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The Jacksons Live! (1981)

Where the lyrics of The Jacksons Live! take you, and where it was really made.

This live album was taken from four concert stops on one tour, and that tour was the group's last shared outing for three years.

Key places

New York stop on the Triumph Tour (1981)

Live show Madison Square Garden — The live double album was culled from recordings made on the tour's stops in Buffalo, Providence, Atlanta, and New York City. Madison Square Garden was the New York City venue. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Providence stop on the Triumph Tour (1981)

Live show Providence Civic Center — Providence was one of the tour stops whose recordings were used for the album. The pin marks the city centre, not the venue building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• The Jacksons Live!, also known as simply Live: a live album by the Jacksons
• Released November 11, 1981 by Epic Records
• A double live album culled from recordings made at the tour's stops in Buffalo, Providence, Atlanta, and New York City
• Recorded during the Triumph Tour, the group's North American concert tour in fall 1981
• Sold over two million copies worldwide

Background

• The 1981 setlist featured songs from the group's 1980 album Triumph
• The setlist also included two songs from Destiny (1978) and a medley of the group's Motown hits
• Five songs came from lead singer Michael Jackson's 1979 solo album Off the Wall
• The Triumph Tour was the group's last tour together for three years
• Michael recorded and released Thriller (1982) and its singles in 1982 and 1983 during that break
• The group reunited for its final tour, the Victory Tour, in 1984

Recording

• Bill Schnee is credited for recording and mixing
• Band lineup: Michael Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson, and Randy Jackson
• Additional musicians: David Williams on guitar, Bill Wolfer on keyboards, Mike McKinney on bass, Jonathan Moffett on drums
• The East Coast Horns section performed on horns

Cover

• Photography is credited to Lynn Goldsmith and Todd Gray

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Disc 1

Disc 2

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in Gary, Indiana, in 1964 as the Jackson Brothers, managed by father Joe Jackson.
• Original lineup: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael.
• Among the first African American performers to build a following across multiple genres.

Members

• Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael Jackson; Randy joined in 1975 when the group became the Jacksons.
• Michael Jackson's solo career became the most successful of the brothers.

Career

• Signed with Motown in 1968 and became the first group to debut with four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits: "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There".
• Achieved seventeen Top 40 singles on the Hot 100 within five years.
• Left Motown for Epic Records in 1975–1976 and renamed themselves the Jacksons, releasing albums including Destiny and Triumph.
• Reunited in 1983 for Motown 25 and released Victory in 1984; Michael and Marlon left the group afterward.
• Sold over 150 million records worldwide.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.
• Continued to tour as the Jacksons, including the Unity Tour (2012–2013).

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• AllMusic (Bruce Eder): wrote the album reminds listeners how great the Jacksons were
• Eder: the album captures the near end of Michael Jackson's work with the family group, with everything still at a high note
• Eder: the album is worth tracking down as an artifact of a simpler, more joyous time in music and the family's history

Reappraisal

• Rolling Stone (1988): described the Triumph Tour as one of the best 25 tours between 1967 and 1987

Records

• Sold over two million copies worldwide

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The Triumph Tour was the group's last tour together for three years, while Michael recorded and released Thriller.
• Rolling Stone magazine named the Triumph Tour one of the best 25 tours between 1967 and 1987 in 1988.
• The album's setlist mixed songs from the group's 1980 album Triumph with five songs from Michael's solo album Off the Wall.
• Jackie Jackson was injured and missed the early part of the group's final tour, the Victory Tour, in 1984.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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