Goin' Back to Indiana
The Jackson 5 · 1971
36 min · 8 tracks · funk
A vibrant blend of soul and pop, exuding youthful energy with catchy melodies and infectious grooves.
Top tracks — play these first
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I Want You Back Start here — This track marked The Jackson 5's explosive entrance into the music scene, featuring a memorable hook and showcasing young Michael's extraordinary vocal talent.
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The Love You Save — With its upbeat tempo and strong message about responsibility, this song highlights the group's vocal harmony while addressing themes relevant to their young audience.
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Goin’ Back to Indiana — Serving as both an upbeat title track and an anthem of nostalgia, it captures the group's journey and their connection to their roots in Indiana.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong melodies and energetic performances but lacks a fully cohesive flow.
What we noticed
- The album opens with the hit 'I Want You Back', establishing a high-energy tempo that is maintained through the first four tracks.
- Tracks three and four introduce narrative elements, with 'The Day Basketball Was Saved' featuring spoken word sections that break from the musical flow.
- The final track, 'Goin’ Back to Indiana', serves as a reflective conclusion, slowing down the pace significantly compared to earlier songs.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady groove for dancing
- youthful exuberance and joy
- infectious melodies for sing-alongs
- feel-good energy on repeat
Maybe skip if you
- prefer fast-paced tracks
- seek introspective listening experiences
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This album solidified the group's reputation following their initial hit.
- Themes
- Midwest nostalgia· Motown legacy
- Career context
- Goin' Back to Indiana is The Jackson 5's second studio album, released shortly after their breakthrough hit 'I Want You Back' topped the charts. By this point in 1971, the group had solidified a place in pop culture as one of Motown's leading acts, showcasing their growing maturity as artists.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Temptations· The Supremes· Earth, Wind & Fire
Tracklist
- 1 I Want You Back Start here 4:14
- 2 Maybe Tomorrow 4:15
- 3 The Day Basketball Was Saved 7:39
- 4 Stand 4:15
- 5 I Want to Take You Higher 2:13
- 6 Feelin’ Alright 4:12
- 8 The Love You Save 4:57
- 9 Goin’ Back to Indiana 4:44
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Where Did Our Love Go
The Supremes
Shares the same Motown sound with infectious melodies and youthful energy.
There's a Riot Goin' On
Sly and the Family Stone
Captures energetic grooves and funk elements, echoing youth exuberance in a more complex context.
The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1
Earth, Wind & Fire
Combines upbeat rhythms and soulful melodies that reflect a similar vibrant musical spirit.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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