Third Album is the third studio album released by the Jackson 5 on the Motown 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 Top LPs chart and No. 1 on both the US R&B Albums chart and on Cashbox.[1] The release is considered one of the group’s best efforts. It sold over 6 million copies worldwide.[2][3]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Christgau’s Record Guide | B−[5] |
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.”[4]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “I’ll Be There“ | Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson | 3:59 | |
| 2. | “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love)” (The Delfonics cover) |
| Michael Jackson | 2:34 |
| 3. | “Oh How Happy” (The Shades of Blue cover) | Edwin Starr | Jermaine Jackson | 2:16 |
| 4. | “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (Simon & Garfunkel cover) | Paul Simon | Jermaine Jackson | 5:52 |
| 5. | “Can I See You in the Morning” | Deke Richards | Michael Jackson | 3:09 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | “Goin’ Back to Indiana” | The Corporation | Michael Jackson (spoken vocals by each member) | 3:32 |
| 7. | “How Funky Is Your Chicken” |
| Michael Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, and Jackie Jackson | 2:41 |
| 8. | “Mama’s Pearl“ | The Corporation | Michael Jackson | 3:09 |
| 9. | “Reach In” | Beatrice Verdi | Jermaine Jackson and Michael Jackson | 3:28 |
| 10. | “The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage” (the Miracles cover) | Michael Jackson | 4:22 | |
| 11. | “Darling Dear” (The Miracles cover) |
| Michael Jackson | 2:40 |
| Total length: | 37:23 | |||
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“, the only new track on their 1971 greatest hits set, and “I’m So Happy”, the B-side of that single.
Charts
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums (RPM)[6] | 9 |
| US Top LPs (Billboard)[7] | 4 |
| US Best Selling Soul LP’s[8] | 1 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[10] | Gold | 1,000,000[9] |
| Summaries | ||
| Worldwide | — | 6,000,000[3] |
See also
References
- ^ “楽天が運営するポータルサイト ： 【インフォシーク】Infoseek”. Msdb.hp.infoseek.co.jp. January 1, 2000. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ Chery, Carl: XXL: Michael Jackson Special Collecters Edition, page 99.
- ^ a b Bestselling Motown Archived 2007-10-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Planer, Lindsay. Third Album – The Jackson 5 at AllMusic. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). “Consumer Guide ’70s: J”. Christgau’s Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ “RPM: The Jackson 5 (albums)”. RPM Magazine. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- ^ “The Jackson 5 US Chart History”. Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
- ^ “The Jackson 5”. Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
- ^ “Third Album Motown Records Gold Award For The Sale Of 1 Million Copies Of The Album In USA”. MJJCollectors. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
- ^ “American album certifications – The Jacksons – Third Album”. Recording Industry Association of America.
External links
- Third Album at Discogs (list of releases)
