Lookin' Through the Windows

Production

Lookin' Through the Windows marks the beginning of lead singer Michael's vocal change, from the boy soprano who fronted the Jackson 5's early hits, to the tenor who would later become a successful solo artist. Though he could still reach his famed high notes, his voice was filling out, allowing him to also reach lower registers.

Most of the album tracks were recorded in late 1971 intended to be on an album for their hit single at the time "Sugar Daddy". Lookin' Through the Windows was the second-to-last Jackson 5 album to include any songs written by The Corporation (Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Deke Richards and Fonce Mizell). The album spawned two hit singles "Little Bitty Pretty One" and "Lookin' Through The Windows". The album peaked at number 7 on Billboard 200 album chart. In Europe the album cut "Doctor My Eyes" was a top ten hit.

The album was arranged by James Anthony Carmichael, John Bahler, The Corporation, Eddie Munson, H.B. Barnum, Arthur G. Wright and Gene Page.

Track listing

Side One

1. "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (originally performed by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell) (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) 2:30
2. "Lookin' Through the Windows" (Clifton Davis) 3:46
3. "Don't Let Your Baby Catch You" (The Corporation) 3:11
4. "To Know" (The Corporation) 3:22
5. "Doctor My Eyes" (originally performed by Jackson Browne) (Jackson Browne) 3:14

Side Two

1. "Little Bitty Pretty One" (originally performed by Thurston Harris) (Robert Byrd) 2:51
2. "E-Ne-Me-Ne-Mi-Ne-Moe (The Choice is Yours to Pull)" (Johnny Bristol, Wade Bowen, D. Jones) 2:53
3. "If I Have to Move a Mountain" (The Corporation) 3:20
4. "Don't Want to See Tomorrow" (Stephen Bowden, Jim Chambers, Hal Davis, Theodore McFaddin) 2:46
5. "Children of the Light" (Michael Randall) 2:27
6. "I Can Only Give You Love" (Richard Hutch, Willie Hutch) 2:33

Rerelease

In 2001, Motown Records remastered all J5 albums in a "Two Classic Albums/One CD" series (much like they did in the late 1980s). This album was paired up with Goin' Back to Indiana. The bonus tracks were "Love Song", the B-side of this album's title track single, and a live performance of "Who's Lovin' You", which first appeared on the soundtrack of the 1992 TV movie The Jacksons: An American Dream.