Let's Get Serious

Let's Get Serious is the sixth studio album by Jermaine Jackson, released in 1980. It reached #6 on the Billboard album chart and logged five weeks at #1 on the Top R&B chart. It achieved sales of 900,000 copies in the United States.

The title track was 1980's biggest Soul hit of the year and a Top 10 Pop hit as well. This is the most successful album of Jermaine's career.

Reviews
After spliting with his brothers, The Jacksons, Jackson recorded three solo albums that didn't score any major hits. Needing a hit, he enlisted the aid of family friend and labelmate Stevie Wonder, who wrote and produced three songs, including the title track and first single, "Let's Get Serious". Jackson would oversee the other tracks on the album. This formula worked, as Jackson finally scored a hit with both the album and single.

It was one of the featured titles in a major Motown 20th Anniversary television, radio and print campaign. This gave the album prominent advertising benefits throughout the entire year.

Personnel

 * Stevie Wonder, Dennis Davis, Ed Greene and Ollie E. Brown - drums
 * Emil Radocchia, Gary Coleman, Gene Estes, Paul Jackson, Jermaine Jackson and Earl DeRouen - percussion
 * Nathan Watts, Eddie Watkins Jr, Scott Edwards and Jermaine Jackson - bass
 * Gary S. Scott - synth bass
 * Stevie Wonder, Greg Phillaganes, Joe Sample, Kevin Bassinson and Jermaine Jackson - keyboards
 * Isaiah Sanders - clavinet
 * Stevie Wonder, Ben Bridges, Rick Zunigar, Paul Jackson and Tim May - guitar
 * Larry Gittens - trumpet
 * Nathan Watts, Earl DeRouen, Abdoulaye Soumare, Keith Harris, Reggie Wiggins and Dick Rudolph - handclaps
 * Alexandra Brown, Angela Winbush, Marva Holcolm, Carolyn Cook, Danny Smith, Hazel G. Jackson, Suzee Ikeda, T.K. Carter and Tina Madison - backing vocals
 * Stevie Wonder, Jermaine Jackson and Don Peake - arrangements
 * Lee Higgins - hairstylist

Production

 * Produced by Stevie Wonder (Tracks 1, 2 and 6) and Jermaine Jackson (the rest)
 * Executive Producers: Berry Gordy Jr. and Hazel G. Jackson
 * Engineers: Abdoulaye Soumare, Bob Harlan, Bob Robitaille, Cal Harris, Frank Kramer, Gary Olazabal, Ginny Pallante, Jane Clark, John Mills, Russ Terrana and Steve Miller

Trivia
The track "You're Supposed to Keep You Love for Me" was originally recorded in 1975, possibly for the aborted Do Unto Others album, and featured Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Jackie Jackson on background vocals. But when Jermaine's brothers left for Epic Records, this original version was shelved. Four years later, Stevie dug it out and remixed/overdubbed the track for Let's Get Serious and removed Michael and Jackie's vocals.