“The Love You Save” was the Jackson 5’s third Motown single, and their third in a row to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Like the Jackson 5’s other singles in their first years at Motown, “The Love You Save” was written and produced by The Corporation (a.k.a. Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell, Deke Richards and Motown CEO and founder Berry Gordy himself). Also like most of the Jackson 5’s early singles, Michael sings the lead vocal, though Jermaine and the other brothers each get a few lines here and there.

The title and chorus are a reworking of Joe Tex’s 1966 hit “The Love You Save (May Be Your Own)” (#56 Pop/#2 R&B). The Corporation have Michael singing directly to a female classmate, but Tex was calling out a whole generation of failed lovers:

But I ain’t never
In my life before
Seen so many love affairs
Go wrong as I do today

I want you to stop
And find out what’s wrong
Get it right
Or just leave love alone

Because the love you save today
Maybe will be your own