Lookin' Through the Windows
Encyclopedia
Lookin' Through the Windows was the fifth studio album released by The Jackson 5
on the Motown label in May 1972. The album would go on to sell 3.5 million copies worldwide.
, were growing up, and no longer felt comfortable singing the same bubblegum pop
records that had made them teen idols
. Lookin' Through the Windows marks the beginning of lead singer Michael
's vocal change, from the boy soprano
who fronted the Jackson 5's early hits, to the tenor
who would later become a successful solo artist. Though he could still reach his famed high notes, his voice was filling out, allowing him to also reach lower registers.
The sessions for this album also marked the beginning of the bad vibes between the Jacksons and Motown, as they found it difficult to deal with both the maturing Michael, who had an independent mind of how he wanted to sound, and his father Joe Jackson, who managed the Jackson 5 and became dissatisfied with Motown's handling of the group.
Most of the album tracks were recorded in late 1971 intended to be on an album for their hit single at the time "Sugar Daddy
". Lookin' Through the Windows was the second-to-last Jackson 5 album to include any songs written by The Corporation (Berry Gordy
, Freddie Perren
, Deke Richards
, and Fonce Mizell). The album spawned two hit singles "Little Bitty Pretty One" and "Lookin' Through The Windows". The album peaked at number 8 on Billboard 200
album chart. In Europe the album cut "Doctor My Eyes
" was a top ten hit.
. The bonus tracks were "Love Song", the B-side of this album's title track single, and a live performance of "Who's Lovin' You
", which first appeared on the soundtrack of the 1992 TV movie The Jacksons: An American Dream
.
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
on the Motown label in May 1972. The album would go on to sell 3.5 million copies worldwide.
Production
At this point, the group members, including thirteen-year-old lead singer Michael JacksonMichael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, were growing up, and no longer felt comfortable singing the same bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
records that had made them teen idols
Teen Idols
The Teen Idols were a pop punk band originally from Nashville, Tennessee. They were formed in 1992 by Phillip Hill and originally broke up in 2003...
. Lookin' Through the Windows marks the beginning of lead singer Michael
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's vocal change, from the boy soprano
Boy soprano
A boy soprano is a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range. Although a treble, or choirboy, may also be considered to be a boy soprano, the more colloquial term boy soprano is generally only used for boys who sing, perform, or record as soloists, and who may not necessarily...
who fronted the Jackson 5's early hits, to the tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
who would later become a successful solo artist. Though he could still reach his famed high notes, his voice was filling out, allowing him to also reach lower registers.
The sessions for this album also marked the beginning of the bad vibes between the Jacksons and Motown, as they found it difficult to deal with both the maturing Michael, who had an independent mind of how he wanted to sound, and his father Joe Jackson, who managed the Jackson 5 and became dissatisfied with Motown's handling of the group.
Most of the album tracks were recorded in late 1971 intended to be on an album for their hit single at the time "Sugar Daddy
Sugar Daddy
"Sugar Daddy" is a hit single for Motown quintet The Jackson 5 in late 1971.The song, which peaked at #3 on the R&B singles chart and #10 on the pop singles chart in the beginning of 1972, was one of the Jackson 5 hits produced by The Corporation: Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell, and...
". Lookin' Through the Windows was the second-to-last Jackson 5 album to include any songs written by The Corporation (Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
, Freddie Perren
Freddie Perren
Frederick "Freddie" Perren was an American songwriter, record producer, arranger, and orchestra conductor best known for as a co-songwriter and co-producer of such mega-hits as "Boogie Fever" by the Sylvers, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, and "Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches &...
, Deke Richards
Deke Richards
Deke Richards, also known as Dennis Lussier and Deke Lussier, is a songwriter and record producer, one of many white musicians/songwriters who were affiliated with Motown...
, and Fonce Mizell). The album spawned two hit singles "Little Bitty Pretty One" and "Lookin' Through The Windows". The album peaked at number 8 on Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart. In Europe the album cut "Doctor My Eyes
Doctor My Eyes
"Doctor My Eyes" is a 1972 song written and performed by Jackson Browne and included on his debut album Jackson Browne. Featuring a combination of an upbeat piano riff coupled, somewhat ironically, with lyric about feeling world-weary, the song was a surprise hit, reaching number 8 on the...
" was a top ten hit.
Track listing
- "Ain't Nothing Like the Real ThingAin't Nothing Like the Real Thing-Marcella Detroit & Elton John version:"Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" was recorded by Elton John as a duet with Marcella Detroit, and featured on his 1993 album Duets. It was also later included on Detroit's 1994 album Jewel. Released as a two-part CD single single in May 1994, it peaked at...
" (originally performed by Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and Tammi TerrellTammi TerrellThomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed...
) (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) (Recorded October 1971 - January 1972) - "Lookin' Through the Windows" (Clifton DavisClifton DavisClifton Duncan Davis is an American actor, songwriter and minister. He has appeared on the television shows as A World Apart, That's My Mama and Amen...
) (Recorded December 1971 - January 1972) - "Don't Let Your Baby Catch You" (The Corporation) (Recorded February 1970)
- "To Know" (The Corporation) (Recorded March - April 1972)
- "Doctor My EyesDoctor My Eyes"Doctor My Eyes" is a 1972 song written and performed by Jackson Browne and included on his debut album Jackson Browne. Featuring a combination of an upbeat piano riff coupled, somewhat ironically, with lyric about feeling world-weary, the song was a surprise hit, reaching number 8 on the...
" (originally performed by Jackson BrowneJackson BrowneJackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
) (Jackson BrowneJackson BrowneJackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
) (Recorded December 1971) - "Little Bitty Pretty OneLittle Bitty Pretty One"Little Bitty Pretty One" is a rock and roll song written and originally recorded by Bobby Day, and popularized by Thurston Harris in 1957. His version reached #6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It has most notably been covered by Frankie Lymon in 1958, Clyde McPhatter in 1962, the Jackson Five in...
" (originally performed by Thurston HarrisThurston HarrisThurston Harris was a male American singer, briefly popular in the early to mid 1950s.-Career:Harris first appeared on record as the featured vocalist recording with the Lamplighters in 1953 one of the many groups on the early R&B scene in South Central Los Angeles, during that time. The group...
) (Robert Byrd) (Recorded October 1971) - "E-Ne-Me-Ne-Mi-Ne-Moe (The Choice is Yours to Pull)" (Johnny BristolJohnny BristolJohnny Bristol , was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, Wade BowenWade BowenWade Bowen is an American Texas Country/Red Dirt singer from Waco, Texas.Bowen was a member of the band, West 84, with friend Matt Miller, before the band was re-aligned 2001. He released his first album in 2002, Try Not To Listen, which became a regional hit in Texas. He released his first live...
, D. Jones) (Recorded October 1971 - April 1972) - "If I Have to Move a Mountain" (The Corporation) (Recorded December 1971 - January 1972)
- "Don't Want to See Tomorrow" (Stephen Bowden, Jim Chambers, Hal DavisHal DavisHarold Edward "Hal" Davis was an African American songwriter and record producer, best known as the key figure in the latter part of the Motown career of The Jackson 5....
, Theodore McFaddin) (Recorded January - April 1972) - "Children of the Light" (Michael Randall) (Recorded October 1971 - January 1972)
- "I Can Only Give You Love" (Richard Hutch, Willie HutchWillie HutchWillie McKinley Hutchison, known professionally as Willie Hutch was an American singer, songwriter as well as a record producer and recording artist for the Motown record label during the 1970s and 1980s....
) (Recorded October - December 1971)
Rerelease
In 2001, Motown Records remastered all J5 albums in a "Two Classic Albums/One CD" series (much like they did in the late 1980s). This album was paired up with Goin' Back to IndianaGoin' Back to Indiana
Goin' Back to Indiana was a live/soundtrack album by The Jackson 5 for Motown Records, taken from their September 16, 1971 ABC TV special of the same name....
. The bonus tracks were "Love Song", the B-side of this album's title track single, and a live performance of "Who's Lovin' You
Who's Lovin' You
"Who's Lovin' You" is a Motown soul song, written in 1960 by William "Smokey" Robinson. The song has been recorded by many different artists including The Miracles, who recorded the 1960 original version, The Temptations, The Supremes, Terence Trent-D'arby, Brenda and The Tabulations, John Farnham,...
", which first appeared on the soundtrack of the 1992 TV movie The Jacksons: An American Dream
The Jacksons: An American Dream
The Jacksons: An American Dream is a five-hour American miniseries broadcast in two halves on ABC and originally broadcast on November 15 through November 18, 1992...
.