Got to Be There
Got to Be There | ||||
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Studio album by Michael Jackson | ||||
Released | January 24, 1972 | |||
Recorded | June – November 1971 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 35:45 | |||
Label | Motown | |||
Producer | ||||
Michael Jackson chronology | ||||
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Singles from Got to Be There | ||||
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Got to Be There is the debut studio album by Michael Jackson, released by Motown on January 24, 1972.[1] It includes the song of the same name, which was released on October 7, 1971, as Jackson's debut solo single. It sold 900,000 copies in the United States and over 3.2 million copies worldwide.[2] The album was later remastered and reissued in 2009 as part of the 3-disc compilation Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection.
Album information
The title track and "Rockin' Robin" were released as singles and were commercially successful. Those two hits were back-to-back on the Hot 100 at #5 and #6, respectively, on April 8, 1972. Jackson's "I Wanna Be Where You Are" reached number 27 on the American chart on June 24, 1972. The album included remakes of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine", Carole King's "You've Got a Friend" and the Supremes' "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone". The album's songs have a tempo ranging from 74 beats per minute on "Ain't No Sunshine", to 170 on "Rockin' Robin".[3]
The album was arranged by The Corporation, Eddy Manson, James Anthony Carmichael, Gene Page, and Dave Blumberg. Berry Gordy was the executive producer and Jim Britt was credited for photography.
Critical reception
Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic |
Rolling Stone (12/7/72, p. 68) - "..slick, artful and every bit as good as the regular Jackson 5 product...a sweetly touching voice...innocence and utter professionalism...fascinating and finally irresistible.."
Commercial performance
Got to Be There peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Pop Albums Chart and number three on the Billboard R&B Albums when it was released. On August 2, 2013, the album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 500,000 copies. To date, the album has sold 900,000 copies in the United States and 3.2 million copies worldwide.
Track listing
Side one | |||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "Ain't No Sunshine" (recorded July – November 1971) | Bill Withers | 4:09 |
2. | "I Wanna Be Where You Are" (recorded July – November 1971) | Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, Leon Ware | 3:00 |
3. | "Girl Don't Take Your Love from Me" (recorded July – November 1971) | Willie Hutch | 3:46 |
4. | "In Our Small Way" (recorded July – November 1971) | Beatrice Verdi, Christine Yarian | 3:34 |
5. | "Got to Be There" (recorded June 1971) | Elliot Willensky | 3:23 |
Side two | |||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
6. | "Rockin' Robin" (recorded July – November 1971) | Jimmie Thomas | 2:30 |
7. | "Wings of My Love" (recorded July – November 1971) | Alphonso Mizell, Berry Gordy Jr., Deke Richards & Freddie Perren | 3:32 |
8. | "Maria (You Were the Only One)" (recorded June – July 1971) | Lawrence Brown, Linda Glover, George Gordy, Allen Story | 3:41 |
9. | "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" (recorded July – November 1971) | Holland-Dozier-Holland | 2:51 |
10. | "You've Got a Friend" (recorded July – November 1971) | Carole King | 4:45 |
Charts
Chart positions
Chart (1972) | Peak position |
---|---|
French Albums Chart[5] | 121 |
UK Albums Chart[6] | 37 |
US Billboard 200[7] | 14 |
US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 3 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[8] | Gold | 500,000^ |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
References
- ↑ Don't Forget the Motor City
- ↑ Chery, Carl: XXL: Michael Jackson Special Collecters Edition, page 100. American Press.
- ↑ The Complete Michael Jackson, International Music Publications Ltd, 1997, ISBN 1859094473
- ↑ Allmusic review
- ↑ "French Albums Charts - Got to Be There".
- ↑ "UK Albums Chart - June 25, 1972". The Official UK Charts Company.
- ↑ "Billboard 200- June 25, 1972".
- ↑ "American album certifications – Michael Jackson – Got to Be There". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 7 September 2017. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.