Got to Be There (song)

"Got to Be There" is the debut single written by Elliot Willensky for American recording artist Michael Jackson, whose original version was released as his first solo single in 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.^[1] Released to select European countries, it also found success, reaching number five in the UK.^[2] 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.

Fellow Motown recording act The Miracles recorded the track for their final studio album, Flying High Together, in 1972. 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.

Track listing

A. "Got to Be There" - 3:23
B. "Maria (You Were The Only One)" - 3:41

Charts

Chart (1971)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	4^[1]
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	4^[1]
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	14^[1]
Canadian RPM Top Singles	3
UK Singles Chart	5^[2]
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	83

Personnel

Written and composed by Elliot Willensky
Produced by Hal Davis
Lead vocals by Michael Jackson
Arrangement by Dave Blumberg
Vocal arrangement by Willie Hutch

References

1 2 3 4 "Billboard Singles". All Media Guide / Billboard. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
1 2 "UK charts archive". chartstats.com. Retrieved 2010-03-01.

Michael Jackson songs

1970s	"Got to Be There" "Rockin' Robin" "I Wanna Be Where You Are" "Ain't No Sunshine" "Ben" "With a Child's Heart" "Music and Me" "Happy" "We're Almost There" "Just a Little Bit of You" "One Day in Your Life" "Ease on Down the Road" "You Can't Win" "A Brand New Day" "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" "Rock with You"

1980s	"Off the Wall" "She's Out of My Life" "Girlfriend" "The Girl Is Mine" "Billie Jean" "Beat It" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" "Human Nature" "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" "Thriller" "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" "Bad" "The Way You Make Me Feel" "Man in the Mirror" "Dirty Diana" "Another Part of Me" "Smooth Criminal" "Leave Me Alone" "Liberian Girl"

1990s	"Black or White" "Remember the Time" "In the Closet" "Jam" "Who Is It" "Heal the World" "Give In to Me" "Will You Be There" "Gone Too Soon" "Scream/Childhood" "You Are Not Alone" "Earth Song" "D.S." "This Time Around" "They Don't Care About Us" "HIStory" "Stranger in Moscow" "Smile" "Blood on the Dance Floor" "Ghosts" "Is It Scary"

2000s	"You Rock My World" "Speechless" "Cry" "Butterflies" "One More Chance" "The Girl Is Mine 2008" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008"

2010s	"Hold My Hand" "Hollywood Tonight" "Behind the Mask" "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" "Immortal Megamix: Can You Feel It/Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough/Billie Jean/Black or White (Immortal Version)" "I Just Can't Stop Loving You/Don't Be Messin' 'Round" "Bad (Afrojack Remix) (DJ Buddha Edit)" "I'm So Blue" "Love Never Felt So Good" "A Place with No Name"

Other	"Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" "You've Got a Friend" "My Girl" "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" "All the Things You Are" "Too Young" "Working Day and Night" "Night Time Lover" "Muscles" "Say Say Say" "Somebody's Watching Me" "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)" "Centipede" "We Are the World" "Eaten Alive" "Twenty-Five Miles" "Get It" "2300 Jackson Street" "Just Good Friends" "Come Together" "Speed Demon" "Someone Put Your Hand Out" "Do the Bartman" "Dangerous" "Whatzupwitu" "Tabloid Junkie" "Why" "I Need You" "On the Line" "We Be Ballin'" "Heaven Can Wait" "What More Can I Give" "Cheater" "Fall Again" "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 2008" "Beat It 2008" "Billie Jean 2008" "This Is It" "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" "Mind Is the Magic" "Breaking News" "Monster" "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" "All in Your Name" "Price of Fame" "Chicago" "Loving You" "Slave to the Rhythm" "Blue Gangsta" "Xscape" "There Must Be More To Life Than This"

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