''Third Album'' is the third

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

released by

the Jackson 5 The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...

on the

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

label, and the group's second LP released in 1970, on September 8. ''Third Album'' featured the group's fourth consecutive No. 1 single on the US pop charts, " I'll Be There", the Top 5 single " Mama's Pearl", and album tracks such as the semi-autobiographical "Goin' Back to Indiana" and "Darling Dear". The album peaked at No. 4 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Top LPs The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a recordi ...

chart and No. 1 on both the US

R&B Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip-hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Luminate. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, ...

chart and on '' Cashbox''. The release is considered one of the group's best efforts. It sold over 6 million copies worldwide.Bestselling Motown

Reception

Allmusic's Lindsay Planer rated ''Third Album'' four out of five stars. She stated that the album contains "the unmistakable Motown sound, expanding just enough to incorporate other significant influences as well." She also stated that a few of the tracks "are ..worthwhile spins."

Track listing

Side one #" I'll Be There" ( Berry Gordy, Jr., Bob West,

Hal Davis Harold Edward Davis (February 8, 1933 – November 18, 1998) was an American songwriter and record producer. Davis was a producer and writer for Motown Records for nearly thirty years, and was a key figure in the latter part of the Motown ...

Willie Hutch William McKinley Hutchison (December 6, 1944 – September 19, 2005), better known as Willie Hutch, was an American singer, songwriter as well as a record producer and recording artist for the Motown record label during the 1970s and 1980s. Biog ...

) – 3:59 #*Lead vocals:

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

and

Jermaine Jackson Jermaine LaJuane Jacksun (né Jackson; born December 11, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter and bassist. He is known for being a member of the Jackson family. From 1964 to 1975, Jermaine was second vocalist after his brother Michael of the ...

#*Background vocals:

The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5, later known as the Jacksons, are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was formed in Gary, Indiana in 1964, and originally consisted of brothers Jackie, Ti ...

#" Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love)" (

Thom Bell Thomas Randolph Bell (January 26, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an American record producer, arranger, and songwriter known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. Hailed as one of the most prolific R&B songwriters and prod ...

, William Hart; originally performed by

The Delfonics The Delfonics were an American R&B/soul vocal group from Philadelphia. The Delfonics were most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include " La-La (Means I Love You)", " Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)", "Bre ...

) – 2:34 #*Lead vocals: Michael Jackson #"

Oh How Happy Oh How Happy is a song written by Edwin Starr. It was a hit for the group The Shades of Blue. In the early 1980s, it was a minor hit for New Zealand based New York City soul singer Herb McQuay. Many artists have covered the song. Background "Oh ...

" (

Edwin Starr Charles Edwin Hatcher (January 21, 1942 – April 2, 2003), known by his stage name Edwin Starr, was an American singer and songwriter. He is best remembered for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the num ...

aka Charles Hatcher; originally performed by the Shades of Blue) – 2:16 #*Lead vocals: Jermaine Jackson #*Secondary vocals: Michael Jackson #"

Bridge Over Troubled Water ''Bridge Over Troubled Water'' is the fifth and final studio album by American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, released on January 26, 1970, by Columbia Records. Following the duo's soundtrack for ''The Graduate'', Art Garfunkel took an acting ...

" (

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...

; originally performed by

Simon & Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo comprising the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music acts of the 1960s. Their most famous recordings include three US number-one sing ...

) – 5:52 #*Lead vocals: Jermaine Jackson #"Can I See You in the Morning" (

Deke Richards Deke Richards (born Dennis Lussier;"Jackson 5 producer Deke Richards dies aged 68 ...

) – 3:09 #*Lead vocals: Michael Jackson Side two #"Goin' Back to Indiana" ( The Corporation) – 3:32 #*Lead vocals: Michael Jackson #*Spoken vocals: The Jackson 5 #"How Funky Is Your Chicken" (Lester Lee Carr, Richard Hutch,

) – 2:41 #*Lead vocals: Michael Jackson, Jermaine Jackson,

Jackie Jackson Sigmund Esco "Jackie" Jackson (born May 4, 1951) is an American singer and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Jackson 5, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Jackson is the second child of the Jac ...

#" Mama's Pearl" (The Corporation) – 3:09 #*Lead vocals: Michael Jackson #*Secondary vocals: Jermaine Jackson, Jackie Jackson #"Reach In" (Beatrice Verdi) – 3:28 #*Lead vocals: Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson #" The Love I Saw In You Was Just a Mirage" (

Smokey Robinson William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. He was the founder and frontman of the pioneering Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he ...

Marv Tarplin Marvin Tarplin (June 13, 1941 – September 30, 2011) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their bigges ...

; originally performed by

the Miracles The Miracles (later known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1955. They were the first successful recording act for Motown Records and are considered one of the most ...

) – 4:22 #*Lead and spoken vocals: Michael Jackson #"Darling Dear" (George Horgay Gordy,

Robert Gordy Robert Louis Gordy (July 15, 1931 – October 21, 2022) was an American songwriter, Music publisher (popular music), music publishing executive, and recording artist under the stage name Bob Kayli. He released the minor hit song "Everyone Was T ...

, Allen Story; originally performed by

) – 2:40 #*Lead vocals: Michael Jackson

Re-release

In 2001, Motown remastered all Jackson 5 albums in a "Two Classic Albums/One CD" series (much like they did in the late 1980s). This album was paired up with '' Maybe Tomorrow''. The bonus tracks were "

Sugar Daddy Sugar dating or sugaring is an interpersonal relationship where one person receives money or gifts in exchange for intimacy or companionship. The provider (called a sugar daddy or sugar mommy) is typically older and wealthier, while the recipi ...

", the only new track on their 1971 greatest hits set, and "I'm So Happy", the B-side of that single.

Charts

References

External links