Moma's Pearl by The Jackson Five

Mama's Pearl

1971

The Jackson Five

Berry Gordy handed J-5 songwriting duty back over to 'The Corporation' for their fifth hit...and they took on the task knowing that following up on a mega-hit like 'I'll Be There' was gonna pretty much redefine
'uber-tough job'.

Soooo, what they did first is return to the high-energy, frenetic, bubblegum-pop sound that drove 'The Jackson Five's first three hits, and then wrote what arguably just might be the raciest set of lyrics ever sung by an eleven or so year old lead singer. Really guys...I'm not kidding, I mean the first line of the song's:

'You send cold chills up and down my spine...'

At which point the song talks about the girl stopping at kissing because of her momma's wishes while the singer wants to go...well...further. This, BTW, was after the song's producer, Deke Richards, changed both the title and the lyrics to preserve Michael Jackson's 'youthful and innocent image'. Kinda makes ya wonder just what the lyrics were before they were changed. It's actually a bit amazing that parents bought the single for the throngs of Middle School/Jr High aged girls who clamored for it given those lyrics, but buy it they did, and the young ladies among us Seventies Kids liked it enough to keep it in the runner-up spot on The Hot-100 for two weeks. WGH, in Hampton Roads, played it multiple times daily, kids head-bopped to it, and...well, believe it or not, as time passed by it kinda became The Jackson Five's 'forgotten Hit', if there indeed is such a thing.

Oh, Mama's Pearl's not totally forgotten by any means...but compared to the quartet of Top-Spot-Snagging power-tunes that preceded it, the uber-popular  runner-up-spot snagging hit 'Never Can Say Goodbye' following it, and with Michael's career taking off soon afterward, it kind of became the 'Middle Child' of J-5 Hits, IMHO. Despite it's pretty, distinctive instrumental intro, catchy rhythm and beat, and not at all shabby chart performance (And the fact that it was essentially a Michael Jackson song with the rest of the J-5 singing back-up) Momma's Pearl is possibly the least well remembered of the Jackson Five's early hits, but that takes nothing at all away from it. Like all of their hits, it was a tight, energetic, fun-to-listen-to little tune that dared you not to move something when you heard it, and when it was released, it very deservedly sold like blueberry pancakes.

Mama's Pearl was released on January 7^th, 1971 and debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 30^th, at #47. It cracked the Top 10, at # 10 three weeks in, and peaked at #2 on it's fifth week. Mama's Pearl hung onto the Runner-Up spot for two weeks, and stayed in the Top 10 for five of it's ten weeks on the chart, finally falling off the chart on April 3^rd, '71. Oh...while it was at it, Momma's Pearl also snagged the runner-up spot on the Billboard R&B charts .

Befitting it's status as a sort-of forgotten J-5 hit, Mama's Pearl is also probably among the least-heard J-5 tunes today...it seems you almost never hear it on the Oldies stations, this despite the fact that it went to #2 on the Hot 100 and helped launch a career that was more of a legend. But if you listen long enough...and to enough stations...you'll still catch it once in awhile.

So Enjoy! Mama's Pearl by The Jackson Five.

Never Can Say Good-Bye by The Jackson Five

Never Can Say Good-bye

1971

The Jackson Five

The Jackson Five's sixth consecutive Top 5 hit...heck, fifth consecutive Top 2 hit...was a chart-topper everywhere but the scoreboard, and it very likely just barely missed there. It was catchy, popular, well loved, covered by just about everyone who ever sang a note, and...wasn't originally written for The Jackson Five.

'Never Can Say Goodbye' was written by a gent of some song-writing repute named Clifton Davis, and was originally written for The Supremes, but Berry Gordy took a look at it, very likely squinted meaningfully, and decided that it would be a perfect fit for his newest...and youngest...rising super-group, and particularly for that group's lead singer, the fact that it would mean an eleven year old would be singing a very serious song about love notwithstanding. This, of course,  wouldn't be the first time Michael Jackson and brothers had sung and struck recording gold and /or platinum with such a tune.

'Never Can Say Goodbye's short, distinctive intro was all over Top-40 radio during the spring of '71, and we Seventies Kids gave it plenty of love...enough so that, as noted, we almost took it to #1. The song was a springtime hit for 1971, debuting on The Billboard Hot 100 at #57 on April 3^rd, '71 and breaking into the Top 20 the very next week, at #15. It'd crack the Top 10 two weeks later, at #4, and peak at #2 on May 5^th, hanging on to the runner up spot for three weeks before dropping off the charts on June 19^th after a not at all shabby 12 week chart run. Seven of those twelve weeks were spent in the Top Ten. While it was at it, Never Can Say Goodbye went one better on the Billboard Black Singles Chart, snagging that chart's Top Spot.

This one was one of two J-5 hits that pretty much transcended all age demographics (The other was 'I'll Be There') because so many people could identify with it...all of us have had a girl or boy friend who we just could not let go of...no matter how they treated us, and that essentially's what this tune's about...pretty heady stuff for an eleven year old!

Of course, the kids in the age demo that Motown targeted when they released The Jackson Five into the world loved it because of the sound...like all of their hits it was catchy and fun to listen to (And to dance to), and it had a tendency to get stuck in your head all day.

BUT!...and this is a biggie...these fans weren't the only people who took notice by any means. Three years later the suits at a newly minted recording concern known as Disco Corporation of America grabbed it, gave it to their writing team, who took it way up-tempo and tweaked every facet of it before offering it to a newly signed lady by the name of Gloria Gaynor. Gloria Gaynor then gave it her own signature sound, sass, and personality and made into the very first song to ever top a Disco chart, at the same time taking it to # 9 on The Billboard Hot 100. Her version of the song is likely just as well remembered by Us Seventies Kids as the J-5 version, and is just as likely...if not a bit more likely..to be heard on the Oldies Stations as the original.

Whichever version you lean towards, it's a classic, and MJ and his bros'll still be telling that unnamed young lady that they can't say good-bye to her for decades after we've said our last good-byes ourselves. 

So Enjoy! Never Can Say Good-bye by The Jackson Five!


And as a Bonus Vid...Gloria Gaynor's kickin' cover of  'Never Can Say Goodbye!'  The lady most definitively had some serious pipes!(Ignore the couple of seconds of music at the beginning and end of the video...it's intro music added by the video's creator to all of his/her vids).

Sugar Daddy by The JAckson Five

Sugar Daddy

1971

The Jackson Five

If Mama's Pearl was the Sorta-Middle-Child of Jackson Five Hits, 'Sugar Daddy' just may be the Redheaded Stepchild. Despite cracking the Top Ten, it seems to have just about dropped clean off of the radar for everyone but the most devoted Michael Jackson fan.

Songwriting duties were handed back to The Corporation for this one, and they gave it their distinct and all but unmistakable 'bubblegum rock' sound...'Sugar Daddy is a catchy, high-energy little tune that features Michael and Jermaine Jackson sharing lead vocal duties, and all of the Brothers Jackson singing back-up throughout the song's two and a half minute length. The very fact that all of the Jacksons' vocals are featured nearly equally makes 'Sugar Daddy' a rare treat, and it's more than a little sad that it isn't heard hardly at all any more.

'Sugar Daddy was released in November of '71, and debuted on The Billboard Hot 100 at #72, on the 11^th of December. It cracked the Top 20 on New Years Day of '72, and peaked at #10...just making the Top 10...seven weeks in to it's ten week chart run on Jan 22^nd '72. Sugar Daddy did even better on the Billboard R&B Chart, cracking the Top 5 to peak at #3 there.

In the song, the group was singing of another subject of lovethat many if not most guys...young and old... can relate to. That gal who strings you along, accepting your gifts and favors gladly while dating someone else. And, like all of the Jackson Five's tunes it was catchy, lots of fun to listen to, and, despite it's subject matter, just made you feel good while listening to it. It's a shame you don't hear it that much any more.

So Enjoy! Sugar Daddy by The Jackson Five!

And as a bonus vid...The J-5 performs 'Sugar Daddy' live during an un-named TV appearance back in the early 70s...the video quality, unfortunately, pretty much reeks but the audio's pretty good for the time. Michael definitely shows everyone that hes the groups rising star in this one!

Dancing Machine by The Jackson Five

Dancing Machine

1974

The Jackson Five

If you were a living, breathing teenager in 1974, you may remember a dance craze known as 'The Robot', and while the Jackson Five didn't invent it, they're definitely the ones who made it, using this very tune to accomplish  that task.

Everyone remembers hearing 'Dancing, Dancing, Dancinnnnng!!!' bursting from their stereo speakers to kick this one off, and at first a lot of people didn't realize it was the J-5. Motown's The Corporation had parted ways with each other two years earlier, leaving the J-5 to rely on other songwriters. Now, a change of song-writers for a single tune here and there had served them well a couple of times in the past...most notably with 'I'll Be There'...but this time around they seemed to have lost some of their momentum.

 Oh, they were still around through '72 and '73, but while they'd been churning out minor hits, several of which made it into the Top 20, their absence in the Top 10 had been pretty notable. 'Dancing Machine' would snap that streak for them one last time. 

Hal Davis, Don Fletcher, and Dean Park took on the task of getting them back into 'Big Hit' territory, and in the process wrote what's remembered as one of the catchiest dance-tunes of The Seventies, which is saying something as The Awesome Music Decade produced some pretty stellar dance tunes.. Dancing Machine was nothing but a straight out, classic dance tune, with a melody, beat, and rhythm that dared you to try not to start head-bopping, hair-swaying, and hip swinging. The tune's lyrics even payed homage to the very much admired dance moves of an equally well admired, if fictional and very possibly robotic lady.

The writing trio pitched it right over the plate, and The Jackson Five knocked it out of the park, making it into the top 10 for the first time since 'Sugar Daddy ' in 1972, and the Top 5 for the first time since 'Never Can Say Good-bye' snagged the runner-up position earlier that same year. 'Dancing Machine' debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 16th, 1974 at #79 and began a steady climb as us Seventies Kids discovered it, cracking the top 20 just shy of a month after it's debut, and the Top 10, at #8, two weeks later, on April 27th. It snagged the Hot 100's runner up spot on May 18th...10 weeks in...and hung on to it for two weeks before starting down. "Dancing Machine' would spend a not at all shabby 21 weeks on the Hot 100, nine of them in the Top 10. The tune went one better on the Billboard R&B charts, where it snagged the top spot, and while it was at it, earned a Grammy nomination for best R&B Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocals. Rufas and Chaka-Khan beat them out with Tell Me Something Good. Sadly, Dancing Machine would be the last hit they scored as a Motown act, as well as their last hit as 'The Jackson Five'.

As noted above, the song popularized the 'Robot Dance'. Michael Jackson personally raised the dance to a new level by pretty much becoming the master of the dance, then making it his own and performing it often and with legendary perfection through-out his career.

'Dancing Machine' was simple and pure fun, both to listen to and to dance to, and it was all over the radio during the spring and the Summer of '74'. And, if you were in high school during the mid Seventies, not only would you hear this one on the radio, it's almost a sure bet you'd hear it at least once or twice during any school dance. It was a fast-dance, and us Seventies Kids would flood the dance floor and add our own personal touches to "The Robot Dance' when that familiar thrice-repeated intro would burst from the speakers and bounce around the gym or community center where the dance was taking place. 

 It's still just as danceable and fun to listen to now as it was when that iconic 'Dancing, Dancing, Dancinnnnng!!! was first heard forty-one years ago.  Like most of the J-5's hits, it'll still show up on Oldies stations occasionally, and it wouldn't surprise me if, every once in a while, a DJ will dust it off and spin it during a dance club's theme night.  Wonder if anyone still knows how to dance 'The Robot?

So enjoy!  Dancing Machine by The Jackson Five! 


And as a bonus vid, The Jackson Five performs Dancing Machine and a very smooth rendition of 'The Robot Dance' during a TV appearance. The Date and show/event wasn't listed so that'll have to remain a mystery...but their dance partner was pretty cool! Check out the robot dancing 'The Robot'

 

Got To Be There by Michael Jackson

Got To Be There

Michael Jackson

1971

By the time the J-5's forth consecutive chart-topper snagged that coveted One-Spot it was pretty obvious who the group's stand-out star was. Berry Gordy had been grooming Michael for a solo career since the group signed with Motown, and almost exactly a year after 'I'll Be There' took off, he decided that the iron was hot. 
 

Sometime during the late summer or early fall of  '71 Motown's whip called in Michael, song-writer Elliott Willensky, and prolific music producer Hal Davis, along with David Blumberg, who arranged the music, and Willie Hutch, who took on production tasks for the vocals, for a history making meeting, and possibly said something to the effect of 'Michael, we're going to write you a hit all your own', then to his writing/producing team 'Guys, write the kid a hit!'

Ok, I actually have no idea if those words were spoken at said meeting, but something sure transpired at Motown's Hitsville West studio in L.A. 'cause they did indeed 'Write The Kid A Hit'. This is another one that everyone who was a kid in the early Seventies recognizes pretty much the instant they hear that short, sweet piano intro leading into Michaels already tight vocals. The team of Willensky, Davis, Blumberg, and Hutch went in the same direction that Davis and Hutch had chosen for 'I'll Be There' a year earlier, even choosing a similar title. Deciding that there was no need to fix something that wasn't broke, they again penned a simple, gentle ballad that showcased Michael Jackson's voice perfectly, then they had him also record his own back-up vocals, a very likely multiple take effort that payed off in spades.

'Got To Be There' was released thirteen months and change after 'I'll Be There', debuting just inside the Billboard Hot 100, at #89, on Oct 39, 1971, cracking the Top 20 two weeks later at #13, and just making the Top 10, at #9, on it's forth week in. It peaked at #4 on the Hot 100 on December 11th and stayed there for a single week before starting down, then dropping off of the chart on Jan. 29th of  '72, enjoying a very respectable fourteen week chart run, with nine of those weeks spent in the Top 10. The tune did even better on both the R&B and Cashbox charts, snagging the top spot on both. Got To Be There was also the title track for Michael Jackson's first solo album,  which was also a hit, selling just under a million copies in the US, and just over three million world wide

This was another tune that had by-then thirteen year old Michael Jackson singing of subjects that were likely a bit beyond his experience in the ways of love and such...the song told of a young dude talking about being with his beloved when she woke up in the morning so he could tell her how much he loved her and 'welcome her into the world'...but I really don't think anyone noticed or particularly cared about that discrepancy this time around. They were too busy loving the tune. It was a sweet love song that had the girls hoping their guys felt exactly that way about them, and it was perfect for Michael's vocals. MJ threw himself into the music, too...one of the many traits that would drive his music success over the next nearly 40 years. When you listened to him sing, you could truly believe he was talking about his love for his girl.

The song really took off on the radio as the Holiday season kicked off, and, as noted above, millions of starry eyed young girls listened to it, hoping that their guy felt that way about them (Or that he would feel that way when they finally got a boyfriend...remember, the J-5's and Michael's music was aimed primarily at the age- group we call 'Tweens' today. 

Like pretty much all of Michael Jackson's solo efforts, 'Got To Be There has enjoyed some tremendous staying power, and you're pretty sure to hear it once in a while if you listen to your favorite Oldies station long enough. It's pretty, soulful, and it kicked off a solo career that became a legend.  

So Enjoy! 'Got To Be There by Michael Jackson

Rockin' Robin by Michael JAckson

Rockin' Robin

1972

Michael Jackson

Fifty-eight or so years ago a dude named Leon Rene' AKA Jimmie Thomas knocked out a fun, uber-high-energy little tune about a very hyper, very talented robin entertaining the other birds in his neighborhood, then handed it off to another guy named Bobbie Day, who'd make it his one and only hit single when he recorded it and snagged the runner-up spot on the singles chart of the era (Remember that was before The Billboard Hot 100)

It was well received, fun, and danceable...the kids of the Fifties gave it a solid '8' or so. Fourteen years later, in 1972, you'd still hear it pretty regularly, and Motown's legendary head honcho Berry Gordy heard it, nodded meaningfully, and said 'I know exactly which budding solo artist that'd be perfect for!'. So he bought the rights, had it tweaked a very tiny bit, and gave it to Michael Jackson as his second single. MJ then preceded to match Bobbie Day's chart performance when he snagged the Hot 100's runner-up spot, in the process making his second solo effort the favorite version of this high energy classic by far. Oh, and if you polled us crazy Seventies Kids on which Michael Jackson/Jackson Five song is our favorite today, this one would probably give 'I'll Be There' a run for the money.

'Rockin' Robin' debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on 3-11-72 at #68, then cracked the Top 20 two weeks later, landing at #14. It'd slip into the Top 10 (#9) the very next week, then snag the runner-up spot on 4-22-1972, staying there for a pair of weeks before heading down, and falling off of the charts on 6-3-72, for a 13 week chart run...it'd also be one of the relatively few covers that MJ did, as well as his most successful cover.

Michael Jackson's version of Rockin' Robin stayed pretty true to the original, hanging on to both the original lyrics and melody...including the tune's distinctive intro...with the addition, of course, of Michael Jackson's youthful vocals. MJ's vocals in combo with Rockin' Robin's already very distinctive intro produced what's probably one of the most instantly recognizable hits of all time, so recognizable, in fact, that I'd almost be willing to bet that anyone who was a teen or 'Tween', back in 1972 will recognize it instantly from just the first three notes, and will probably join right in as soon as they hear it. MJ pretty much knocked it out of the park.

While The Jackson Five's success was built on Bubble Gum Rock, and while the lyrics to Rockin' Robin are a bit nonsensical, it is not a Bubblegum Pop song by any means... it's a dance tune. And it's definitely loads of fun to dance to...it has one of those, frenetic, high energy, happily busy beats that just drags you out to the dance floor, but be warned...ya gotta  be in good shape to dance to it, cause it's sure as hell not a slow dance. It'll give you a work-out, and leave you smiling when you finish!

 The song was absolute pure, unadulterated, fun to listen to and was one of Spring 1972's Feel Good songs...you know, the breed of tune that that just hearing the intro to would put a smile on your face. You absolutely would...and likely still will...head sway, foot tap, finger tap, and and dance-in-place to it...you just can't help it. We heard it all Spring and into the Summer of '72, and you can still hear it now, and not only on the Oldies Stations(Where you will hear it.). A couple of years back, on Dancing With The Stars Season 16's finale, the lovely and uber-talented Zendaya Coleman and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy burned up the dance floor to it on their 'Instand Jive'. ( Zenday shoulda won it...Just Sayin! )

It's been covered extensively, as well as used on several TV shows (And it's always the MJ version that you hear) and has been used a couple of times by contestants on shows such as American Idle...it's pretty much become part of  the Music Landscape, maybe even more so that 'I'll Be There'.

I have a feeling that, many years hence, it'll not only still show up on Oldies Stations playlists, it'll show up on, say, Dancing With The Stars Season 80...but when it does so, it'll have to be performed by someone young enough to handle the moves!

So Enjoy!  Rockin' Robin' By Michael Jackson.


A trio of bonus vids with this one gang...first up, a trio of icons all in one fell swoop...Dick Clark  introducing a very young Michael Jackson, who performs his then brand new hit, Rockin' Robin on American Bandstand. Too bad the quality's so bad on this one, because it's a gem.



Bonus Numero Dos...As proof that Seventies Music will never ever die, Zedaya Coleman and Val tear up the dance floor to Rockin' Robin on the final dance of the Dancing With The Stars Season 16 Finale. They knocked it slam outa the park! Zendaya shoulda won it...just sayin'!

Bonus Numero Tres...The original, by Bobby Day...the video features some scenes, stills, and behind the scenes pics from yet another American Classic...American Graffiti...as well as some pics of some of the classic rides from the movie. As for the tune...MJ stayed pretty true to the original, but added his own flair to it, making it the favorite of the two versions by miles.

A couple of little factoids, notes and such!

While I'm at it here, I'm going to give a shout-out to a crew who's often kind of overlooked on both Jackson Five and early Michael Jackson tunes. MJ's vocals were spot-on, but it takes more than vocals to make a hit. Rockin' Robin was helped along...as were all of the J-5's and MJ's Motown hits...by the uber-tight, absolutely on-point instrumentals provided by Motown's house band. Just listen to the drums...they have some seriously some seriously tight percussion goin' on! If you really want to hear the house band roll, just take a listen to Rockin' Robin's instrumental bridge.

Interestingly enough, the House Band that provided the sound for Rockin' Robin (And indeed, all of Motown's L.A. recordings) was not the legendary Funk Brothers, who provided the instrumentals for a slew of legendary artists on the great majority of Motown's Detroit-recorded hits but were collections of different session musicians put together for each particular song.

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While...as noted above...The Jackson Five were considered Ambassadors of Bubblegum Pop, none of Michael Jackson's first three solo hits were bubblegum...two of them were ballads, and the third...this one, sandwiched between them...was a dance tune.

Ben by Michael JAckson

Ben

1972

Michael Jackson

Afore we get started on this one we need to school ourselves on a couple of interesting little facts about Michael Jackson's very first solo chart-topper. First off...'Ben' wasn't originally written for Michael Jackson. And second...and this one's a biggie...in this very moving, heart-felt ballad about friendship, MJ was singing to...wait for it...a rat.

Yep, you read that right. The titular Ben was a rat...literally, the four-legged giant-mouse-critter kinda rat. Back in the early Seventies a horror movie, named Willard, was made about a social outcast...the titular Willard...who befriended and trained several rats, one of whom was named Ben. Ultimately the rat horde, led by Ben, turns on Willard,  killing and eating him. Movie ends, credits roll, untold thousands of children are never ever allowed to have a pet rat, hamster, or any rodent-like critter. The movie, BTW, was a hit and inspired other Horror movies about both renegade wild animals and psychologically crazed killers. Think 'Jaws' and both the novel and movie versions of 'Carrie'

A year or so later, a sequel, named 'Ben' is filmed, staring the titular rat. Ben, still the leader of his horde of super intelligent, uber-aggressive rodents, is befriended by a lonely young boy named Danny. This being a horror movie, Ben's rat-horde goes renegade and starts tearing up the town and devouring the townspeople, only to be decimated by flame-thrower wielding police officers. Ben escapes a fiery demise and makes his way back to Danny. That heartfelt ballad? It's being sung to an injured Ben as the movie's final credits roll.

Again, the song was not written for Michael Jackson...it was written specifically for the movie by James Bond Theme songwriter Don Black, composed by prolific TV Theme/movie music composer Walter Scharf and was originally offered to MJ's good friend, contemporary rival, and fellow young recording mega-star, Donny Osmond. Donny, however, was on tour and would have had to wait until the tour wound down to record the song. The movie, on the other hand, was on a tight shooting schedule, and they really really wanted this song in the movie...so they offered it to Michael Jackson, who recorded it, and sang it over the closing credits of the movie (Lee Montgomery, the child actor who played Danny, sang it to Ben in the movie itself.)

The movie premiered to mixed reviews in June of '72, and the song debuted two months later to become MJ's first #1, but, unlike several of his and the J-5's hits, it didn't shoot up the charts like the proverbial moon-rocket...this one kinda took it's time getting there. 'Ben' was released a month after the movie, on July 12^th, but didn't debut on The Billboard Hot 100 until August 5^th at a lukewarm #85. It then took it's time climbing the chart, not breaking into the Top 20 until it clocked in at #13 on September 16th, then took another week to slide into the Top 10, at #6. It snagged the Top Spot three weeks later, on October 14^th , making MJ the youngest singer to score a #1 song as both a lead singer in a group and a solo artist while it was at it, and hung on for a single week before starting back down, dropping off the chart on November 18^th of '72. 'Ben' also found favor in other lands... the tune also snagged the Top Spot on the Australian Music Charts and scored the #7 spot across The Pond, on the British charts.

The song grabbed far more positive reviews than the film did, being so well respected, in fact, that in 1973 it snagged a Golden Globe for Best Song as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, losing to 'The Morning After', from 'The Poseidon Adventure'. Michael Jackson also got to perform it live at the ceremony, giving several million people who wouldn't normally be listening to a Michael Jackson tune a small taste of the star he was to become.

Even at the tender age of almost 14 young  Michael Jackson's vocals were loaded down with emotion and feelings...what the kids today call 'feels'... and that's what drove it into the Hot 100's top spot. Back than I was actually more of a Donny Osmond fan than I was a Michael Jackson fan, but I'll have to say that 'MJ's vocals were far more suited to 'Ben' than Donny's. While Donny had (And has) a killer voice, he just couldn't inject emotion into it at 14 or so years old the way MJ could. Donny knocked a couple of truly lovely ballads slam outa the park in his early career, but MJ's voice just had a certain soulful quality that just worked far better on a song as laden with deep emotion as Ben...Of course if Donnie had sung it, it would have been the only Osmond Brothers/Donnie Osmond tune that wasn't a cover.

Though the song was indeed about a rat, it never mentioned anything rodent-centric, and loads of people were truly moved and touched by it's soulful sound and deep, emotion. It was pretty, touching, and spoke eloquently of friendship. I remember hearing it pretty constantly on Richmond's AM Top 40 powerhouse, WLEE, during the Summer of '72, and, despite the fact that you seldom if ever hear it on the Oldies stations anymore, it would enjoy some pretty decent staying power.

It even became a Top-Ten hit in the UK a second time, reaching #5 in 1985, when Marti Webb covered it as a tribute to a tiny liver transplant patient named Ben Hardwick, whose parents set up a memorial fund in his name to assist the parents of young transplant patients after he died shortly after his third birthday...all of the royalties off of the song were donated to the memorial fund, BTW.

Ben was also one of MJ's favorite hits, and is one of the most re-released song among his huge library of hit tunes, being re-released on no fewer than ten different albums. So it's still out there. You just have to really strain your ears to hear it, because as I noted above, you hardly ever hear it on the Oldies stations.
If you are lucky enough to hear it, give it a nod, and remember the little guy who scored his first solo #1 hit with it. He didn't know it yet, but he was well on his way to becoming a legend.

So Enjoy!  'Ben' by Michael Jackson!


As a bonus, Michael Jackson singing 'Ben' live at the 1973 Academy Awards.