I Wanna Be Where You Are
Encyclopedia
"I Wanna Be Where You Are" is a song written by Arthur "T-Boy" Ross and Leon Ware
for Michael Jackson
, who took the song to number sixteen on the U.S. pop singles chart and number two on the U.S. R&B singles chart in 1972. His third straight Top 40 pop hit during his early solo career in Motown
, it was also the first collaboration between Ware and Ross, the younger brother of R&B singer Diana Ross
. This song would be one of Jackson's most covered songs, with singers including Marvin Gaye
, Willie Hutch
, Jason Weaver
and The Fugees
. Ware and Ross would be famous together for penning the classic Marvin Gaye single, "I Want You
" several years afterwards.
1970's
1980's
1990's
2000's
2010's
Leon Ware
Leon Ware is a soul music singer, songwriter and producer. Best known for crafting the hit album, I Want You, originally recorded for Ware, until friend and Motown icon Marvin Gaye was assigned to the album in 1976...
for Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, who took the song to number sixteen on the U.S. pop singles chart and number two on the U.S. R&B singles chart in 1972. His third straight Top 40 pop hit during his early solo career in Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
, it was also the first collaboration between Ware and Ross, the younger brother of R&B singer Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
. This song would be one of Jackson's most covered songs, with singers including Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Willie Hutch
Willie Hutch
Willie McKinley Hutchison, known professionally as Willie Hutch was an American singer, songwriter as well as a record producer and recording artist for the Motown record label during the 1970s and 1980s....
, Jason Weaver
Jason Weaver
Jason Michael Weaver also known by his stage name J-Weav, is an American actor and singer. He is perhaps best known for his television roles as a pre-teenage Michael Jackson in the Emmy Award-winning 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, and as the older brother Marcus Henderson on the...
and The Fugees
The Fugees
Fugees were a Haitian American hip hop group who rose to fame in the mid-1990s. Their repertoire included elements of Hip hop, soul and Caribbean music, particularly reggae. The members of the group were rapper/singer/producer Wyclef Jean, rapper/singer/producer Lauryn Hill, and rapper Pras Michel...
. Ware and Ross would be famous together for penning the classic Marvin Gaye single, "I Want You
I Want You (Marvin Gaye song)
-Background:Madonna recorded a cover version of "I Want You" with British trip-hop group Massive Attack for her ballads compilation album Something to Remember and the Marvin Gaye tribute album Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye in 1995...
" several years afterwards.
Covers and samples
- While the versions of Hutch's and Weaver's followed the original, the Fugees' version was completely different save for the choruses sung by Lauryn HillLauryn HillLauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
while Marvin's was more of an instrumental except for Marvin singing the title and dedicating the track to his then-girlfriend Janis HunterJanis GayeJanis Gaye is best known as the second wife of American musician Marvin Gaye.-Biography:...
and his children Marvin III (referred as "little Marvin" on the record), NonaNona GayeNona Marvisa Gaye is an American singer, former fashion model, and screen actress. The daughter of soul music legend Marvin Gaye and granddaughter of jazz great Slim Gaillard, she began her career as a vocalist in the early 1990s...
and Frankie Christian. The alternate instrumental, later issued on a deluxe edition re-release of Marvin's I Want You album, was a funk-styled instrumental that featured Marvin's background vocals harmonizing throughout the track, which was also produced by Ware. - Juelz SantanaJuelz SantanaLaRon Louis James , better known by his stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He appeared on Cam'ron's 2002 singles, "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma"...
sampled the song on two tracks- Did U Miss Me pts.1 & 2 on the DJ Green LanternDJ Green LanternJames D'Agostino , better known by his stage name DJ Green Lantern, is an American-Italian-Puerto Rican DJ and hip hop music producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by Eminem to become the official DJ for Shady Records after DJ Head stepped down for undisclosed reasons...
mixtape Alive on Arrival.
1970's
- Dusty SpringfieldDusty SpringfieldMary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'BrienSources use both Isabel and Isobel as the spelling of her second name. OBE , known professionally as Dusty Springfield and dubbed The White Queen of Soul, was a British pop singer whose career extended from the late 1950s to the 1990s...
performed the song on the BBC1 TV show It's LuluLulu (singer)Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
, Not To Mention Dudley MooreDudley MooreDudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...
which aired in July 1972. - In 1978, Latin jazz flutist Dave ValentinDave ValentinDave Valentin is a jazz flutist.He learned latin percussion first when he was a teenager, and then switched to flute. Valentin's teacher, Hubert Laws, suggested that he not double on saxophone because of his attractive sound on the flute. He studied at the Bronx Community College...
covered an instrumental version of the song on his debut album Legends, which was also the debut release of the then-new GRP RecordsGRP RecordsGRP Records is an American jazz record company, owned by Universal Music Group and operates through its Verve Music Group. The company's name has had different meanings. In its early days, it stood for "Grusin/Rosen Productions," after the founders...
label (a subsidiary of Arista RecordsArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
).
1980's
- Jose FelicianoJosé FelicianoJosé Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
, on his first album for Motown Records, produced by Berry Gordy, covered the song in English and then re-recorded it in 1982 on his next LP at Motown in Spanish (the title became "Ahora Si Quiero Amar"). - MC LyteMC LyteMC Lyte is an American rapper who first gained fame in the late-1980s becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock.-Early life:...
also sampled the song for her Poor Georgie Track in 1989.
1990's
- There is an interpolation of the song in Grand PubaGrand PubaMaxwell Dixon is an emcee best known as a member of the group Brand Nubian.-Biography:He made his debut with the group Masters of Ceremony. Its album Dynamite was hailed by critics, but probably due to lack of sales, the group soon disbanded, and Puba emerged as the lead emcee of Brand Nubian...
's 1995 hit "I Like It (I Wanna Be Where You Are)" from the album 20002000 (album)2000 is the second album by hip hop artist Grand Puba of the group Brand Nubian, released in mid-1995 through Elektra Records. The album wasn't as acclaimed as his solo debut Reel to Reel, and wasn't able to sell a significant number of units, despite a Billboard Hot 100 hit, "I Like It "...
.
2000's
- VH1's 2003 reality series Born To Diva's winner Tarralyn Ramsey sampled the song on her second album Tarralyn in 2004.
- Chris Brown's "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)Yo (Excuse Me Miss)Not to be confused with Excuse Me Miss, a song by rapper Jay-Z."Yo " is the second single from Chris Brown's debut album Chris Brown, released in 2005 in the U.S. and 2006 worldwide. "Yo ", produced by Dre & Vidal, became Brown's second top ten hit in the U.S., peaking at number seven on February...
" sampled the song on his 2005 eponymous debut albumChris Brown (album)Chris Brown is the eponymous debut album by American R&B singer Chris Brown, released on November 29, 2005 in the United States on Jive Records...
. - Hutch's version was sampled by singer Mary J. BligeMary J. BligeMary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
for her song, "You Can't Hide from Luv" from her The BreakthroughThe BreakthroughThe Breakthrough is the seventh studio album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige, released December 20, 2005, on Geffen Records. The album opened with over 729,000 units in the United States, becoming her highest first week sales of her career, and the second-highest first-week sales by...
album. - Jennifer LopezJennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
sampled the song in her song "Gotta Be There", which is included in her 2007 album BraveBrave (Jennifer Lopez album)Brave is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Jennifer Lopez, released on October 4, 2007 by Epic Records. It debuted at number twelve on the U.S. Billboard 200 with 53,000 copies sold in its first week. Though the album was generally praised by fans, it got mixed reviews from most...
. - Murs sampled the song for "Can It Be (Half A Million Dollars And 18 Months Later)" on his 2008 album Murs For PresidentMurs for President- Additional credits :- Charts :- Music videos :* Better Than the Best* Lookin' Fly* Can It Be * Me and This Jawn* A Part of Me* Break Up * The Science* Road Is My Religion- MURS Administration :...
. - In July 2009, rapper 50 Cent50 CentCurtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
freestyled over the instrumental and left Jackson's vocals. The song titled "Michael Jackson Freestyle" released on his mixtape Forever KingForever King- Samples :"I'm Paranoid"*"Heaterz" by Wu-Tang Clan."Suicide Watch"*"Suicidal Thoughts" by The Notorious B.I.G.."Things We Do"*"The Things that You Do " by Gina Thompson feat...
. - Beyoncé covered the song for her live CD/DVD I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las VegasI Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las VegasI Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas is a live CD/DVD by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was shot at the Encore Theater, Las Vegas, on August 2, 2009 during a stint of her worldwide I Am… Tour...
. - SWVSWVSisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
also sampled the song for their own version with Missy Elliott vocals for the Hav Plenty Soundtrack. - Q "The Kid" sampled for the song "Been Away" which features Jermaine Dupri, which appears on the Drumline soundtrack.
2010's
- Urban jazzUrban jazzUrban jazz is the fusion of smooth jazz and R&B/hip-hop music. Urban jazz usually contains strong R&B percussion and bass lines. A few of the better known urban jazz artists are Boney James, Ronny Jordan, Nick Colionne, Wayman Tisdale, Najee, and Paul Jackson, Jr.Some of the more successful...
keyboardist Bob BaldwinBob Baldwin (musician)Bob Baldwin is a New York-born contemporary jazz musician and producer.Born December 9, 1960, Mount Vernon, NYBob is an American music composer, pianist, record producer, musical arranger, Pianist and compose, who learned how to play directly from his father, Robert Baldwin, Sr...
released a cover from the album, "Brazil Chill" and 2010 for his tribute album "Never Can Say Goodbye". - Cali Swag DistrictCali Swag DistrictCali Swag District is an American hip hop group from Inglewood, California, founded by former Death Row Records artist Big Wy and Dairold Potts. The group's members are rapper-DJ C-Smoove and rappers, Yung and JayAre...
sampled the song for their second single "Where You Are" off their debut album The Kickback (album) - R&B artist SybilSybil LynchSybil Lynch is an American R&B/pop singer, more popularly known as Sybil.-Career:Sybil has been recording since 1986 and is best known for her covers of Dionne Warwick's hits "Don't Make Me Over" and "Walk On By," which were released in 1989 and 1990, respectively...
recorded the song for her eponymous second album, her first one for the American market. The song was not released as a single.
Michael Jackson version
- Produced by Hal Davis
- Lead vocals by Michael Jackson
- Arrangement by James Anthony Carmichael
- Hollers by Leon Ware and Arthur Ross
- Instrumentation by assorted Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
musicians
Marvin Gaye version
- All vocals by Marvin Gaye
- Instrumentation by assorted musicians
- Produced by Leon Ware and Marvin Gaye
Charts
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 16 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Cash Box | 7 |
| Turkey Singles Chart | 87 |