Jackson 5 – Maybe Tomorrow Album Turns 40

At the end of 1970s, the Jackson 5 were established hit makers for Motown Records. The group enjoyed four consecutive No. 1 hits on the pop and soul charts (I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save and I’ll Be There) as well as the near-chart-topper Mama’s Pearl. Television appearances on shows such as American Bandstand and Ed Sullivan brought in high ratings and concert tours were sold-out affairs.

After I’ll Be There, co-written and produced by Hal Davis, hit No. 1 on the charts, Motown felt it was time for the J-5 to tackle a more mature theme for their fifth album, Maybe Tomorrow. The group’s first three LP’s (the Christmas disc was the fourth) followed the formula of hit-album tunes written by The Corporation (Berry Gordy, Deke Richards, Fonce Mizell and Freddie Perren), remakes of prior Motown hits, a few originals from the Jobete catalog and their versions of songs first recorded by their favorite groups (the Delfonics, Sly & the Family Stone). By 1971, the Jackson brothers, like their audience, were well into their teen years with Michael turning 13 in August. Therefore, the writers and producers came up with themes that reflected how romance can be a roller-coaster for those who were (very!) young and in love. Released on April 12, 1971 (one week after their appearance on Diana Ross’ ABC-TV special), Maybe Tomorrow consisted of original songs from the pens of many Jobete songwriting teams with only one Motown cover (Honey Chile, a hit for Martha Reeves & the Vandellas) and two outside tunes – the Crests’ 16 Candles and Clifton Davis’ Never Can Say Goodbye.

Never Can Say Goodbye was brought in by producer Hal Davis, who liked the song’s break-up-to-make-up theme. He actually had the song recorded by the J-5 in 1970 but the label’s Quality Control Department sat on the acetate for months. Frustrated, Hal blasted the song on his office stereo while Berry Gordy had a meeting next door. The Motown chief then walked into the room exclaimed he loved what he heard and had it released in early 1971 (No. 2 Pop/No. 1 R&B).

As mentioned before, the album contained mostly original Jobete-published songs – a departure from covering Motown hits and Philly-soul tunes. The title track Maybe Tomorrow (No. 3 R&B/No. 20 Pop) was a nod toward the Thom Bell-flavored hits the Delfonics enjoyed, from the opening drum fills to the use of French horns, strings and sitar throughout the song (kudos to legendary arranger Gene Page, who went on to work with the Maestro, Barry White). 

Michael’s gentle lead compliments the tune’s theme of lost love and the possibility that she’ll come back (or “maybe she won’t…” as the brothers sang in the chorus, telling poor Michael not to get his hopes up). Brother Jermaine’s lead on the ballad She’s Good, 16 Candles and the upbeat I Will Find A Way showed how strong his vocal chops had become. His vocals are smoother and more pronounced. And what about the remainder of the album – Petals, My Little Baby as well as the funky jam (and later sampled) It’s Great To Be Here came from The Corporation (as well as She’s Good and I Will Find A Way), while The Wall and We Got Blue Skies came from Jobete songwriting teams that included Pam Sawyer (Love Child), Chris Clark (Love Gone Bad) Jerry Marcellino (who went on to pen Music & Me for Michael in 1973) and Berry’s older brother Fuller Gordy.

While Maybe Tomorrow hit No. 1 on the R&B album charts like their prior efforts, it was the first Jackson 5 album to stall outside the Top 10 Pop LP listings (it peaked at No. 11) – whereas their first four long-players hit the pop album chart’s top 5. It did sell a respectable 3.5-million copies that year. The album not only earned its place with J-5 fans, it also helped usher in the era of 70’s “teen soul” – paving the way for groups such as L.A.-based Sylvers and NYC’s Black Ivory.

 by Kevin Goins