The Five Stairsteps - You Waited Too Long (1966)

[chenarch]

This is filmed at Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis... go check out The Happenings singing,

"See You in September" on YouTube. Same location, same kids, same set-up.

[lolwut8898]

This song bring's back some good memorie's that makes me wish i were back in time with my boyfriend's & my friend's back in the 60's Betty Boop GH

[celticlarry]

Nice tune from a very good group

[mrstanbmw]

if you look at the clip the little guy on the end is Kenni Burke you remember his jam "Keep rising to the Top"

[baileym1965]

5 Stairsteps should have been as big as the Jacksons!

[iwapelebrown]

This is ridiculously Good!!

[knightrider1755]

I was fortunate to see this group perform back in the day at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C. They were awesome and very young. They performed like adults and their choreography was amazing. In fact, their choreography and singing was a whole lot better than the Jacksons.

[mrstanbmw]

@knightrider1755 I might have been at that same show back in the day

[onemeanscorpio]

@knightrider1755 Wow! I also saw this group perform at the legendary Howard Theatre in D.C.. Do you remember when people use to stand in line for 3 or more blocks just to get in? Me and my siblings used to walk there (we lived around the corner) to catch all the Motown groups for only $5.00. I really miss those days LOL!! And I totally agree with you--The Five Stairsteps had the best choreography!

[briwolfe1]

Looks more like "Where the Action Is"!

[AvtechmanMr]

This music was like manna from heaven, nurishing the soul of us young brothers enlisted in the military back in the mid to late 60's. Without it, God only know how difficult and unbearable life would have been. Beautiful!

[ninetine62]

Why do we have to compare them to anybody, why can't it just be that they were a family group that made good music, why must the Jacksons be brought up every single time?? This group is a little before my time, but not the Jacksons and I can distinguish between the two, just enjoy the music..

[khruschev50]

im from chitown and grew up on this song i was 13 long time ago

[babaselah]

The Stairsteps took the Jacksons to school. Don't even mention the Osmonds, they weren't in the same class.

[mrstanbmw]

@babaselah I always said that they were better singers than the Jackson, listen to harmony, Clarence Jr. was a hell of a lead singer. TV1 have a special called Unsung. I would like for them to do a special on this group. They Preceded the Jackson, Sylvers, Debarge. They were a great group. Curtis did a great job is Production, but he couldn't match Barry in Promotions, and maybe the their time was too soon, they laid the groudwork for the Jackson, I won't even mention the Osmonds

[RaananVolesPianist]

@mrstanbmw

However, they weren't a dysfunctional family, so the media isn't as interested in them as they are in the Jacksons.

[babaselah]

My favorite Stairstep song. My high school sweetheart Bianca Jackson, This was our song.

[MissJackieM]

Curtis Mayfield was insanely talented!! What he did with this family is amazing!!!

[Lincoln7311]

Clarence Burke Jr. and hopefully some other originals will be part of the 5th Annual Classic R&B weekend in The Poconos (Pa.) November 11 to 13, 2011. Others on the huge Saturday show include The Dramatics, Atlantic Starr, Blue Magic, Slave, and D-Train. Fernwood Hotel and Resort in Bushkull Pa. A weekend of activities with a live concert on saturday November 12th

[regvision]

THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS ARE NOTHING BUT A BLACK VERSION OF THE OSMONDS back when the OSMONDS WERE YOUNG DOING DOOWOP JUST LOOK IT UP and you will see for yourselves this comparing them to the JACKSON 5 is ridiculous there are no simularities at all. TRY FRANKIE LYMON AND THE TEENAGERS INSTEAD.

[chicagodog69]

@regvision The Five Stair steps beat the Jackson five out in a talent show at the Regal theater in Chicago back in the mid sixties. Barry Gordy sent Smokey Robinson out to sign them,but he would not give them creativity to write their own songs so they declined Motowns offer. Might have been a mistake but thats the chance Papa Stairstep took. True he was trying to emulate the Osmonds because the Osmonds were regulars on the Andy Williams show and I think he was trying to cross over to soon.

[drjimiboy69]

@chicagodog69 I agree. 5 Stairsteps were more talented and their sound was more complex and sophisticated than the J-5. Much of that reflects the creative production genius of Curtis Mayfield, while Berry Gordy and Motown were more adept at promotion, distribution, and reaching the popular market. This is a cutting edge sound for 1966: ethereal urban soul that is transitioning from R&B into something new and progressive. Great post.

[chicagodog69]

@regvision

[mrstanbmw]

@regvision you are insanely stupid to compare this group of talented singers to the manufacture fake Osmonds, we all know why the Osmonds got their shine and if you don't know just ask somebody.

[regvision]

@mrstanbmw YOU WOULD WANT TO BE MORE POLITE OR YOU WILL DEFINATELY GET BURNED FOOL!

[mrstanbmw]

@regvision fuck you

[mrstanbmw]

@regvision i don't take kindly to threats whether in person or cyber so like I said FUCK YOU BITCH ASS MOTHER FUCKER,DON'T YOU EVER DARE THREATEN ME.

[regvision]

@mrstanbmw ill own you FAGGOT! lets meet up and settle it.

[mrstanbmw]

grow up man you are too old to be acting like this and so am I. I will be the adult and say I shouldn't have called you insanely stupid for comparing them to the Osmonds. Okay!!

[regvision]

@mrstanbmw lol its funny bcause i was thinking the same thing, i mean clarence burke and family as well as the osmonds are both talented familys with their own styles, they lived wonderful lives entertaining us with music that made us appreciate life, not to hate one another

[mrstanbmw]

@mrstanbmw I do apologize to other people reading this post.

[adbayobay]

Thank you very much for posting the wonderful wonderful song.

thank you

[erscott13]

His voice expresses so much feeling you could get cut on it. Kudos to the Five Stairsteps and C. Mayfield. Elisa

[plug635]

i was only 1 year old, i got to ask my mommy to she rember this grup she was a wild one they tell me back in her day

[Montsheikh]

So many great memories for such a freakin' fantastic group with such beautiful voices.

I love their music!@

[HeLives56]

This was one of the badest cuts back in the day. Produced by Mr. Curtis Mayfield. Memories are made of music like this.

[standingbeark]

one of my FAVOTRITE groups on the planet!! i've taught my daughter about the music of my day, so she can have an appreciation of what "real" music was like.

[doraadams]

I am thankful too for the good music we have been blessed with. God is good.

Wonder what ever happened to the Five Stairsteps...?

[DYNODRUM]

These people /group were Before ;The Jackson's Hit the scene ," Move on up w/ Curtis M."

[fnkdrmmr]

This is a pretty song. Singers with Soul.

[giacchinyc]

killer song... amazing vocals!!! thank you THANK YOU!

[upinhere7]

Outstanding! Thanks for posting!

[1022bby]

I remember my father listining to this :) Such a great memories .

[wharptones]

Great stuff, I remember them as The Five Stairsteps with Cubbie, and this one was a particular fave, dancing cheek to cheek with my sweetie at the CYO and HS dances...aaaahhhhhhh!

[carolyrrh]

thanks for posting , i just remembered this song and loved it back in the day.

[lilmizsilent1]

janis robinson

[ladybear6599]

TO MY X MAN MANUEL(NOREGRETS)

[jo22338601]

Lord I'm so glad I was born and raised with music like this,

[mrjoshjones1]

Alohe just turned 60 and she's still gorgeous.

Such talent!

[ponchmaen]

The 5 Stairsteps.This is a Curtis Mayfield composition

[frankc3285]

the song was good enough for curtis mayfield and the impressions to record!

[lwmson]

Their singing is great, but they needed stronger songwriting. If they had better material, like the J5 did, they would have had some Top 40 hits and became household names.

[TheVinylCall]

@lwmson Their album on Windy C shits on anything that the Jackson 5 ever released. This isn't gumball kids shit, Curtis may be the greatest writer in soul music history!

[regvision]

@TheVinylCall awww! your just caught up in the moment arent you? hey thats ok, it happens. havent you ever heard the term ACT YOUR AGE? the JACKSON 5 sung the songs that defined their YOUTH, while the stairsteps are singing "DooWop"at the ages of 10 and 11 and so on. they have "NO ENERGETIC STAGE PRESENCE" at all, but i must admit i do like em, but to put them completely over the jackson 5 is doin a bit too much.

[3kingkool]

Thanks for posting this. This finally makes clear why they are called the 5 Stairsteps. Wow! What a treat when youth and talent meet!

[superdrum3]

If i'm not mistaken, Keni wrote this song at 13. Wow

[luvhurtsxoxo]

OMG...what a classic. One of the first families of "SOUL". Where are they now?

[rontiss1]

J'adore!

[ElChupanebre2]

great!! thanks for posting this!

i hear a strong curtis/impressions influence. where they produced by curtis around that time already? or was that later?

[NJNupe1911]

You're right it was during this time period..:)

[alexalot23]

@ElChupanebre2 good ear my friend. yes they sang on mayfield's record label and were influenced by the man. fred cash was a neighbor of the burkes. that is how the group got introduced to mayfield.

[TheMatador28]

one of the most talented groups out of chi town,a forerunner to the jacksons the difference is the jfives had the mowtown machine and the stairsteps did not awesome thanks for posting

[styngalyng]

Damn, they're good!

[mykelya]

I love their song oo child and i like this song and im 13 years old

[Sharonbrownispeciali]

Noonie, omg.....this takes me way back... such fond and joyous memories...sheer sweet music...blessings to the Burke family...

[jazmaan]

REUNION?  PLEASE?

[colsnake331]

A reunion would be nice but, the never show up at the annual Harlan H.S. reunions in Chicago. Last I heard was that Kenny was still in Cali and the rest just dissapeared. I keep hearing rumors but they are not worth repeating.

[sonki44]

Where are they now?

[dazedgurl83]

u take me back 2 days of worryless partying & drinking!!gosh love this song!

[626bigSGV]

I like dis.

[bmwstan]

that little young one on the end is Kenny Burke look up the song keep rising to the top, what a talented group. Clarence Jr is the lead singer.

[snillusdigital]

TV Show: To Tell The Truth - Air Date: Feb 27, 1967

Guests include: Clarence Burke Father of The Members Of The Group "The Five Stairsteps" who now plays guitar with the band. Show 450, Season 11, Episode 14

[Classic63]

Man would I love to see that To Tell The Truth

episode you have !

[Classic63]

Alohe (the girl) was always in the group

[MrSexxxy20]

I though it was five guys where did the girl come from ?

[behdoc]

That's their sister Aloha. She was always in the group and is on all their early songs. She left in the 70s.

[nanlisa]

When I first heard this, they sounded like they recorded it in Philadelphia, where the Delfonics and the Intruders are from. I didn't know that they were from Chicago.

Oh, by the way, I have a tape of them when they appeared on To Tell The Truth with their father, who was a Chicago police detective. He took a leave of absence from his job in order to manage them.

[tmharr63]

This is music. This is my favorite Stairstep song. Love Curtis Mayfield artistry R.I.P.