Skywriter

Infobox Album
Name = Skywriter
Type = Album
Artist = The Jackson 5


Released = March 1973
Recorded = 1972–1973
Genre = Bubblegum pop/soul
Length = 29:25
Label = Motown
M761L
Producer = Hal Davis & The Corporation
Reviews =
*Allmusic (2/5) [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:tlq8b5b4tsq4~T00 link]
*"Rolling Stone" (mixed) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thejackson5/albums/album/304554/review/5941493/skywriter link]
Last album = "Lookin' Through the Windows"
(1972)
This album = "Skywriter"
(1973)
Next album = "The Jackson 5 in Japan"
(1973)

"Skywriter" could be described as a turning-point record for The Jackson 5. Released in the beginning of 1973, lead singer Michael's vocals were now showing the signs of his maturing tenor voice, while Jermaine's voice had gotten much deeper in tone. Notably, one of "Skywriter's" songs, "Touch" (originally recorded by the Supremes in 1971), features Michael and Jermaine singing about satisfying a woman in the bed. As such, "Touch" was one of the most controversial singles Michael sung on until his solo career took off again in the 1980s.

Michael, at this point, was frustrated with the direction he and his brothers were going in, and complained to Motown's staff producers and writers about the kind of music they were doing. The brothers were openly discouraged of the style they were receiving from Motown writers. Also, by this point, all five brothers were writing their own material, but Motown prevented them from recording their own compositions. The frustration was showcased most openly by the album cover, where all five brothers solemnly looked at the camera around an early-1900s-era airplane. This is one of the least successful albums the Jackson brothers ever created mainly because of only one top twenty single, and lack of promotion because the boys were on a worldwide tour at this time. This would be the last album that followed the bubblegum pop sound, and from this point on, the group would follow a more souful disco sound.

Track listing

#"Skywriter" (Larson/Marcellino) – 3:08
#"Hallelujah Day" (Perren/Yarian) – 2:46
#"The Boogie Man" (Richards) – 2:56
#"Touch" (originally by The Supremes) (Sawyer/Wilson) – 3:00
#"Corner of the Sky" (song written for the Broadway musical Pippin) (Schwartz) – 3:33
#"I Can't Quit Your Love" (originally by The Four Tops) (Caston/Wakefield) – 3:12
#"Uppermost" (Davis) – 2:26
#"World of Sunshine" (Larson/Marcellino) – 2:45
#"Ooh, I'd Love to Be With You" (Mizell/Mizell) – 2:49
#"You Made Me What I Am" (Corporation) – 2:50

External links

* [http://www.jackson5abc.com/albums/skywriter "Skywriter" Overview at www.jackson5abc.com (page is in French)]