ABC cover art

  Studio Album · No. 2

ABC Songwriting Credits by The Jacksons

1970 Motown Records 12 tracks 39 min

Produced by The Corporation, Bobby Taylor, Hal Davis

Motown Records Bubblegum SoulR&BRock
0%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

The Jacksons wrote 0 of 12 documented tracks

Authorship Breakdown 0 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Jacksons carries a lyricist or composer credit.

0%
0 trackswritten by The Jacksons 12 tracksoutside writers
The Jacksons's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist0%
Composer0%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
23
Lyricists
3
Producers
2
No.1 Singles
6 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1970
Released

Awards & Recognition 1

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (1971, Nominated)
Data Insight

The Jackson 5 wrote nothing on ABC, which was built by Motown's production staff. The Corporation (Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Fonce Mizell, and Deke Richards) wrote and produced both chart-topping singles, 'ABC' and 'The Love You Save,' with additional production from Hal Davis and Bobby Taylor. The album mixes these Corporation originals with covers, including a version of Funkadelic's 'I'll Bet You.'

ABC is the Jackson 5's second studio album, released May 8, 1970, on Motown Records. Singles 'The Love You Save' and 'ABC', along with 'I Want You Back' from the debut and 'I'll Be There' from the subsequent Third Album, collectively made the Jackson 5 the first act in chart history to have their first four singles reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The Corporation continued to write the group's uptempo material, including the raucous stop-start funk of 'The Love You Save' and 'ABC,' a propulsive celebration of romance as grade school that captures Michael's comic timing as a vocalist. The album also features notable non-Corporation covers: Holland-Dozier-Holland's '(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need,' Thom Bell and William Hart's 'La-La (Means I Love You),' George Clinton's 'I'll Bet You,' and two Stevie Wonder co-compositions, 'Never Had a Dream Come True' and 'Don't Know Why I Love You.' Bobby Taylor produced 'True Love Can Be Beautiful,' co-written with Leonard Caston Jr. and Jeana Jackson.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
The Love You Save #1
Berry GordyAlphonso MizellFreddie PerrenDeke Richards Berry GordyAlphonso MizellFreddie PerrenDeke Richards The Corporation Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
2
One More Chance
Berry GordyAlphonso MizellFreddie PerrenDeke Richards Berry GordyAlphonso MizellFreddie PerrenDeke Richards The Corporation Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
3
ABC #1
Berry GordyAlphonso MizellFreddie PerrenDeke Richards Berry GordyAlphonso MizellFreddie PerrenDeke Richards The Corporation Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
4
2-4-6-8
Leon WarePam Sawyer Leon WarePam Sawyer Hal Davis Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
5
(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need
Edward Holland Jr. Brian HollandLamont Dozier Hal Davis Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
6
Don't Know Why I Love You
Lula Mae HardawayDon HunterPaul RiserStevie Wonder Lula Mae HardawayDon HunterPaul RiserStevie Wonder Hal Davis Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
7
Never Had a Dream Come True
Stevie WonderSylvia MoyHank Cosby Stevie WonderSylvia MoyHank Cosby Hal Davis Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
8
True Love Can Be Beautiful
Leonard Caston Jr.Jeana JacksonBobby Taylor Leonard Caston Jr.Jeana JacksonBobby Taylor Bobby Taylor Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
9
La-La (Means I Love You)
Thom BellWilliam Hart Thom BellWilliam Hart Hal Davis Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
10
I'll Bet You
George ClintonSidney BarnesTheresa Lindsey George ClintonSidney BarnesTheresa Lindsey Bobby Taylor Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
11
I Found That Girl
Berry GordyAlphonso MizellFreddie PerrenDeke Richards Berry GordyAlphonso MizellFreddie PerrenDeke Richards The Corporation Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)
12
The Young Folks
George GordyAllen Story George GordyAllen Story Hal Davis Michael Jackson (Lead Vocals)Jackie Jackson (Vocals)Tito Jackson (Vocals)Jermaine Jackson (Vocals)Marlon Jackson (Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 32 contributors

AM
Alphonso Mizell
Writer
On this album4 written
BG
Berry Gordy
Writer
On this album4 written
DR
Deke Richards
Writer
On this album4 written
FP
Freddie Perren
Writer
On this album4 written
SW
Stevie Wonder
Writer
On this album2 written
BT
Bobby Taylor
Writer · Producer
On this album1 written
AS
Allen Story
Writer
On this album1 written
BH
Brian Holland
Writer
On this album1 written
DH
Don Hunter
Writer
On this album1 written
EH
Edward Holland Jr.
Writer
On this album1 written
GC
George Clinton
Writer
On this album1 written
GG
George Gordy
Writer
On this album1 written

More from The Jacksons

1969 0%
Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5
Motown Records
12 tracksProd. The Corporation
1970 0%
Third Album
Motown
11 tracksProd. Corporation
1971 0%
Maybe Tomorrow
Motown
11 tracksProd. Corporation
1972 0%
Lookin' Through the Windows
Motown
11 tracksProd. Hal Davis
1973 0%
Skywriter
Motown
10 tracksProd. Berry Gordy
1973 0%
G.I.T.: Get It Together
Motown
8 tracksProd. Hal Davis
1974 0%
Dancing Machine
Motown
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1975 0%
Moving Violation
Motown
9 tracksProd. Mel Larson
1976 20%
The Jacksons
Epic Records
10 tracksProd. Kenneth Gamble
1977 22%
Goin' Places
Epic Records
9 tracksProd. Kenny Gamble
1978 88%
Destiny
Epic Records
8 tracksProd. The Jacksons
1980 100%
Triumph
Epic Records
9 tracksProd. The Jacksons
1984 100%
Victory
Epic Records
8 tracksProd. The Jacksons
1989 73%
2300 Jackson Street
Epic Records
11 tracksProd. Michael Jackson

Frequently Asked Questions ABC

Who wrote 'ABC' by the Jackson 5?
'ABC' was written and produced by The Corporation, Motown's in-house team of Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Fonce Mizell, and Deke Richards. The Jackson 5 did not write it. The single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Who wrote 'The Love You Save' by the Jackson 5?
'The Love You Save' was written and produced by The Corporation. It was the second single from the ABC album and also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Did the Jackson 5 write the ABC album themselves?
No. The Jackson 5 wrote none of ABC. The record was created by Motown's production staff, principally The Corporation, with additional production from Hal Davis and Bobby Taylor, and it includes several cover songs.
Did the Jackson 5's ABC album win any awards?
The title track 'ABC' was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1971. The album itself did not win a documented award.
Is 'I'll Bet You' on the Jackson 5's ABC album a cover?
Yes. 'I'll Bet You' is a cover of a song by Funkadelic, written by George Clinton, Sidney Barnes, and Theresa Lindsey. The Jackson 5 recorded their version for the ABC album.
How many number-one singles came from the Jackson 5's ABC album?
Two. Both 'ABC' and 'The Love You Save' reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970, continuing the run of chart-topping singles the group began with 'I Want You Back.'

Sources

Wikipedia: ABC (The Jackson 5 album) Wikipedia: The Love You Save MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: ABC by The Jacksons