Jackson 5 The Jacksons / Live Compilation 1975-1979 PRO SHOT (1BDR)

(You Were Made) Especially For Me
It's Too Late To Change The Time
Never Can Say Goodbye
Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Happy
I Am Love
Get It Together
Randy Presents The Band
Rockin' Robin
The Life Of The Party
Forever Came Today
Music And Me
Ben
I'll Be There
I Want You Back
ABC
The Love You Save
Tito's Guitar Introduction
One Day In Your Life
Michael Presents The Family
Dancing Machine
Body Language (Do The Love Dance)

Mexico City, December 21, 1975

Intro
One Day In Your Life
Happy
I'll Be There
Dancing Machine
Body Language (Do The Love Dance)

Venezuela, February 26, 1977

Intro
Dancing Machine
Things I Do For You
Get It Together
Ben
I Am Love
Keep On Dancing
I Wanna Be Where You Are (Excerpt)
Daddy's Home (Excerpt)
I Want You Back
ABC
The Love You Save
I'll Be There
Enjoy Yourself
Blame It On The Boogie
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)

New Orleans, October 3, 1979

Pro-shot
156 min.

This Blu-ray features three superb pro-shot performances by the Jackson brothers, spanning the years 1975 to 1979.

First is live footage from the final show in Mexico, part of the tour for *Moving Violation*—the Jackson 5's last album under that name. Due to royalty disputes with Motown, the group transferred to CBS in June 1975 during the tour; however, because Motown held the rights to the name "Jackson 5," they were forced to rename themselves "The Jacksons." Meanwhile, Jermaine—who had already begun a solo career—remained with Motown because he was married to Berry Gordy's daughter, Hazel; he left the group mid-tour and was replaced by the youngest brother, Randy. The tour band, however, remained intact throughout the transition. Marlon steps in for Jermaine on tracks like "Papa Was A Rolling Stone," "I Am Love," and "Get It Together," handling his vocal parts. Phil Upchurch—who played with the likes of Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, and George Benson—provides solid backing on bass. The show opens with the sophisticated, quintessential Philly soul sound of "(You Were Made) Especially For Me." I also really love the inclusion of the mature-sounding "It's Too Late To Change The Time," which carries a touching, earnest quality. It is a rare and moving treat to hear Michael’s vocals on "Never Can Say Goodbye"—a massive Jackson 5 hit that they eventually stopped performing live—captured during his awkward, transitional teenage years. Randy’s high-energy band introductions—almost snatching the spotlight from Michael—make one wonder about Jermaine’s feelings on the matter. "Rockin' Robin" features fantastic rock guitar work from Tito, while "The Life Of The Party" (produced by Hal Davis) delivers a super-funky groove driven by guitar chording and Randy’s percussion; here, Michael channels James Brown in his vocal delivery. The transition from Randy’s percussion into the driving, high-tempo "Forever Came Today" is absolutely spine-tingling. "Music And Me"—with its lyrics about a bond as close as the one between the singer and music—leads seamlessly into "Ben." After a medley of Jackson 5 hits, Tito’s guitar work, and band introductions, Michael introduces his mother, Randy, and Janet; Janet, in particular, is incredibly adorable. The sense of unity during the call-and-response with the audience on the unstoppable "Dancing Machine" is truly heartwarming. I highly recommend watching how Michael interacts with the crowd—you can really feel his kindness. "Body Language," a spirited track from the album *Moving Violation*, is a high-energy funk number that incorporates a phrase from "War" in its latter half; the crowd goes wild, and it serves as a thrilling grand finale.

This footage captures a live TV appearance in Venezuela on February 26, 1977. It was a time of renewal for the group, as The Jacksons were reinventing themselves following the hit "Enjoy Yourself." Meanwhile, Michael was appearing in the film *The Wiz* and had met Quincy Jones. This is black-and-white footage from that era, though there are some audio dropouts. At the beginning, when the host asks a question in Spanish and Michael answers "sí" (yes), he is asked if he speaks the language; his honest "no" is both endearing and amusing. First up is the ballad "One Day in Your Life," originally from Michael's 1975 solo album *Forever, Michael*. Although not released as a single at the time—despite being performed in Mexico in 1975—Motown capitalized on Michael's later massive success by releasing it as a single in 1981, and it became a huge hit in the UK. Next is "Happy," from the 1973 solo album *Music & Me*; it features lyrics set to the "Love Theme" instrumental from the film *Lady Sings the Blues*. It is a shame that the clip cuts off midway through. Then comes "Dancing Machine," featuring Michael's innovative robot dance, followed by "Body Language," where audience members actually come onto the stage to dance. Since these songs were also performed on the 1975 tour, the repetition is admittedly a bit of a letdown.

Finally, the third segment features a nearly complete recording of the New Orleans concert from October 3, 1979—part of the latter half of the *Triumph* tour. While the video is a "pro-shot" filmed by an insider using a single camera, there are issues with image distortion and audio instability, as well as moments where the camera focuses on irrelevant subjects. Nevertheless, it remains thoroughly enjoyable. The excitement peaks with "Dancing Machine," showcasing Michael's dance moves, which had become even more polished and impressive. The setlist features songs unique to this period; the rare track "Get It Together" is a highlight, with horns that deliver an electrifying dose of funk. They also perform "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" from Michael's *Off The Wall* album—a song that appears to have been added to the repertoire around this time. Conversely, tracks like "Off The Wall" and "Rock With You" do not appear until November or December, so they are not yet included here; instead, the band performs "I Wanna Be Where You Are" and "Enjoy Yourself." You can enjoy this early live rendition of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," as well as a performance of "Shake Your Body" that serves as a grand finale, despite a brief interruption in the recording.