The group now had two number ones under their belts; it was time for another album. On May 8, 1970, they released ABC, their second album. It included the number one single of the same name and their next hit “The Love You Save.” The album peaked at number four on the Billboard charts but was once again number one (for twelve weeks) on the R&B album charts. VH1 later named the album number 98 on its list of the Top 100 All-Time Albums.

The next single released was “The Love You Save,” released on May 13, 1970. It spent six weeks at the top of the R&B charts. The very first word on the record is “Stop!” and many think the real title is “Stop! The Love You Save.” This is a nod to the Supremes song from 1965 “Stop! In the Name of Love.” By this time, the Supremes had slipped a little in popularity, and Diana Ross was on the verge of going solo. The Jackson 5 had, literally, taken over as the number one act working for Motown.

“The Love You Save” was written in Detroit by the Motown writing group called The Corporation and that’s the way it reads on the record label. The Corporation comprised four guys including Berry Gordy who had some involvement in the writing of all the Jackson Five songs. The other three were Freddie Perrin, Alphonzo Mizell and Deke Richards. The Corporation is also listed as the producer of the record. While the song was written in Detroit, it was recorded in Los Angeles, where Motown had moved (and forced the Jackson brothers, as well as their family to move there also.)

If you listen carefully, about two-thirds of the way through the song Michael sings about several guys who have been vying for the attention of the girl to whom he is singing. He says “Isaac says he kissed you, beneath the apple tree…” and so forth. There are several other names sung. These represent Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Graham Bell, and Christopher Columbus. That was something I did not know until I research this song.

“The Love You Save” was number one, as I mentioned, but it knocked another Beatles’ song, “The Long and Winding Road,” out of that top spot. Consequently, two of the first three songs from the Jacksons each displaced a Beatles song from the number one position. This was a feat never done before and since the Beatles were finished recording singles, it hasn’t happened since.

“The Love You Save” debuted on the pop charts on June 6, 1970, was their third consecutive number one and stayed at number one for two weeks. This was the first time in chart history that the first three releases from a group all went to number one. Stayed tuned, they will soon break their own record.