In this song, a man tells his former lover that he will always be there for her, and that even if she finds someone new, she can always go back to him. This statement of unconditional fealty makes it one of the more touching and romantic songs of the era, sweetened by the innocence of Michael Jackson's voice - he was just 11 years old when he recorded it.
Michael Jackson is on the lead vocal, with his brother Jermaine coming in on the bridge ("I'll be there to comfort you..."). This was typical division of vocal labor in the group - their voices provided a nice contrast.
Backed by the Motown machine and the prodigious talents of Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5 went to #1 on both the Hot 100 and R&B charts with their first four singles, starting with "I Want You Back" in 1969. Two more uptempo songs came next: "ABC" and "The Love You Save," followed by "I'll Be There," their first hit ballad. The group never landed another #1 on the Hot 100, but stayed on the charts throughout the '70s (they became "The Jacksons" in 1976). Michael Jackson had his first #1 as a solo artist with "Ben" in 1972, then reached new heights with his albums Off The Wall (1979) and Thriller (1982).
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