Molly Meldrum: This time around I found a little guy, who is a monster on the charts and his name is Michael Jackson. Michael, welcome to Countdown.
Michael Jackson: Thank you.
Molly Meldrum: You have a new single that's being released in Australia this week, called "Goin' Places", it's already a monster on the American Charts. Can you tell us a little about that single?
Michael Jackson: It was recorded in Philadelphia, written by Gumble and Huff, and we really enjoyed doing this, and is a title song to the album, it's called "Goin' Places" and... I think you'll be getting it soon, and it's doing very well here.
Molly Meldrum: Now tell me, what do you think is a success of The Jacksons, yourself and The Jacksons?
Michael Jackson: I'll say probably togheterness or... just enjoying our work a lot, there's a lot of love in all our efforts.
Molly Meldrum: You sprung up a bit since I saw you last...
Michael Jackson: Yeah, everybody has...
Molly Meldrum: Have you taken it over for the last 5 years, I mean...
Michael Jackson: Success?
Molly Meldrum: Yeah. Has affected you much?
Michael Jackson: In a joyful way, in a rejoicing way, cause I love it, you have to like to be in it this long or you go crazy [] so much we've been travelling the world and making records, just having a great time.
Molly Meldrum: [] is becoming a huge hit in the States and no doubt it will be a hit in Australia called "Goin' places", I think the one thing over the past 5 years since I've seen you - Michael Jackson certainly "going places".
Michael Jackson: Yes.
Molly Meldrum: And thanks for being in the Show.
Michael Jackson: Thank you.
Molly Meldrum: [] especially that in Australia when you see yourselfs and the Osmonds - where there two families that are consistant hit-makers and give this incredible feeling, together not only as a group and as performing artists, but as a family themselves, now especially yourselves, The Jacksons, I mean, is that togetherness there, as far as the family is concerned?
Michael Jackson: Yes, it is, it is, lot of togetherness, it's very important.
Molly Meldrum: A lot happened, I mean like five or six years ago you and your brothers and your dad toured Australia and since then I mean like you had multi, multi million dollars,[], and you've been on top of the charts but now you would like to... we can't cover all of that...
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Michael Jackson: Now I'm doing a movie called "The Wiz" with Diana Ross, with myself and Richard Pryor and it's going very well.
Molly Meldrum: When you were out in Australia and [we actuallly presented you to a footy] [] you at that stage was set off [] a little because you had lectures to do, you had to get back to your school work and things like that. Do you regrett having to take up your school work?
Michael Jackson: No, I enjoy it, I like to read and learn and all that stuff.
Molly Meldrum: Yeah?
Michael Jackson: Yeah.
Molly Meldrum: I in Australia would've seen you in many of the big shows like the big music
awards and things like that and... your little sisters been on a few of them...
Michael Jackson: Oh, yes.
Molly Meldrum: She's a funky little sister.
Michael Jackson: She is funky.
Molly Meldrum: She's amazing... but, I mean, the demands on yours being amazing [] as far as you've had to go to an adult world more or less, I mean, did you find that one hard to cope with, Michael?
Michael Jackson: You mean far as our music?
Molly Meldrum: Yeah, and the demand as far as you having to go on all this shows and [] of really compete against the adults as far as hosting things and things like that
Michael Jackson: Oh, no, it's part of a business and it comes at you all the time, it's up to you wether you wanna do or not, we do whatever we can.
Molly Meldrum: It's almost ironical that you are starring in "The Wiz", the film of the Wiz and playing opposite or with a lady that really discovered you, Diana Ross, and... how did you feel when you heard you got the part in "The Wiz", and especially playing with Diana Ross?
Michael Jackson: I was very happy because, well, I love the play so much, I've seen it six times before I've even known I was gonna be in it, and I would talk to Diana on the phone and I say: "You gonna film the Wiz next week, huh?", or next month, she would say "yes", next thing I noticed I was in it, and... they called me ask me did I wanna do it, I said yeah, so they sent the script I came up, met everybody and...
Molly Meldrum: What part do you play in "The Wiz"?
Michael Jackson: Scarecrow.
Molly Meldrum: The Scarecrow?
Michael Jackson: Yeah, I love it too.
Molly Meldrum: And so, have you started filming that yet?
Michael Jackson: Yes, we've been filming about two months and a half, got about for months to go.
Molly Meldrum: I wish you luck with your film.
Michael Jackson: Thank you.
Molly Meldrum: And we hope that you and your family come down to Australia soon.
Michael Jackson: Oh, we love Australia.
Molly Meldrum: Ok, Michael.
Michael Jackson: Thank you.
Michael Jackson: Oh, no, it's part of a business and it comes at you all the time, it's up to you wether you wanna do or not, we do whatever we can.
Molly Meldrum: It's almost ironical that you are starring in "The Wiz", the film of the Wiz and playing opposite or with a lady that really discovered you, Diana Ross, and... how did you feel when you heard you got the part in "The Wiz", and especially playing with Diana Ross?
Michael Jackson: I was very happy because, well, I love the play so much, I've seen it six times before I've even known I was gonna be in it, and I would talk to Diana on the phone and I say: "You gonna film the Wiz next week, huh?", or next month, she would say "yes", next thing I noticed I was in it, and... they called me ask me did I wanna do it, I said yeah, so they sent the script I came up, met everybody and...
Molly Meldrum: What part do you play in "The Wiz"?
Michael Jackson: Scarecrow.
Molly Meldrum: The Scarecrow?
Michael Jackson: Yeah, I love it too.
Molly Meldrum: And so, have you started filming that yet?
Michael Jackson: Yes, we've been filming about two months and a half, got about for months to go.
Molly Meldrum: I wish you luck with your film.
Michael Jackson: Thank you.
Molly Meldrum: And we hope that you and your family come down to Australia soon.
Michael Jackson: Oh, we love Australia.
Molly Meldrum: Ok, Michael.
Michael Jackson: Thank you.
