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The Jackson 5’s first producer was Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers, who had them cutting adult-themed soul in Los Angeles. Berry Gordy judged that wrong for a group of boys and moved the work to the Corporation, his team with Freddie Perren, Alphonso Mizell and Deke Richards, which crafted bubblegum soul for a young audience. The Love You Save, released in May 1970 as the second single from ABC, warns a girl to slow down using Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Graham Bell and Christopher Columbus.

Michael and Jermaine trade the leads at a rapid pace while Marlon, Tito and Jackie answer in a gospel style. The track was cut in March 1970 at Motown’s Los Angeles studio, Hitsville West, rather than in Detroit with the Funk Brothers, with Perren on keyboards, Wilton Felder on bass, Gene Pello on drums and three guitarists. It sold over two million copies in the U.S., reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 and the soul chart, and became the third of four straight No. 1 singles.

• The guitarists were David T. Walker, Louie Shelton and Don Peake, splitting rhythm, fills and percussive scratching.
• Felder’s syncopated bass line gives the song its bounce.
• Billboard ranked it No. 16 for 1970, just behind ABC.
• The streak ran I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save and I’ll Be There.
• Hanson recorded a demo cover in the late 1990s, and DJ Cassidy later remixed it.