Got to Be There

Got to Be There
Studio album by Michael Jackson
Released	January 24, 1972 (1972-01-24)
Recorded	1971-1972
Genre	R&B, soul, pop/rock
Length	35:45
Label	Motown
Producer	Hal Davis, Willie Hutch
Professional reviews
Allmusic link
Michael Jackson chronology
Got to Be There (1972) Ben (1972)
Singles from Got to Be There
"Got to Be There" Released: October 7, 1971 (US); January 3, 1972 (UK) "Rockin' Robin" Released: February 1972 (US); May 1972 (UK) "I Wanna Be Where You Are" Released: May 1972 "Ain't No Sunshine" Released: July 1972 (UK only)

Got to Be There was the solo debut album by then-adolescent Michael Jackson, released by Motown Records on January 24, 1972.^[1] It includes the song of the same name, which was released in the October 7, 1971 as Jackson's debut solo single. It would go on to sell over five 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

Motown released Jackson's solo album around the same time that another famous brother from a famous family was doing the same: Donny Osmond, who was hitting with songs like "Sweet & Innocent" and "Puppy Love". Jackson's and Osmond's debut efforts almost paralleled each other, as Jackson scored a hit with the title track and "Rockin' Robin", which like Osmond's "Puppy Love", was a remake of an old '50s rock song. The album also included covers 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".

Reception

The album peaked at number fourteen on the US pop albums chart and number three on the US R&B album chart when it was released.

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.."

Track listing

References