Sing it again
(Love is the thing you need) (Love is the thing you need)
When that somebody finds you down (Love is the thing you need)
Love comes up from underground (Love is the thing you need)

Oh, love (Oh, love)
Yeah, some people they don't know
That it's the only way to go
If you wanna live a happy, happy life yeah, yeah

Oh, there ain't no doubt about it
We just can't live without it
No we can't, no we can't
Sing it to me children

(Love is the thing you need) One more time, yeah
(Love is the thing you need) Sing it, yeah
Once a day, twice a day, everyday
(Love is the thing you need) What you say now
Once a day, twice a day, good God, everyday
(Love is the thing you need) You gotta, gotta have love
You gotta, gotta have love
You gotta, gotta have love
Y'all know what I'm talkin' about (Love is the thing you need)
You gotta, gotta have love
You gotta, gotta have love
You gotta, gotta have love (Love is the thing you need)
Don't you stop, don't you stop

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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