Riding high on the wild success of
the Jackson 5, Motown ringleader Berry Gordy assembled every single notable production team member and songwriter in his arsenal to contribute to the solo debut of
the J5's boy wonder,
Michael. By the time
Got to Be There was released, much had changed in the
Jackson dynamic, none the least
Michael's voice. But this album launched three chart singles: a cover of the bubblegum classic "Rockin' Robin,"
Leon Ware's "I Wanna Be Where You Are," and the title track. As a cohesive album,
Got to Be There is wildly erratic, and his covers of "You've Got a Friend" and "Ain't No Sunshine" show
Jackson's versatility as a singer. It was a world away from the politically charged sound of
Marvin Gaye's
What's Going On and the introspection that would later grace some of the best works of
Stevie Wonder. But
Got to Be There kept Gordy as king of the sound of young America -- at least for a few months longer. ~ Rob Theakston