Two videos of the Jackson 5 performing the song Dancing Machine.

The first one showcases Michael's awesome robot and the second video is of the group dancing and singing a bunch of songs with Cher. They start singing Dancing Machine with Cher at 4:08.
MJ haters need not respond.

I've yet to see the robot look as good since.

Michael is such a baadass performer in these clips.
Especially the first one.
/peace Manki

I have seen Michael do that live and to this day, it still makes me scratch my head and asked myself, "How in the hell does he do that!!"

Mike´s great as usual, but he was so skinny in that clip with Cher.

Those were the days when Michael was 'Soul Brother Number 2' behind James Brown. He was at his best when he brought the dance/funk.

But watching Cher trying to get down is painful. Reminds me of the dancing on those Brady Bunch variety shows.

those are two are the best robots I've seen him do.

Michael at 16 was the baddest kid on the planet.

Timmy84 said:

Nope, I knew some bad ass 16year olds ...

That was a great song, a totally new sound for the Jackson 5 with its keyboards, synths and dancefloor aesethic. It gave a chance for the Teenage Michael to show off his adult voice and proved to the world the Jackson 5 could move with the times. The robot video tho is later its from 1976/77 when Michael and the Jacksons were doing their variety show (Apparently Michael hated doing it, but Joe siad it would pay the bills and keep the name alive). Remember between 74 and 78 their only hit was Enjoy yourself in 76,
More importantly its a precursor of the outstanding floorfillers and videos the King of Pop would come up with (Definitely a Prince's training)

the clip with Cher is nice

is the Jacksons variety show on DVD yet?

tane1976 said:

I wasn't alive but how Show You The Way To Go wasn't a hit, I dunno. That song is slamming.

lilgish said:

Was #1 in the UK for a week.

Great song and incredible dancing by Michael. He was already carving out a niche' for himself as a performer. Seperate from his brothers or anyone else. And the song was perfect in moving them in a more mature sound away from their earlier hit songs such as "Mama's Pearl" and "Maybe Tomorrow" (which I adore). They J5 were growing up, Michael's voice had changed, Berry Gordy and "The Corporation" had done a great job in picking material that was still "hits" during that transition. This song and "Get It Together" both showed this. The J5 were still very much the super group in the music biz in 72 and 73.

Marrk said:

True, but in the USA that song and the Album Goin Places, bombed and CBS nearly dropped them, but Michael came up with the idea if they wrote their own songs and put out just one more record. They called it Destiny, you know the rest, Blame it on the boogie was a bit hit in Britain but only minor in the USA, Fortunately Shake your body(down to the ground) was a Top10 hit and Destiny went Platinum, of course by then Michael had OTW in the can, and the rest is history.....

tane1976 said:

Actually, Show You The Way To Go was a hit in the US as well. It reached #6 on R&B and TOP 40 on pop.

tane1976 said:

If I remember correctly, this is why they released another version of "Dancing Machine".

Michael, as always, did the damn thing! I never tire of watching "Dancing Machine" performances. Pre-Thriller Michael is so underrated, he was an incredible performer then. I sometimes actually enjoy watching performances from this time period more than his later one's, he was so much more natural and soulful back then.

speeddemon said:

Yea but CBS and the Jacksons wanted platinum hits and gold discs, and blockbuster smashes, not songs that just "Creep" into the Top 40, on the virtue it has Michael Jackson on it, sorry its just a weak song. I can't remember who said it (Little Richard, Chuck Berry, an old rock and roller), but you can number 1 r and b and it don't mean shit unless you crossover (ie the song charts in the pop chart and highly (Ie Top 20 or higher)). Look at the number of black acts that had megahits in RB and but were virtually unknown on Pop, Roger, Zapp, James Brown (His biggest hit got #3 Papas got a brand new bag and the #4 Living in America, Little Richard, actually Top 10ed several times, but Pat Boone!!!!! numbered 1 with several of his covers. Anita Baker, Grover Washington, Maze, Rick James (His biggest pop hit only got to #13!!!). So all a good R and B placing meant was your place in the chitlin circuit was assured for a few more years.
Their career had been in freefall since the 4 #1's of 1970 and number 2's of 1971, except for Dancing Machine which was a number 2 hit, their music was less and less successful and they really wanted some hits and a reinvention with CBS, and it wasn't really until Destiny they had them