The first single from the brothers’ descriptively titled Third Album, ‘I’ll Be There’ showed fans that the Jackson 5 were far more than just a bubblegum pop act. The change of pace was clearly a good decision, as it gave the band another Number 1 hit became Motown’s second highest-selling single of all time.
Jackson 5 – I’ll Be There Bass Transcription PDF
When you next listen to ‘I’ll Be There’, pause for a moment and reflect on the fact that Michael was eleven years old when he recorded it. Eleven.
If you’re a fan of the Jackson Five and their associated bassists (and let’s face it, you should be) then please do yourself a favour and get hold of the compilation album Michael Jackson – The Stripped Mixes, which features many of the group’s hits remixed with instruments removed to focus on the vocals and, most importantly, the bass.
Listening to the stripped mix of ‘I’ll Be There’ allows Ron Brown’s melodic bass playing to shine through:
Ron begins the first verse with high register sustained notes embellished with slides before descending and adopting a more foundational bass approach for the second verse and the bridge – watch out for the key change from F major to F minor here! The influence of Motown’s bass virtuoso James Jamerson becomes clear in the later verses as the bass line becomes more rhythmically and melodically active.
Perhaps the best thing about the remixed version is that we’re treated to an extended outro chorus after the original version fades out (from 3’34” of the stripped mix). Here Ron Brown cuts loose and allows his playing to get busier, unleashing a head-turning high register fill just before the vocal ending to the song.