"I'll Be There" is the first single released from Third Album by The Jackson 5. It was written by Berry Gordy, Hal Davis, Bob West, and Willie Hutch.
"I'll Be There" | ||||
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![]() Solid centre variant of the UK single | ||||
Single by The Jackson 5 | ||||
from the album Third Album | ||||
B-side | "One More Chance" | |||
Released | August 28, 1970 | |||
Recorded | June 1970 | |||
Studio | Hitsville West (Los Angeles) | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 3:57 | |||
Label | Motown (M 1171) | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Hal Davis | |||
The Jackson 5 singles chronology | ||||
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Lyric video | ||||
"I'll Be There" by Jackson 5 on YouTube |
The song was recorded by The Jackson 5 and released by Motown Records on August 28, 1970, as the first single from their Third Album on the same date. Produced by the songwriters, "I'll Be There" was The Jackson 5's fourth number-one hit in a row (after "I Want You Back" in 1969, "ABC" and "The Love You Save" earlier in 1970), making them the first group to have their first four singles reach number one and the first black male group with four consecutive number-one pop hits. "I'll Be There" is also notable as the most successful single released by Motown during its "Detroit era" (1959–72). In 2011, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[1]
The duet version by Mariah Carey and Trey Lorenz was recorded during Carey's appearance on MTV Unplugged in 1992, and released as the first single from her EP MTV Unplugged in the second quarter of 1992. Co-produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, "I'll Be There" became Carey's sixth number-one single in the US, and her biggest hit elsewhere at the time.
The Jackson 5 version
editRelease and reaction
editIn his autobiography Moon Walk, Michael Jackson noted that "I'll Be There" was the song that solidified The Jackson 5's careers and showed audiences that the group had potential beyond bubblegum pop. Said Allmusic about the song, "Rarely, if ever, had one so young sung with so much authority and grace, investing this achingly tender ballad with wisdom and understanding far beyond his years".[2] Jackson turned 12 one day after the song was released.
Record World said that the "change of pace [in using a slower tempo song than usual] showcases the group's versatility."[3]
The most successful single ever released by the Jackson 5, "I'll Be There" sold 4.2 million copies in the United States, and 6.1 million copies worldwide.[4] [5] It replaced Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" as the most successful single released on Motown in the US, a record it held until the release of Lionel Richie's duet with Diana Ross, "Endless Love" (1981). Outside the US, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" remained Motown's biggest-selling record with worldwide sales of over seven million copies.
The song held the number-one position on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart for five weeks from October 17 to November 14, replacing "Cracklin' Rosie" by Neil Diamond; it was succeeded by "I Think I Love You" by The Partridge Family. "I'll Be There" was also a number-one hit on the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles Chart for six weeks,[6] and a number 4 hit in the United Kingdom. The single's B-side was "One More Chance", a song from their second album.
"I'll Be There" was the Jackson 5's final number-one Hot 100 hit as a group. For the rest of their career as a major-label act, Jackson 5 singles would climb no higher than number 2. Michael Jackson scored numerous number-one hits as a solo artist, beginning with "Ben" in 1972.
The song was remixed by Wayne Wilkins for the 2009 release The Remix Suite.
In 2011, this version of the song by The Jackson 5 on Motown Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[7]
Personnel
edit- Michael Jackson – lead and background vocals
- Jermaine Jackson – lead and background vocals
- Tito Jackson – background vocals
- Marlon Jackson – background vocals
- Jackie Jackson – background vocals, tambourine
- Los Angeles area studio musicians – instrumentation[8]
- David T. Walker – guitar
- Louis Shelton – guitar
- Arthur Wright – guitar
- Bob West – bass
- Gene Pello – drums
- Joe Sample – keyboards
- Produced by Hal Davis
- Arranged by Bob West
Charts
edit
Weekly singles chartsedit
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Year-end chartsedit
All-time chartsedit
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Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[24] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Mariah Carey version
edit"I'll Be There" | ||||
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Single by Mariah Carey featuring Trey Lorenz | ||||
from the album MTV Unplugged | ||||
B-side |
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Released | May 26, 1992 | |||
Recorded | March 16, 1992 | |||
Studio | Kaufman Astoria Studios | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Mariah Carey singles chronology | ||||
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Trey Lorenz singles chronology | ||||
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Live video | ||||
"Mariah Carey - I'll Be There (MTV Unplugged - HD Video)" on YouTube |
American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey had included "I'll Be There" as a last-minute addition to her MTV Unplugged setlist,[citation needed] after she had been informed that most acts on the show commonly perform at least one cover. "I'll Be There" was the sixth track on Carey's MTV Unplugged special, taped on March 16, 1992. It was performed as a romantic duet, with Carey singing Michael Jackson's lines and R&B singer Trey Lorenz singing Jermaine Jackson's lines. The program and resulting MTV Unplugged album were produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, who played the piano for the performance. Boyz II Men's Wanya Morris sang the song with Carey in the concert home video, Fantasy: Mariah Carey at Madison Square Garden. The song is composed in common time and has a moderate tempo of 84 beats per minute. Carey's vocal range spans two octaves and three semitones from the low note of D3 to the high note of F5.[25]
The MTV Unplugged special aired on May 20, 1992, and was a notable success. Carey's label, Columbia Records, received many requests to release "I'll Be There" as a single, which had not been planned. A radio edit of the song was created which removed dialogue portions of the performance, and "I'll Be There" was released as a single. In the US, the song was issued with "So Blessed" as a B-side; in the United Kingdom, the "I'll Be There" single included the live version of "Vision of Love", and the album versions of "If It's Over" and "All in Your Mind".
"I'll Be There" was nominated for the 1993 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Best R&B Song, losing both categories to Boyz II Men's "End of the Road". The "I'll Be There" music video, directed by Larry Jordan, was compiled from footage of Carey's MTV Unplugged appearance.
During Michael Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009, Carey and Lorenz sang their rendition of the song in tribute to Jackson 17 years after their first performance together.
Regularly, "I'll Be There" has been featured on Carey's catalog albums included on #1's (1998), Greatest Hits (2001), The Ballads (2008), The Essential Mariah Carey (2011), and #1 to Infinity (2015).
Critical reception
editReview scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[26] |
Stereogum | 6/10[27] |
AllMusic editor Shawn M. Haney highlighted it and wrote, "...the power and esteem of these tales lift to new heights and remain at a peak with the breathtaking, moment-making performance of "I'll Be There"."[28] Larry Flick from Billboard stated that Carey "delivers an astonishingly restrained and soulful rendition". He added, "She is complemented by rich vocal support from Epic newcomer Trey Lorenz."[29] An editor from Entertainment Weekly wrote that Mariah turned this song into a "killer duet."[30] In 2018, the magazine called it a "revelation", noting that she "made it utterly her own."[31]
Track listing
edit- Worldwide CD single
- "I'll Be There"
- "So Blessed"
- European CD maxi-single
- "I'll Be There"
- "So Blessed"
- "Vanishing"
- UK CD maxi-single
- "I'll Be There"
- "Vision of Love" (live)
- "If It's Over"
- "All in Your Mind"
Chart performance
editAfter the underperformance of "Make It Happen" compared to her previous singles, "I'll Be There" was a return to form for Carey: it became her sixth number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and allayed any concerns her record label had about her career in decline. "I'll Be There" was the number-one song on the Hot 100 for two weeks, from June 13, 1992, to June 27. It replaced "Jump" by Kris Kross, and was itself replaced by "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot. It became number-one on the US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks. In fact, it is the only single released from the MTV Unplugged series that hit number-one.
"I'll Be There" was Carey's breakthrough hit outside North America, becoming her most successful single in numerous markets. It topped the Canadian Singles Chart for two weeks, and became her first number-one single in the Netherlands for three weeks, and her second in New Zealand for five weeks. It also became her biggest hit at the time in the United Kingdom (where it hit number 2) and Australia (where it reached number 9). It peaked inside the top 20 in most markets across Europe, where Carey's success had previously been limited.
The song has sold a total of 345,000 copies in the UK.[32]
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
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Year-end chartsedit
Decade-end chartsedit
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Certifications and sales
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA)[80] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[81] | Gold | 5,000* |
United Kingdom | — | 345,000[32] |
United States (RIAA)[82] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Arthur Hanlon version
edit"I'll Be There (Allí Estaré)" | ||||
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Single by Arthur Hanlon featuring Karlos Rosé | ||||
Released | May 28, 2013 | |||
Genre | Bachata | |||
Length | 3:32 | |||
Label | Universal Latin | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Karlos Rosé singles chronology | ||||
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In 2013, American pianist Arthur Hanlon covered the song in bachata with Dominican guest singer Karlos Rosé as the lead vocalist. Their cover was recorded in Spanglish and will be included on Hanlon's Encanto del Caribe tour.[83] The song was produced by Hanlon and David Cabera.[84]
Charts
editChart (2013) | Peak position |
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US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard)[85] | 41 |
US Tropical Airplay (Billboard)[86] | 4 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame Letter I". Grammy. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ Jason Ankeny. "I'll Be There - The Jackson 5 | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- ^ "Single Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. September 12, 1970. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
- ^ Classic Pop Presents Michael Jackson 2016.
- ^ Washington Afro-American. Washington Afro-American.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 287.
- ^ "GRAMMY Hall Of Fame | Hall of Fame Artists | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com.
- ^ Lecocq, Richard; Allard, Francois (2018). Michael Jackson All The Songs. London: Cassell. ISBN 9781788400572.
- ^ "Go-Set Australian charts - 13 February 1971". Poparchives.com.au. February 13, 1971. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 48, 1970" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I'll Be There". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ a b "Jackson 5: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "The Jackson 5 Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "The Jackson 5 Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "The Jackson 5 Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Jackson 5 - I'll Be There" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Jackson 5 – I'll Be There" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Jackson 5 – I'll Be There" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Jackson 5 – I'll Be There". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ "Top 100 1971 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ "British single certifications – Jackson Five – I'll Be There". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ Hal Leonard (2007). Mariah Carey: Original Keys for Singers. Hal Leonard. pp. 86–94. ISBN 978-1-4234-1996-9.
- ^ Greenblatt, Leah (July 19, 2013). "1992 Chart Flashback". Entertainment Weekly. p. 87. EBSCOhost 89052139.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (January 14, 2022). "The Number Ones: Mariah Carey's I'll Be There" (Feat. Trey Lorenz)". Stereogum. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ Shawn M. Haney. "MTV Unplugged - Mariah Carey | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- ^ Flick, Larry (May 23, 1992). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 68. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
- ^ "Carey On". EW.com. December 25, 1992. Archived from the original on December 22, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- ^ "Celebrate Mariah Carey's birthday with the ultimate ranking of her No. 1 hits". Entertainment Weekly. March 27, 2018. p. 94. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ a b Mariah Carey official top 20 biggest-selling songs in the UK MTV. retrieved: May 3, 2010.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – I'll Be There (Unplugged)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – I'll Be There (Unplugged)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2006." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2004." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
- ^ a b Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. p. 59. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
- ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 31. August 1, 1992. p. 39. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
- ^ "European Dance Radio - EDR Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. August 1, 1992. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ "Carey Claims Crown". Music & Media. September 25, 1993. p. 30.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – I'll Be There (Unplugged)" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – I'll Be There (Unplugged)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- ^ "Helgin - Íslenski Listinn". Dagblaðið Vísir. July 24, 1992. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – I'll Be There (Unplugged)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – I'll Be There (Unplugged)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – I'll Be There (Unplugged)". VG-lista. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Discos más populares en Latinoamérica". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish): 52. August 14, 1992. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – dorobek wykonawcy na LP3" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – I'll Be There (Unplugged)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Mariah Carey – I'll Be There (Unplugged)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe". Music & Media. July 18, 1992. p. 14.
- ^ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Mariah Carey Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2003). Joel Whitburn's Top 100 Pop Singles 1955–2002. Record Research. p. 106. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
- ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1992". ARIA. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1992" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
- ^ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56, no. 25. December 19, 1992. p. 8. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- ^ "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- ^ Lwin, Nanda (1997). Canada's Top Hits of the Year 1975–1996. Music Data Canada. p. 112. ISBN 1-896594-10-7.
- ^ "1992 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. December 19, 1992. p. 17. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
- ^ "European Hit Radio". Music & Media. December 19, 1992. p. 18.
- ^ "Jaarlijsten 1992" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
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- ^ "Network UK Top 50 45s". New Musical Express. January 2, 1993. p. 44.
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- ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Mariah Carey – I'll Be There". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
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- ^ Longo, Federica (June 1, 2013). "Dominicano Karlos Rose shines in Hanlon collaboration of 'Alli Estare'". Voxxi. News Website. Archived from the original on July 31, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
- ^ "Arthur Hanlon canta a dúo con Karlos Rosé" (in Spanish). lamusica.com. May 20, 2013. Archived from the original on July 31, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
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