I think out of all This is their most underatted Album

1. Music's Takin' Over
2. Goin' Places
3. Different Kind of Lady
4. Even Though You're Gone
5. Jump for Joy
6. Heaven Knows I Love You, Girl
7. Man of War
8. Do What You Wanna
9. Find Me a Girl

Pop chart statistics may mislead you otherwise but,in terms of The Jacksons' early years at Epic this has to be their more consistant and enjoyable album.Wheras some of the production on The Jacksons is somewhat by-the-numbers Philly soul and is also recorded rather flat this album is mixed up a lot hotter and,while still deeply ingrained in the Philly sound the grooves,rhythms and sense of funk are much strong emphasized.So this second Epic album is a lot more punchy,aggresive and uptempo than the debut.I didn't realize until recently that "Music's Takin' Over" was really huge in New York during this time that is,according to an interview with Chuck D of Public Enemy my friend in Oakland heard.And I can see how it would be a huge funk monster because the guitar and bass riffs are MEAN and Mikes voice has a lot of strengh on the song.The title song is the only tune here that doesn't really represent anything entirely new for the group and kind of sounds just a little behind the times."Diff'rent Kind Of Lady" is one of two (again) self written songs and is another incredible groove that has this great sense of tension in the rhythm and a tad of vocorder in the end."Even Though Your Gone" and "Find Me A Girl" are more glossy Philly ballads than the kind heard on the debut and actually serve as good selling points for this album.There are a couple more great uptempo tunes in the heavily,percussive bounce of "Jump For Joy"-one of the most genuinely "positive thinking" type songs I've heard and the happily funky orientation of the music really delivers on the promise.There are some excellent celebratory synthesizer squiggles at the conclusion of the song that help to bring it even more to life."Do What You Wanna",another self written tune has a really crisp Philly jump to it and..is yet another positive attitude kind of song. The pointed anti war ballad "Man Of War" points to the Jacksons' future utopian vision of unity over conflict. This more than any other Jacksons album from the mid/late 70's really pointed the most to an individual musical and conceptual direction for the brothers.And even though this is still a very much ignored part of their recorded legacy that should at least be taken into consideration.

lol this charlie brown is the only vid I could find the song on

[Edited 7/1/11 14:27pm]

[Edited 7/1/11 14:28pm]

Definitely the most overlooked and underappreciated record the Jackson Brothers did during their early run on Epic Records pre-Destiny. Gamble & Huff hit their stride on this record and it certainly showed that the brothers had confidence in writing material. Even though I think that their previous self-titled record from '76 is superior, Goin' Places was a definite winner with sublime Philly soul, disco, and hard funk rhythms.

I don't think it's underrated, I think it's ratted correctly, IMO.

It can only be compared to their debut, so it's either you like Goin' Places or you like their Epic debut. The reason why this ddn't do as well as the first cause their was no strong singe lifted. Their is nothin that can hang with Enjoy Yourself or Show You The Way. Different Kind of Lady was the best tune that could have been a hit.

I think the singles were Goin Places and Find Me A Girl, terrible choices IMO.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

I don't think it's underrated, I think it's ratted correctly, IMO.

It can only be compared to their debut, so it's either you like Goin' Places or you like their Epic debut. The reason why this ddn't do as well as the first cause their was no strong singe lifted. Their is nothin that can hang with Enjoy Yourself or Show You The Way. Different Kind of Lady was the best tune that could have been a hit.

I think the singles were Goin Places and Find Me A Girl, terrible choices IMO.

Hmmm...

Alright.

I don't like any of their Gumble and Huff stuff

Bar Show You The Way To Go

Including the Dannii Minogue cover

[Edited 7/1/11 15:52pm]

the first 3 songs are sooooooo good that the rest of the album is a big letdown...definitely not their best album, lol

they got it right when they finally embraced modern disco/dance with Destiny...

LittleBLUECorvette said:

I don't think it's underrated, I think it's ratted correctly, IMO.

It can only be compared to their debut, so it's either you like Goin' Places or you like their Epic debut. The reason why this ddn't do as well as the first cause their was no strong singe lifted. Their is nothin that can hang with Enjoy Yourself or Show You The Way. Different Kind of Lady was the best tune that could have been a hit.

I think the singles were Goin Places and Find Me A Girl, terrible choices IMO.

Michael felt that another reason it didn't do well was because of the brothers being overexposed with the variety show

bboy87 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

I don't think it's underrated, I think it's ratted correctly, IMO.

It can only be compared to their debut, so it's either you like Goin' Places or you like their Epic debut. The reason why this ddn't do as well as the first cause their was no strong singe lifted. Their is nothin that can hang with Enjoy Yourself or Show You The Way. Different Kind of Lady was the best tune that could have been a hit.

I think the singles were Goin Places and Find Me A Girl, terrible choices IMO.

Michael felt that another reason it didn't do well was because of the brothers being overexposed with the variety show

Or not having a strong single(s.) lol

LightOfArt said:

I don't like any of their Gumble and Huff stuff

Bar Show You The Way To Go

Including the Dannii Minogue cover

[Edited 7/1/11 15:52pm]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I agree with you. This is my first time ever hearing stuff off of this particular disc, and I'm like, "....No."

Unless, that song "All I Do is Think of You" is a Gamble Huff song. Then I completely take it back because that one song can make up for all the apparently shitty ones on "Goin Places".

^^^The Captain & Tennille had a variety show, and it didn't hurt their sales.

armpit said:

Unless, that song "All I Do is Think of You" is a Gamble Huff song.

That was on Motown, not Epic.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

bboy87 said:

Michael felt that another reason it didn't do well was because of the brothers being overexposed with the variety show

Or not having a strong single(s.) lol

Music's Takin' Over should've been bigger. It didn't even chart, and it's one of the best songs on the album

MickyDolenz said:

armpit said:

Unless, that song "All I Do is Think of You" is a Gamble Huff song.

That was on Motown, not Epic.

Yeah, I wouldn't know. My knowledge of that in-between period, the time after "ABC" and "I Want You Back", but before they jumped to Epic, is VERY spotty, at best.

Music's Takin' Ova and Goin' Places are classics, but too harsh and kick-ass for the radio.

I think Gamble & Huff's sound was on the way out. Their label (PI) was also starting to have legal and financial problems around the time this album was released. The Jacksons and Goin' Places were credited to both Philadelphia International & Epic on the original pressings.

JoeTyler said:

Music's Takin' Ova and Goin' Places are classics, but too harsh and kick-ass for the radio.

That just proves the whole 'to each their own' thing, because this is one of the few times I've immediately heard MJ product and turned it off a few seconds in. Which isn't to say I don't like other Gamble and Huff stuff, but MJ and G&H don't mix well to me.

bboy87 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

I don't think it's underrated, I think it's ratted correctly, IMO.

It can only be compared to their debut, so it's either you like Goin' Places or you like their Epic debut. The reason why this ddn't do as well as the first cause their was no strong singe lifted. Their is nothin that can hang with Enjoy Yourself or Show You The Way. Different Kind of Lady was the best tune that could have been a hit.

I think the singles were Goin Places and Find Me A Girl, terrible choices IMO.

Michael felt that another reason it didn't do well was because of the brothers being overexposed with the variety show

A variety show that didn't even boom out-of-sight ratings or make an impact. Just another cash-in because by '76-77, The Jacksons were considered to be more of a R&B novelty act, not being the dominant pop dynasty they once were. Once again, the variety show was Joe's project.

Their first two records for Epic (The Jacksons and Goin' Places) were tremendous stepping stones for the group, as it confirmed that they broke out of the Motown mold and could reinvent themselves as an adult group. Of course, they really did hit that goal fully until 1978's Destiny, but these albums showed that they were moving in the right direction. Their later Motown albums (i.e. G.I.T.: Get It Together, Dancing Machine, and Moving Violation) hinted at their transition as well. So it's pretty absurb that one thinks that the pre-Destiny albums deserves to get all of the overlooked hype they have received over the years because Mike and the brothers were working to bring their vision to fruition.

JoeTyler said:

Music's Takin' Ova and Goin' Places are classics, but too harsh and kick-ass for the radio.

Music Takin Over is cool, but the track Goin Places, I never dug it.

armpit said:

MickyDolenz said:

That was on Motown, not Epic.

Yeah, I wouldn't know. My knowledge of that in-between period, the time after "ABC" and "I Want You Back", but before they jumped to Epic, is VERY spotty, at best.

Well, you can clearly hear Jermaine's vocals on All I Do, and he didn't participate on any Epic albums, except Victory & 2300 Jackson Street (although Jermaine does appear with the brothers when they did Destiny on the Midnight Special show). Jermaine left the group not long after the album All I Do was on (Moving Violation) was released. That's why Marlon was lip-syncing Jermaine's parts on Soul Train.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

JoeTyler said:

Music's Takin' Ova and Goin' Places are classics, but too harsh and kick-ass for the radio.

Music Takin Over is cool, but the track Goin Places, I never dug it.

I concur! The title track was alright, but it was certainly a step down from the rest of that album. It should've got locked in the vaults. It's the only track that I didn't totally dig from that album.

1976-78 was a very interesting period. They were touring more overseas and were starting to compete with the older R&B acts

I'd love to see one their 1978 tour shows (if a tape of it exists)

silverchild said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Music Takin Over is cool, but the track Goin Places, I never dug it.

I concur! The title track was alright, but it was certainly a step down from the rest of that album. It should've got locked in the vaults. It's the only track that I didn't totally dig from that album.

i think i read michael didn't dig the title track either

JoeTyler said:

Music's Takin' Ova and Goin' Places are classics, but too harsh and kick-ass for the radio.

This was the era of the Ohio Players, Isley Brothers, and Funkadelic so this comment makes no sense.

armpit said:

LightOfArt said:

I don't like any of their Gumble and Huff stuff

Bar Show You The Way To Go

Including the Dannii Minogue cover

[Edited 7/1/11 15:52pm]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I agree with you.

lol why?

I never liked the title track...it's a silly song."Different Kind Of Lady" should have been the first single.

WOW, I don't think anybody has brought up my favorite song from this album: Even Though Your Gone

MickyDolenz said:

JoeTyler said:

Music's Takin' Ova and Goin' Places are classics, but too harsh and kick-ass for the radio.

This was the era of the Ohio Players, Isley Brothers, and Funkadelic so this comment makes no sense.

The Jackson's audience was still expecting songs like I'll Be There or Dancing Machine...

Derek1984 said:

WOW, I don't think anybody has brought up my favorite song from this album: Even Though Your Gone

Ahh...yes! Mike's commanding vocals just soared on that cut.

JoeTyler said:

MickyDolenz said:

This was the era of the Ohio Players, Isley Brothers, and Funkadelic so this comment makes no sense.

The Jackson's audience was still expecting songs like I'll Be There or Dancing Machine...

Very true. It wasn't that The Jacksons had a problem shedding the bubblegum image of their younger days. They re-established themselves perfectly and wanted more freedom artistically, but the pop audience had trouble excepting it. Once again, they had to prove themselves as something more than just another Black group, as Epic put them in their Black/R&B division. Before Epic, Motown had an big problem marketing them as they were getting older and the bubblegum image was beginning to decline, starting in '72.

[Edited 7/1/11 18:20pm]

JoeTyler said:

MickyDolenz said:

This was the era of the Ohio Players, Isley Brothers, and Funkadelic so this comment makes no sense.

The Jackson's audience was still expecting songs like I'll Be There or Dancing Machine...

The Jacksons' popularity had been down for years, especially on pop radio. Motown did little promotion on the last 3 or 4 Jackson 5 albums. This is one of the reasons they left Motown in the first place. This is also why they were doing a family show in Vegas. At the time, Las Vegas was still seen as a place for old acts whose mainstream popularity had slumped (Wayne Newton, Englebert Humperdinck, Frank Sinatra, Elvis).

Gamble & Huff's music was mostly only played on R&B stations, although there were some crossover hits. Gamble & Huff's stuff didn't really click with the brothers, like it did with their other acts like Teddy Pendergrass & The O'Jays', who were more mature sounding. They were never teen idols like the Jackson 5 were. Very few youth acts maintain popularity after a few years.