Got to Be There (song)

"Got to Be There"
"Got to Be There"
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Got to Be There
B-side	"Maria (You Were the Only One)"
Released	October 7, 1971
Recorded	June 1971
Studio	Motown Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Genre	Pop; R&B;
Length	3:22
Label	Motown
Songwriter(s)	Elliot Willensky
Producer(s)	Hal Davis
Michael Jackson singles chronology

"Got to Be There" is the debut solo single by the American recording artist Michael Jackson, written by Elliot Willensky and released as a single in October 7, 1971 on Motown Records. The song was produced by Hal Davis and recorded at Motown's Hitsville West studios in Hollywood.

The single became an immediate success, reaching number one on Cashbox's pop and R&B singles charts, while reaching number four on Billboard's pop and R&B singles charts.^[2] Released to select European countries, it also found success, reaching number five in the UK.^[3] The song was composed as a pop ballad with soul and soft rock elements. The song was musically arranged by Dave Blumberg while Willie Hutch produced its vocal arrangements.

Motown label mates Smokey Robinson & The Miracles released their version on their 1972 album Flying High Together, while Diana Ross recorded a version of the song for her unreleased 1973 album To The Baby which was eventually issued as part of the 2010 Expanded Edition of her Touch Me In The Morning album.

A cover version of the song by Chaka Khan from her eponymous fourth solo album reached #5 on the R&B Charts in 1983.

Track listing[]

A. "Got To Be There" – 3:23
B. "Maria (You Were the Only One)" – 3:41

Live performances[]

Hellzapoppin: Jackson performed "Got To Be There" for the first time at Hellzapoppin' at March 1, 1972 with his brothers, along with Sugar Daddy and Brand New Thing.^[4] The performance is about 2 minutes and it included an intro showing a garage door opening revealing the Jackson 5.^[5]
Live at the Forum: The performance is similar to the one from Hellzapoppin'. It was recorded on August 26, 1972 and released on June 21, 2010.^[6]
Jackson 5 In Japan: Audio recording from the concert in Japan at April 30, 1973 was released on the album "Jackson 5 in Japan".^[7] Here, the performance is almost 4 minutes and it had a spoken line for intro.^[8]

Chart performance[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1971–72)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	83
Canadian RPM Top Singles	3
UK Singles Chart^[3]	5
US Billboard Hot 100^[2]	4
US Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles^[2]	4
US Billboard Easy Listening^[2]	14
US Cash Box Top 100^[9]	1

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1971)	Rank
Canada ^[10]	38

Personnel[]

Written and composed by Elliot Willensky
Produced by Hal Davis
Lead vocals by Michael Jackson
Background vocals by Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, and Marlon Jackson
Arrangement by Dave Blumberg
Vocal arrangement by Willie Hutch

Cover versions[]

Fellow Motown recording act The Miracles recorded the track for their final studio album, Flying High Together, in 1972.
In 1972, R&B Group, Black Ivory recorded a version on their top R&B 20 debut album, "Don't Turn Around".^[11]^[12] It was the B-side to their top 40 single, "Time Is Love".^[13]
In 1982, Chaka Khan had a top 5 R&B hit version with the song, featured on her self-titled album.
In 1993, George Benson performed the track using his guitar and vocal hums on his 1993 album, Love Remembers.
In 2007, group Boyz II Men covered it for their 2007 release, Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA.

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). "Bad". Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. ISBN 9781788400572.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d "Billboard Singles". All Media Guide / Billboard. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
^ "Hellzapoppin' | Live performance recording details". Mjj.lt. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
^ Bradock Michael Jackson (2010-11-26), Got to Be There (Hellzapoppin - 01-03-1972), retrieved 2019-03-13
^ "Live At The Forum | Album information". Mjj.lt. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
^ "In Japan! | Album information". Mjj.lt. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
^ Florin Mihalache (2016-09-07), The Jackson 5 - Got To Be There (Live In Japan) [Audio HQ] HD, retrieved 2019-03-13
^ "Cash Box Top 100 1/01/72". Tropicalglen.com. 1972-01-01. Archived from the original on 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.
^ "Don't Turn Around — Black Ivory". Last.fm. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
^ "Black Ivory". Billboard. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
^ "Black Ivory". Billboard. Retrieved 23 April 2021.

External links[]

List of cover versions of "Got to Be There" at SecondHandSongs.com

[Every-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b Lecocq, Richard; Allard, François (2018). "Bad". Michael Jackson All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London, England: Cassell. ISBN 9781788400572.

[billboard-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d "Billboard Singles". All Media Guide / Billboard. Retrieved 2010-03-01.

[uk-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2010-03-01.

[4] "Hellzapoppin' | Live performance recording details". Mjj.lt. Retrieved 2019-03-13.

[5] Bradock Michael Jackson (2010-11-26), Got to Be There (Hellzapoppin - 01-03-1972), retrieved 2019-03-13

[6] "Live At The Forum | Album information". Mjj.lt. Retrieved 2019-03-13.

[7] "In Japan! | Album information". Mjj.lt. Retrieved 2019-03-13.

[8] Florin Mihalache (2016-09-07), The Jackson 5 - Got To Be There (Live In Japan) [Audio HQ] HD, retrieved 2019-03-13

[9] "Cash Box Top 100 1/01/72". Tropicalglen.com. 1972-01-01. Archived from the original on 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2016-10-03.

[10] "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.

[11] "Don't Turn Around — Black Ivory". Last.fm. Retrieved 23 April 2021.

[12] "Black Ivory". Billboard. Retrieved 23 April 2021.

[13] "Black Ivory". Billboard. Retrieved 23 April 2021.

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hide v t Michael Jackson songs
Singles Songs
1970s	"Got to Be There" "Ain't No Sunshine" "I Wanna Be Where You Are" "Rockin' Robin" "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" "You've Got a Friend" "Ben" "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" "My Girl" "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" "We've Got a Good Thing Going" "With a Child's Heart" "Morning Glow" "All the Things You Are" "Happy" "Too Young" "Doggin' Around" "Music and Me" "We're Almost There" "Just a Little Bit of You" "You Can't Win" "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" "Rock with You" "Working Day and Night" "It's the Falling in Love"
1980s	"Off the Wall" "Girlfriend" "She's Out of My Life" "One Day in Your Life" "The Girl Is Mine" "Billie Jean" "Beat It" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" "Human Nature" "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" "Thriller" "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" "Lonely Teardrops" "That's What Love Is Made Of" "Farewell My Summer Love" "Girl You're So Together" "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" "Bad" "The Way You Make Me Feel" "Speed Demon" "Liberian Girl" "Just Good Friends" "Another Part of Me" "Man in the Mirror" "Dirty Diana" "Smooth Criminal" "Leave Me Alone" "Twenty-Five Miles"
1990s	"Black or White" "Jam" "In the Closet" "Remember the Time" "Heal the World" "Who Is It" "Give In to Me" "Will You Be There" "Gone Too Soon" "Dangerous" "Come Together" "Scream" "Childhood" "They Don't Care About Us" "Stranger in Moscow" "This Time Around" "Earth Song" "D.S." "You Are Not Alone" "Tabloid Junkie" "HIStory" "Smile" "Mind Is the Magic" "Blood on the Dance Floor" "Ghosts" "Is It Scary" "On the Line"
2000s	"Speechless" "You Rock My World" "Heaven Can Wait" "Butterflies" "Cry" "One More Chance" "Cheater" "The Way You Love Me" "Fall Again" "This Is It"
2010s	"Hold My Hand" "Hollywood Tonight" "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" "Behind the Mask" "Don't Be Messin' 'Round" "Price of Fame" "Love Never Felt So Good" "Chicago" "Loving You" "A Place with No Name" "Slave to the Rhythm" "Blue Gangsta"
Other	"We Are the World" "What More Can I Give/Todo Para Ti" "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" "She's Trouble" "Blood on the Dance Floor x Dangerous" "Diamonds Are Invincible"
Featured	"Ease on Down the Road" "A Brand New Day" "Night Time Lover" "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" "State of Independence" "Muscles" "Say Say Say" "Somebody's Watching Me" "Don't Stand Another Chance" "Centipede" "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)" "Eaten Alive" "Get It" "2300 Jackson Street" "Do the Bartman" "Whatzupwitu" "Why" "I Need You" "Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)" "All Eyez on Me" "All in Your Name" "There Must Be More to Life Than This" "Low" "Don't Matter to Me"
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