I Wanna Be Where You Are


"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 7 in Cash Box and number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also reached number 2 on the U.S. R&B singles chart in 1972. His third straight Top 10 Pop hit during his early solo career with Motown. It was also the first collaboration between Ware and Ross, the younger brother of legendary superstar Diana Ross. This song would be one of Jackson's most covered songs, by singers including Zulema, Marvin Gaye, Willie Hutch, Jason Weaver and later The Fugees. Ware and Ross also penned the classic Marvin Gaye hit, "I Want You" several years afterwards.

Track listing

1970s
1980s
1990s
  • MC Lyte sampled the song for her hit track "Poor Georgie" in 1991.
  • There is an interpolation of the song in Grand Puba's 1995 hit "I Like It " from the album 2000.
  • SWV covered the song with Missy Elliott on the 1998 original soundtrack for the film Hav Plenty.
2000s
  • Romeo Miller's "Too Long" sampled the song on his 2002 album Game Time.
  • VH1's 2003 reality series Born To Diva’s winner Tarralyn Ramsey sampled the song on her second album Tarralyn in 2004.
  • B5's "Back In Your Arms" sampled the song on their 2005 eponymous debut album with youngest brother, Bryan, singing lead.
  • Chris Brown's "Yo " sampled the song on his 2005 eponymous debut album.
  • Carleen Anderson performed the song as a duet with Paul Weller on her 2005 album Soul Providence.
  • Hutch's version was sampled by singer Mary J. Blige for her song "You Can't Hide from Luv" from her The Breakthrough album.
  • Jennifer Lopez sampled the song in her song "Gotta Be There", included in her 2007 album Brave.
  • Murs sampled the song for "Can It Be " on his 2008 album Murs For President.
  • In July 2009, rapper 50 Cent freestyled over the instrumental and left Jackson's vocals. The song titled "Michael Jackson Freestyle" released on his mixtape Forever King.
  • Q "The Kid" sampled the Michael Jackson version of the song in his song "Been Away", which features Jermaine Dupri, and appears on the Drumline soundtrack.
2010s'
American R&B recording artist Beyoncé Knowles covered the song during her 2009 revue show I Am... Yours, which was held four consecutive nights in July and August. It was later included on her live CD/DVD ', which contained the performances from the show of the revue. Later, she covered the song for her 2011 revue show 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé held during four non-consecutive nights in August 2011. After delving into her musical history during the show, Knowles states: "I just want to have a good time with y'all," before she begins the revue's set list with her rendition of "I Wanna Be Where You Are", further recalling that she loved singing the song. It was included on the live DVD ' released on November 21, 2011.
On October 8, 2011 a pre-taped performance of Knowles performing "I Wanna Be Where You Are" was shown at the Michael Forever tribute concert at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. During the performance, she was backed by her all-female band and wore an Afro wig as she performed a funk version of the song. Before beginning the performance of the song, she stated: "I remember seeing Michael Jackson for the first time. Lord knows I fell in love... Watching him I realized exactly what I wanted to be. He inspired me so much. As a matter of fact, the first song I performed with Destiny's Child was a Jackson 5 song. It's called 'Where You Are.' It's the song we auditioned to get our record deal. It was the beginning of our future. I love you forever, Michael Jackson." A writer of Rap-Up noted that she "gave audience members goosebumps as she channeled MJ with her moves". Mark Iraheta of Complex magazine wrote that she "lit up the stage and showed off some funky dance moves".

Song credits

Michael Jackson version