Live Performances of Mama's Pearl

The Jackson 5 performed "Mama's Pearl" to open a medley that also included "Walk On" and "The Love You Save" Diana! special that aired in April of 1971. The special had been filmed the previous December, which explains why they sang "Mama's Pearl" instead of "Never Can Say Goodbye."

It's a spirited performance of the song, and I only wish we had the full version of it that appears on the Diana! soundtrack album.

We are also lucky to have video footage of a live performance of the full song that was recorded when the brothers were on their European tour in November 1972. This version was recorded in Paris nearly two years after the first, and here they sing it at the end of a medley that opens with "I Want You Back and "ABC." You can hear Michael's voice beginning to drop so that he really has to strain to hit the high notes. They also sing it much faster than the original, making it sound like they couldn't wait to get through it. (Not surprising given the number of times they ahd to sing their medley of hits.) "Mama's Pearl" begins at the 3:05 mark.

The best live version of "Mama's Pearl," however, appears on the J5 Live at the Forum as a bonus track that was recorded in Indianapolis in the spring of 1971. There's no video of it available, but the audio alone is pure gold.