“The Jackson 5” The Love You Save Has A Secret

The Love You Save" was written and recorded in March of 1970 by "The Corporation." This group included Deke Richards, Alfonzo Mizell, Berry Gordy, and Freddie Perren. These men wrote hits for The Jackson 5 and other Mowtown artists. "The Love You Save" reigned supreme on the music charts and even when Michael Jackson went solo, he often sang it during concerts. Life was so different then than it is today. Five decades ago teens wore bell bottom pants, hip huggers and hot pants. Afros were in style and young girls were screaming at concerts for the five Jackson brothers.

This summer, of 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has shut everything down. There are no big hit records or concerts and teenagers are wearing masks, trying not to become infected with the latest coronavirus. In May of 1970 this hit single was released and was number one on the R&B charts for six weeks. The song also held the number-one spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart from June 27 to July 4, 1970. The recording went to number 7 on the UK Top 40 chart, in August of that year. The Love You Save is the third of four-back to back hits the singing sensations had in-a-row.

The other three songs were "I Want You Back", "ABC", and "I'll Be There". Billboard ranked The Love You Save as the No. 16 song of the year for 1970. Michael Jackson turned 12 the year he sang lead on this recording. I can remember the J5 day coming to Roanoke Virginia on a Friday night that summer and how I cried because no one took me to the concert. My mother had taken us to see James Brown and other artists but not one word was mentioned about the Jackson brothers.

I was so hurt to not be able to go, and when I found out that one of my older cousins went to the concert with no thought of asking me to come along I cried more tears. I walked through a field to what we referred to as “ The old house and I closed my eyes and spun around and around believing that somehow I would be transported to Civic Center 10 miles away to see Michael Jackson and his brothers. The Jackson 5 the world wonderful dance music and writers of The Love You Save a secret hidden within. It has been in plain sight all of these years, but I only found about it within this past year.

I was reading some comments on one of the Youtube versions of the recording and one individual revealed something quite interesting. Near the end of the song, Michael Jacksons sings:

"Isaac said he kissed you

Beneath the apple tree

When Benjie held your hand he felt

E-lec-tri-ci-tee!

When Alexander called you

He said he rang your chimes.

Christopher discovered

You're way ahead of your times"!

Isaac and the apple tree is a reference to Isaac Newton who legend says discovered gravity when an apple fell on his head while he was underneath an apple tree. Bengie and electricity refers to Benjamin Franklin who discovered electricity. Alexander ringing chimes is Alexander Grahm Bell who invented the telephone. Christopher discovered is Chris Columbus who is said to have found the new world. I could not believe that I had been enjoying this tune since 1970m and never figured this out. Neither had I heard anyone else mention it. I think this was really cute and ingenious.

My favorite version of The Love You Save is from the movie, "The Jacksons an American Dream." The actors are very good and they look and dance just like the famous family. When they are on stage singing this there is so much energy. The crowd goes wild when Randy joins his five siblings. Lawrence Hilton Jacobs and Angela Bassett standing to the side as Joe and Katherine watching their sons was heartwarming. Sadly, Michael has passed away and Joe and Katherine were separated when he died. Even so, I'm thankful to the Motown machine and the "Corporation" for bringing the Jackson brothers to the world and for hiding that message within The Love you Save.