Wow I've been wanting to hear this for quite som while now. These songs are supposedly from the Jackson 5/Stevie Wonder sessions at Motown. Stevie was supposed to write and produce a whole album but the project got shelved. Buttercup was released just a couple of days ago and while searching on youtube I found 2 other unrleased songs that Stevie supposedly produced for J5 as well:

This one must be one of the best mature J5 songs I've heard. Jermaine and Michael on lead


Jermaine on lead on this one


Highly anticipated Buttercup. Michael on lead

[Edited 11/12/09 18:22pm]
[Edited 11/12/09 18:25pm]

When/from who did the first two leak????

Superstition said:

I don't know, but I've read several times on the internet that there were songs that with these names that Stevie recorded with J5.

Other songs that supposedly were recorded:

You're Supposed To Keep Your Love For Me
A Pretty Face Is
No News Is Good News
The Future
[Edited 11/12/09 18:00pm]

The first song sounds just like a Stevie track. No denying he wrote that

This first track is not produced by Stevie (though it does sound just like a Steve production), neither is the second track. The second track is actually a Corporation number.

Both were leaked a few years back with about ten other tracks.

ViintageJunkiie said:

Yes I agree with the first one. Sounds very much like Stevie song. The second I am not too sure, but I've read on the internet from different people that it is a Stevie song as well. Regardless I hope Motown releases the whole project one day.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Hm...are you sure about "If I can't nobody can"? Guess that must be some internet rumor then because I've read many times that Stevie wrote a song with that name for J5.

manthevan said:

Ok, the track is written by Freddie Perren (of the Corporation) and Christian Yarrin. It doesn't list a producer, so Stevie could be the producer of the track, but I doubt it (was he producing other songwriters tracks in 73-74?)

LittleBLUECorvette said:

We thought they were Stevie tracks and then we actually heard them and realized they weren't.

that 3rd one is nice

Here are the other tracks that leaked the same time as the first two ...

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Yeah. "If I Can't (Nobody Can)" sounds like The Miracles' "Do It Baby". I really wish this had been on the Unreleased Masters CD.


Actually, the first song reminds me more of The Miracles' "Don't Cha Love It". They're all written by Perren and Yarian.
[Edited 11/12/09 22:30pm]

Kara said:

Agreed, regardless of STEVIE involvement or not, these unreleased tracks should see the light of day eventually, perhaps an UNRELEASED MASTERS VOL II is already in the works.

I see. Well I stand corrected. Still sounds like a Stevie track

Kara said:

Yeah,that song reminds me of the work that Freddie Perren did with the Miracles.It's a shame that these songs were never released.

manthevan said:

This was planned as the first single from the project.

The song "Buttercup" was later given to singer Carl Anderson,who released his version in 1982:

Okay,we need to clarifyt his once and for all....

In 1973,was Stevie producing a solo album for Michael,or a Jackson Five album? bboy87 once posted an article about Stevie and MJ in the studio together,working on a solo MJ album.

the hell they have them covering 'Sunny Boy' for?

You can hear the first two aren't Stevie collaborations although the third song 'Buttercup' definitely is. Also, IIRC, I think it's mentioned in the 'For the Record' book that Michael was recording a solo album to be written/produced by Stevie.

Yikes.....I see why these NEVER saw the light of day.
Very weak tracks.

SoulAlive said:

We STILL don't know


We know that Michael sang lead on a majority of the songs with the brothers on background, but Jermaine sang lead on the original version of You're Supposed To Keep Your Love For Me with Stevie, Michael, and Jackie on lead


I need to ask a Stevie expert about this one...

SoulAlive said:

I have that album, in fact I didn't know MJ sang this prior to Carl untill the org talked about it.

Graycap23 said:

All of them aren't weak, some are bangers like Lavender Blue and If You Want Heaven.

Harlepolis said:

I prefer the MJ/J5 version.