(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please CLICK HERE)
The Jackson 5 - "I'll Be There"
Hit Number 1: October 17, 1970
Stay at Number 1: 5 Weeks
The Jackson 5 proved that they were more than just bubble gum. Sure, their previous 3 #1 hits were nothing but bubble gum, but they showed the music-listening public that they were capable of much more with their fourth and final chart-topper, "I'll Be There". Their bubble gum material was still composed of, at the very least, good songs. Today, that kind of stuff is what they're mostly known for. But "I'll Be There" is a slow, powerful ballad about friendship or unwavering love. It's a lot different from what made them hit makers, but it still paid off tremendously for the group in the end.
In Michael Jackson's autobiography, Moon Walk, he said that "I'll Be There" was the song that solidified thier careers. I would say that he was right, as "I'll Be There" sold 6.1 million copies worldwide, and became the most successful single released by Motown at the time in America. Listening to the song, it's not hard to see why the song is regarded so highly by the group and the music-buying public. Usually, I don't like slow ballads. You guys who religiously read these already know that, and you'll continue to see it in the future. I've never gotten into them quite like other songs; I prefer fun rock and roll bangers or at least songs that are easy to dance to. But hell, every once in a while I can appreciate a well-crafted ballad that really gets into the "feels." "I'll Be There" devours my feels.
First, it's much more than just a ballad about love. You can take love out of the equation and view it as a song about friendship instead. The narrator, a guy who is in a relationship with a girl, goes on about not only his love, but that if times get tough, or if the girl just needs a friend, he's willing to be there for her through it all. Like I said, even as someone who's rarely convinced by slow ballads, I appreciate that message. Who doesn't? But that's not all. We're treated to a hell of a vocal performance by Michael. I swear, at times in the song I forget that I'm even listening to an 11-year-old. Michael sings with such confidence and charisma, and he never tries to show off. That's the biggie, and another thing that ruins my appreciation for a particular ballad. Singers sometimes try way too hard to sound sincere and good and they instead sound like crap. Not Michael. For him, it comes naturally.
There's also parts of the song where it starts to rock out a little bit, and Jermaine Jackson takes over the lead vocal. Maybe that was thrown in to give the song more life, or because Jermaine didn't want to sing slowly. (That's all just speculation) But those transitions are fluent, so much so that unless you're digesting the song (like I am right now) you might not even realize that the song's changing. All in all, the lead vocals by Michael, the great message the song sends, the transitions of the way the song sounds and finally just the mood it sets me in, I can't deny that it's a masterpiece. It's so emotionally sincere that it can tear apart even the toughest of people. In my opinion, hardly any ballads accomplish that.
This group was starting to change as Michael was beginning to grow up. Unfortunately, "I'll Be There" could also be seen as the beginning of the end for the Jackson 5. Their chart success would start to dwindle after "I'll Be There". In 1971, they released another slower song similar to "I'll Be There" called "Never Can Say Goodbye", which had chart success but not like their previous hits, as it only made it to #2. (It's an 8) Then in 1974, they nearly topped the charts but again could only get to #2 with "Dancing Machine". (That one is a 7) At that point Michael was pretty much on his own, and the Jackson 5 ceased to exist. In some kind of comeback fashion, The Jacksons final hit, "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", made it to #7 in 1979, the same year that Michael released his Off the Wall album and his solo career really took off. ("Shake Your Body" is an 8) It must have been met with some major frustration for the Jacksons, as their glory year of 1970 probably made it look like they were about to become major stars for a long time. Though that didn't happen for them, it definitely did for Michael, and we'll hear from him again in this blog a lot of times. At least for the other Jacksons, their final chart-topper was an amazing, heartfelt song that spirals all of our emotions out of control. Not a bad final way to hit #1 at all.
GRADE: 10/10
JUST MISSED:
The Carpenters' lusciously, hauntingly melancholic "We've Only Just Begun" peaked at #2 behind "I'll Be There". It's an 8.
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