The Original Soul of Michael Jackson

While the album claims that it "contains music never before released", the only new song available was a re-dubbed cover of Edwin Starr's 1970 hit "Twenty-Five Miles", sung by the Jackson Five and solely credited to Michael. The original recording of the song was included on the 2009 set Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection. Some songs were newly edited on the album, with a newly dubbed version of "Dancing Machine". "Ain't No Sunshine" was also slightly different in the vocals and a modern drum machine was added to "Twenty-Five Miles". "Melodie" was planned for a single in an effort to promote the record in the US, but was scrapped for a promo-only single "Twenty-Five Miles"/"Up On The Housetop".[2]

Reviewing in Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s (1990), Robert Christgau wrote, "Once you get past the slipshod cynicism of Motown's catalogue exploitation, you have to admit that this mostly remixed, sometimes synthed-up mishmash has its charms and even uses—that in fact it's superior to the 'real' 1975 best-of the label long ago deleted. I love the previously unreleased 'Twenty-Five Miles' and the preteen-sings-the-blues 'Doggin' Around,' could live without the two J5 non hits, and will no doubt pull this down when I want to remember 'Dancing Machine' and 'Rockin' Robin.'"[1]

• The Original Soul of Michael Jackson at Discogs (list of releases)