Got to Be There
Michael Jackson's debut solo studio album, released in 1972.
Michael Jackson’s first solo studio album, Got to Be There, arrived on January 24, 1972, via Motown. Its lead single and title track had already dropped on October 7, 1971, marking his debut solo single. The album later earned a Gold certification from the RIAA on August 2, 2013, for half a million copies sold. A remastered version appeared in 2009 as part of the three-disc set Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Michael Jackson
- Released
- January 24, 1972
- Recorded
- June–December 1971
- Genre
- Pop; R&B
- Length
- 35:45
- Label
- Motown
- Producer
- Berry Gordy (exec.)
- Hal Davis
- The Corporation
- Willie Hutch
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
Side one
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ain't No Sunshine | Bill Withers | 4:09 |
| 2 | I Wanna Be Where You Are | Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, Leon Ware | 3:00 |
| 3 | Girl Don't Take Your Love from Me | Willie Hutch | 3:46 |
| 4 | In Our Small Way | Beatrice Verdi, Christine Yarian | 3:34 |
| 5 | Got to Be There | Elliot Willensky | 3:23 |
Side two
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockin' Robin | Jimmie Thomas | 2:30 |
| 2 | Wings of My Love | The Corporation | 3:32 |
| 3 | Maria (You Were the Only One) | Lawrence Brown, Linda Glover, George Gordy, Allen Story | 3:41 |
| 4 | Love Is Here and Now You're Gone | Holland-Dozier-Holland | 2:51 |
| 5 | You've Got a Friend | Carole King | 4:45 |
Track listing from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The album was arranged by The Corporation, Eddy Manson, James Anthony Carmichael, Gene Page, and Dave Blumberg.
- Berry Gordy served as executive producer, and Jim Britt was credited for photography.
- The album's songs have a tempo ranging from 74 beats per minute on Ain't No Sunshine to 170 on Rockin' Robin.
Critical reception
In 1972, Rolling Stone described the album as slick, artful, and comparable to the Jackson 5 product, praising Jackson's sweetly touching voice and professionalism. AllMusic's Rob Theakston rated it two and a half out of five stars, calling it wildly erratic but noting that covers of You've Got a Friend and Ain't No Sunshine show versatility. Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt gave it a B+, highlighting Rockin' Robin, the title track, and I Wanna Be Where You Are.
Commercial performance
Got to Be There peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on August 2, 2013, for sales over 500,000 copies. The album sold over 750,000 copies within its first three weeks and reached one million copies sold in the US by the end of 1972, with worldwide sales exceeding 1.5 million copies.
More in Band Members & Collaborators
Elsewhere in Michael Jackson
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced