17. The Jackson Five - ABC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho7796-au8U I Want You Back misses out on a technicality, as it was released in November 1969, but ABC released at the start of 1970 tells a story of that decade just as well. Both were love songs written very much in the mind-set and sentiment of Motown, but with an added badass funk groove that would influence hip-hop, disco and pop for decades to come. The story of The Jackson 5 was a long and painful one for all involved, but ABC was a song that focussed on the idiosyncrasies of teenage love whilst locking it into a bass and guitar groove that once you've heard it, you simply cant sit down. This is dance music, pure and simple, to be sung along with and danced to. Theres been endless debate about what constitutes pure pop, well this is the answer to that question. With ABC The Jackson 5 took the harmonies of The Beach Boys and The Beatles and layered them over a soundtrack of funk and soul, fusing melody, rhythm and musicianship and giving a masterclass in how a song can be both melodic and have a sublime groove. Michael Jackson based the best of his career on this template, great lyrics coupled with an amazing funk tune, but more often than not the first attempt at anything is the best one, and this is unbeatable.
Ed Nash
Contributor
What makes music fantastic? Star quality, amazing music, breathtaking lyrics and the ability to bring something new to the table, even if that means a new take on the classics. That's what I love to listen to and write about.
As well as writing for What Culture, I occasionally write a blog http://tedney.blogspot.co.uk and sometimes use Twitter, but sparingly @TedneyNash
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