Michael Jackson - Got to Be There

Low price reissue of 1972 album that's out-of-print domestically. Ten tracks. Spectrum. 2003. Album Description

Strong Start

This is a good beginning to Michael Jackson's solo career. "I Wanna Be Where You Are" is my favorite, and after reading a concert review from the early 70s it was the audience's favorite then too. It's timeless.

His cover of "Ain't No Sunshine" is great, and as an intro he talks about missing his girl. It's very cute when you think how young he was. Then of course there's "Got to Be There" which is a good song. Overall it's one of my favorite cds. June 26, 2007

MINDBLOWING!

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. January 30, 2007

Ahhh. . .Brings Back Memories. . .

Of when Michael Jackson was brown. . .My brother's kids don't even believe it's the same Michael Jackson they see today! My Uncle got me this "album" when I was 13 years old. (The same age as Michael at the time). I played it to death. "I Wanna Be Where You Are" is a wonderful song and can still hold its own all these years later. "Rockin' Robin" is real cute - and was a big hit back in the day. His voice was clear and on "Ain't No Sunshine" he sounds very mature for his age. The entire album is good because he didn't do all those ("Hee hee hee") verbal ticks back then that he does now. I recommend this very much. July 13, 2006

The first album I ever brought!

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. July 31, 2005

Got To Have This

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. July 24, 2005

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