Customer Reviews

Got to Be There

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

GOT TO BE THERE will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the very first album I ever purchased when I was a little kid...the VERY FIRST!! I was already a die-hard J-5 fan by 1971, and as hard as it was to save my allowance to buy GOT TO BE THERE, it was worth every penny! It still is.

Michael Jackson...my first crush, the first singer that really and truly moved me because he was only a few years older than I was, and this was his first solo album!! Forget what SOME people will say about OFF THE WALL being Mike's first outing away from the Jacksons (or should I say the Jackson 5, as they were still being called in 1971). Those people obviously don't know anything about the solo career MJ had on Motown; they simply group his solo work with that of his brothers - which there is nothing wrong with that, but Mike DID do solo work. So what if his brothers were singing background on those solo cuts?

Anyway, "Got To Be There" was Michael's first solo single, and his first hit. The rest of the album does not disappoint. All of the soul, passion and energy that was evident on MJ's J-5 work is present here: From the breathtaking reworking of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" to the funky remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin", to the James Taylor classic "You've Got a Friend", the young Michael displays an amazingly mature vocal style that only showcases what would come in later years for him. One should not dismiss this as just another "bubble gum" pop/soul offering from a kiddie artist, which at the time, the industry seemed to be overrun with them (i.e. Donny Osmond, Foster Sylvers, Chee Chee and Peppy, etc.). It was, and still is, appealing to adults as well. Everything on this album (CD) clicks. Anytime I want to take a trip down memory lane, I play this and remember how much I loved Michael back then.

Standouts are "Maria (You Were The Only One)", "Girl Don't Take Your Love From Me", "Wings of My Love", "In Our Small Way" and Mike's second hit, "I Wanna Be Where You Are", but like I said, everything is enjoyable on it. Michael Jackson is a legend! No matter how history may try to smear his image or what he has done to himself over his adult years, NOTHING can change the fact that he was/is a remarkable talent. He made wonderful music, influenced and inspired millions of kids over three generations. GOT TO BE THERE is where it all began. It's a true classic, a must have.

Michael Jackson's first solo album, released at the peak of the Jackson Five's popularity, is a mixed bag of covers and originals. Surprisingly, the sound of this album is vastly different than that of the J5, although the brothers appear on a few tracks as background singers. This is very light, gentle fare that perfectly suits Michael's then-13-year-old voice. Unfortunately, Motown's studio backup singers are much older than Michael and the blend is, at times, an odd one. Michael's pure talent and conviction saves a few otherwise dry arrangements ("You've Got a Friend," "Wings of my Love") and simply amazes on the THREE hit singles ("Got to be There," "Rockin' Robin," and "I Wanna be Where You Are"). On four tracks, Michael interjects much too-rehearsed spoken lyrics that ruin otherwise enjoyable songs. Cheeziness aside, this is a decent album which definitely rises above "kiddie" status, despite Michael's age at the time. Check it out, it's worth it. Hopefully Motown will re-release his solo albums in two-for-one packages like they did with the J5 albums and bonus tracks!

Michael Jackson's first solo album-pre "Thirller" even.The
hits of course are the immortal tital song,"Rockin' Robin and "I Wanna Be Where You Are",sung by that precocious Jackson 5 headman of yore.The whole shabang starts with the breathtaking "Ain't No Sunshine",a dark,mysterious cover with a rapped intro that stomps all over Bill Withers original!Ditto on the original "Maria (You Were The Only One" and the Diana Rossish "in Our Small Way".A fantastic way to begin a career and
a true question mark as to what the heck happened to this guy in
the next twenty years!This shouldn't be as rare as it it is-it is
at it's very worst a musical historical document worthy of even
the most disriminating ears.

I became a Michael Jackson fan just a few months ago. Yes, that's right!
This was his first ever solo album....and boy, it was a true indication of what this guy was going to achieve. The singing is FANTASTIC. Pure voice, with soul and heart! Aint No Sunshine is out of this world! I cannot believe he was just 13yrs old when he sang it.
What amazes me about Michael Jackson, and what a lot of people fail to appreciate, is how each album of his is completely different. The sound, the image, the look...everything is different with each album. He's never stuck to a "tried & tested" method and has never been afraid to experiment. Sadly, this same characteristic has earned him a lot of criticism. Someday, people will understand.

Young Michael Jackson at his best.
After this his first solo album, you knew that he was going to be
a star (a superstar). Some of my favorites are "Girl Don't Take Your Love From Me", "Maria (You Were The Only One)" and "In Our Small Way" made this an album that I had to listen to over and over again. Any true Micheal Jackson fans need this one in their collection.

Michael Jackson will remain one of the top artists of all time, no matter what. This album is proof. Little Michael soars like a dove on each and every song here. Was he really a little 13 year old kid here? Yes he was, and with those notes he hits, it's hard to believe. He sings like it's nobody's business on AIN'T NO SUNSHINE, comes through with so much emotion on I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE, as well as does nice covers of Supremes and James Taylor. But the title track is the winner. Michael's emoting and the lovely music make for one of the best tracks of all time. Hard-to-find CD is worth the purchase, but if all you can get is a vinyl copy, that is better than being without this.

And to think that Michael Jackson's debut album came when he was really just a kid! Michael is in top form on these tracks and he never misses a beat. In general, I think the backup singers enhance the songs--not that Michael ever really needed backup; but they do sound pretty good anyway. The quality of the sound on this CD is excellent and the artwork is good, too.

The album starts off with Michael singing his heart out on "Ain't No Sunshine." Michael's voice is strong and the lush musical arrangement is just right for his vocals. The backup singers harmonize to perfection--and beyond! Overall, "Ain't No Sunshine" is a strong beginning track for this CD. "I Wanna Be Where You Are" by Leon Ware and Arthur "T-Boy" Ross is packed with energy; Michael sings this faultlessly and he handles complex tempo and key changes like the pro he was and still remains! "I Wanna Be Where You Are" is easily a major highlight of this album.

"In Our Small Way" is very easy on the ear for this hopeful love song; Michael aces this as effortlessly as if it were mere breathing. Of course, we know that it really wasn't all that easy; Michael's talent always carried him through. I love it! In addition, the title track, "Got to Be There" impresses me immensely. MJ sings this incredibly well and the melody is very pretty. "Rockin' Robin" is yet another tune packed with energy; its fantastic arrangement combines Michael's singing with some really fine music to make this a pop masterpiece.

"Wings of My Love" uses the strings to great advantage; and Michael sings this with all his heart and soul. Michael's cover of a number made famous by The Supremes, "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone," sparkles like silver and gold combined in his capable hands; and it's another major highlight of this album. "You've Got a Friend" ends the album with Michael doing a superlative job of placing his own stamp on this Carole King ballad; he plays a little bit with the tempo and the keys to make this song his own. Great!

Michael Jackson's music always made me feel elated; and it always will. I highly recommend this for his fans; and even newcomers to MJ will like this awesome CD.

This is not the Jackson 5!!! This is one of Michael Jackson's greatest albums and also one of his most overlooked (it's criminal!!!). This is Michael Jackson's first album and upon listening to this powerful and soulful masterpiece, one can forsee how this little kid would grow up to be "King." When I first heard this album I was completely blown away. This little kid was doing "Ain't No Sunshine" better than the original!! He was singing it with so much conviction! And even though he's a little kid it doesn't come across as ridiculous. Michael sings the blues like he's been through it, like your little side kick. He feels you! The production on this album is breathtaking. I would die to hear contemporary r and b like this again. This is Isaac Hayes/Curtis Mayfield type of production right here. This album sounds so soulful, it's powerful. This album has been sampled dozens of times by hip-hop groups like Wu-tang Clan. RZA sampled "You've Got A Friend" for "Trouble" off "The Sting". Ghostface sampled "Ain't No Sunshine" for his "More Fish" album and also sampled "Maria" for "The Hilton" off "Bulletproof Wallets." Listening to this album you'll hear all types of familiar stuff that has been sampled in rap music. It just shows you how influential this lesser known mj stuff was for underground hip-hop! This album right here is Michael before he collaborated with Quincy Jones. This is him with that classic soulful Motown production! "Don't Take Your Love From Me" is like an ode of sorrow being sung with the final breathe of a former lover, begging to return to the arms of his lost love. This is a 12 year old!! "In our Small Way" is a glimpse of Michael as the philanthropist, singing about world peace yet he has no idea how powerful his message will be felt in his not too distant future. Every song on here is a great example of the Soul genre and it's even more astounding because it's coming from a 12 year old! I honestly think this album is Michael Jackson's fourth best cd and should be a requisite for any serious Michael Jackson fan!! They need to press up more of these. It's a real shame this isn't even really mentioned these days. My favorite song is "Maria". God damn, now THAT is singing the blues. 1. Thriller 2. Dangerous 3. Off the Wall 4. Got to Be There. 5 Bad. 6. Ben 7. History 8. Music and Me 9. Invincible 10. Forever Michael

Michael when he oozed soul out of every pore. If you listen to this then definitely hit YouTube and find the vid of him doing "I Wanna Be Where You Are" on American Bandstand when this album was released. You'll then understand his greatness and his endless contributions to Motown.

The CD was in good condition. However, I didnt receieve the CD until a MONTH later. The shipping was terribly slow, I had ordered another CD during the same time I had ordered this one, and the CD came the next week, with the same shipping method. I also sent two emails to the seller about this CD during the waiting process, and the emails were never returned.