“The Love You Save” (The Jackson 5)

This is Valentine’s Day week, so all week long we’re highlighting songs with the word “love” in the title. With that in mind, today’s classic “love” song of the day is “The Love You Save” by the Jackson 5. It’s a keeper.

‘The Love You Save” was recorded in Los Angeles in March of 1970. Instrumental backing was provided by the cream of Motown’s L.A. studio musicians: Freddie Perren on keyboards; David T. Walker, Louis Shelton, and Don Peake on guitars; Wilton Felder on bass; and Gene Pello on drums. The tune was written by that conglomeration known as the Corporation (Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell, and Deke Richards), a group that label head Gordy put together to fill the gap left by the departure of Holland-Dozier-Holland in 1968. Michael and Jermaine shared lead vocal duties on this one.

Motown released “The Love You Save” as a single in May of 1970. It hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Top 100, and Billboard R&B charts, making it the group’s third number-one hit (following “I Want You Back” and “ABC,” both previous classic songs of the day).

Interestingly, the four guys that Michael Jackson calls out for the girl in the song to watch out for are all historical figures that the average schoolchild should know. They are Isaac (Newton), who said he kissed her beneath the apple tree; Benjy (Benjamin Franklin), who held her hand and felt electricity; Alexander (Graham Bell), who called the girl and rang her chimes; and Christopher (Columbus), who discovered the girl was way ahead of her time. Bet you didn’t get that back then, did you?

And here’s your daily bonus video of the day, the Jackson 5 performing “The Love You Save” on the May 10, 1970, episode of The Ed Sullivan Show. You know, I had a fringed vest just like Michael’s back then… but I think he wore it better.