I’ll Be Around

“I’ll Be Around” is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners (known as “Detroit Spinners” in the UK). It was co-written by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt and produced by Bell.

The song was included on the group’s 1973 self-titled album on Atlantic Records, their first album release for the label. It was initially released as the B-side of the group’s first single on Atlantic Records, with “How Could I Let You Get Away” being the A-side. Radio deejays, however, soon opted for “I’ll Be Around” which led to Atlantic flipping the single over and the song became an unexpected hit, eventually spending five weeks at No.1 on the U.S. R&B chart (the group’s first No.1 on the R&B chart), and reaching No.3 on the U.S. Pop chart in the fall of 1972. It also reached sales of over one million copies, The Spinners’ first record ever to do so. The success of “I’ll Be Around” would be the first in a series of chart successes The Spinners and Bell would have together during the 1970s.