I’ll Be There

“I’ll Be There” is the first single released on Third Album by The Jackson 5. It was written by Berry Gordy, Hal Davis, Bob West, and Willie Hutch. The song was recorded by The Jackson 5 and released by Motown Records on August 28, 1970, as the first single from their Third Album on the same date. Produced by the songwriters, “I’ll Be There” was The Jackson 5’s fourth number-one hit in a row (after “I Want You Back” in 1969, “ABC” and “The Love You Save” earlier in 1970), making them the first group to have their first four singles reach number one and the first black male group with four consecutive number-one pop hits. “I’ll Be There” is also notable as the most successful single released by Motown during its “Detroit era” (1959–72). In 2011, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

The most successful single ever released by the Jackson 5, “I’ll Be There” sold 4.2 million copies in the United States, and 6.1 million copies worldwide. The song held the number-one position on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart for five weeks from October 17 to November 14. “I’ll Be There” was the Jackson 5’s final number-one Hot 100 hit as a group. For the rest of their career as a major-label act, Jackson 5 singles would climb no higher than number 2.