Caption: The Jackson 5 performing “ABC” on The Ed Sullivan Show.

The Ed Sullivan Show was a variety show hosted by Ed Sullivan. The popular show host had numerous acts that perform different talents. Ed Sullivan first took notice of the Jackson 5 when their songs climbed the charts in 1969. The group maintained its popularity and Ed Sullivan continued to have them on the show. After their performance on American Bandstand, The Jackson 5 performed "ABC" on The Ed Sullivan Show on May 10, 1970, where they showed off their groove and flare ("Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5").

Many listeners did not forget that the members of the Jackson 5 were all under the age of twenty-one. Their youthful sound, clothing, and spirited nature were easily recognized through live performances. However, the lyrics of songs such as “ABC ” questioned the experiences of an eleven-year-old lead singer. How is it that such young boys were going to teach listeners about love and its “easy” nature? The lyrics in most of the songs by the Jackson 5 were easily understood by young and mature listeners alike, even if the meanings were different. This group was able to speak to an audience of many different backgrounds, experiences, and ages; this was uncommon with solo and group artists during the rise of Motown’s influence in pop culture (Delmont p. 67). In paying special attention to the Jackson 5’s “ABC”, one can see how the hit song is a clear sign of the group’s ability to reach multiple audiences through their manipulation of lyrics and sound.

In “ABC”, the Jackson 5’s capability of reaching a variety of different ages can be attributed to the simplification of the lyrics. From the very beginning Michael Jackson, the lead singer, addresses the audience and speaks of the education they received at school. The overall quality or amount of education does not matter because everyone knows the basics. These fundamental concepts, as the song puts it, includes learning “I before E except after C” and that “two plus two makes four.” While these rules appear to be rather simple, there are other concepts known to individuals that are even more basic. An individual learns the alphabet and how to count numbers during their first year, or even prior, to primary school. These two simple concepts are fundamental to speaking and understanding language, which means that audiences of all ages will understand the Jackson 5’s explanation of love. The lead vocalist takes the role of a schoolteacher explaining the feeling of love. This warm emotion of affection is often seen as a feeling children cannot truly understand. Therefore, it seems a bit odd that an eleven-year-old can sing about the emotion. Despite this assumption, Michael Jackson uses the widely understood concepts of the alphabet and numbers to create simple lyrics that explain love. The emotion that was previously recognized as complex becomes rudimentary. The lyrics define love as a basic human feeling comparable to “A B C, as easy as one, two, three” and “simple as do re mi.” The lyrics effortlessly connect love, a feeling claimed to be better understood to older individuals, to fundamental concepts taught at a young age. In doing this, the Jackson 5 is able to speak to both younger and older audiences.

The simplicity of the lyrics is accompanied by the simplistic form of alternating verses and choruses (A-B-A-B). The complexity of “ABC” is heightened due to the vocal ranges of the singers. Michael Jackson’s younger voice allows him to reach notes in the soprano range. His older brothers were able to blend and support him as he stood out as the lead. These factors contribute to the happy and exciting feeling of the song that are a result of the song being written in a major key.

Besides the active choice of simplicity allowing the song to work for an audience of all ages, the Jackson 5 seems to have designed “ABC” to reach audiences of both Black and White racial groups. Music elements such as call and response and some funk genre characteristics have allowed the skill of the musicians to be heard and appreciated. Black and white listeners are able to recognize the virtuosic talents of the members as a unit and as individuals.