Chords + Lyrics | I’ll Be There
Intro
| F Fsus4 F | Ebsus4 Eb Bb | F Fsus4 F | Fsus4 |
Verse 1
| F | C/E | Dm Dm/C | Am |
You and I must make a pact, we must bring salvation back.
| Bbmaj7 Dm7 | C11 | F C/E Dm | Dm/C Bb Am Am/G |
Where there is love, I’ll be there (I’ll be there).
Verse 2
| F | C/E | Dm Dm/C | Am |
I’ll reach out my hand to you, I’ll have faith in all you do.
| Bbmaj7 Dm7 | C11 | F | F |
Just call my name and I’ll be there (I’ll be there, and oh).
Bridge 1
| Ab | Eb |
I’ll be there to comfort you.
| Bb | F |
Build my world of dreams around you, I’m so glad that I found you.
| Ab | Eb |
I’ll be there with a love that’s strong,
| Bb | F | F | F |
I’ll be your strength, I’ll keep holding on (holding on…).
Verse 3 (as verse 1)
Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter, togetherness, girl, is all I’m after.
Whenever you need me, I’ll be there (I’ll be there).
Verse 4
| F | C/E | Dm Dm/C | Am |
I’ll be there to protect you, (yeah baby). With an unselfish love that respects you.
| Bbmaj7 Dm7 | C11 | F | F C11 |
Just call my name, and I’ll be there (I’ll be there, and oh).
Bridge 2
I’ll be there to comfort you.
Build my world of dreams around you, I’m so glad that I found you.
I’ll be there with a love that’s strong,
I’ll be your strength, I’ll keep holding on (holding on…).
Verse 5 (as verse 1)
If you should ever find someone new, I know he better be good to you.
‘Cause if he doesn’t, I’ll be there (I’ll be there). Don’t you know, baby, yeah, yeah.
Chorus 1
| F | C/E | Dm Dm/C | Am |
I’ll be there, I’ll be there.
| Bbmaj7 Dm7 | C11 | F C/E Dm | Dm/C Bb Am Am/G |
Just call my name, (and I’ll be there) and I’ll be there. Just look over your shoulders, honey, oh!
Chorus 2
I’ll be there, I’ll be there.
Whenever you need me (I’ll be there) I’ll be there. Don’t you know, baby, yeah, yeah.
Chorus 3
(La la..) I’ll be there. I’ll be there.
Just call my name (I’ll be there), and I’ll be there. Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Chorus 4
| F | C/E | Dm Dm/C | Am | to fade
(La la..) I’ll be there. I’ll be there.
I’ll Be There Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning I’ll Be There. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar sharp to 443Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
As an early single from The Jackson 5, I’ll Be There was the group’s fourth major hit. Considering how young Michael was at the time, this is truly remarkable.
Berry Gordy, the mastermind behind Motown, not only wrote but also produced I’ll Be There. Famously, he insisted that Michael’s line “…just look over your shoulders…” remain unchanged, rather than editing it to “shoulder,” as it showcased the singer’s youth.
Now, let’s dive into the chords, primarily in the key of F, to understand how this legendary tune was constructed.
Intro
The intro contains a common modal interchange, making the key feel ambiguous. It follows a I – bVIIx – IV – I progression, giving the feel of V – IV – I in Bb. Here’s the progression with extensions:
| F Fsus4 F | Ebsus4 E Bb | F Fsus4 F | Fsus4 |
Further down this guitar lesson, you get TAB for how to play this keyboard intro (and all other sections) on guitar.
Verse + Chorus
Verses 1, 3, 5, and all choruses follow this progression:
| F | C/E | Dm Dm/C | Am |
| Bbmaj7 Dm7 | C11 | F C/E Dm | Dm/C Bb Am Am/G |
Using Roman numerals, this translates to:
| I | V/3 | VI VI/b7 | III |
| IV VI | V | I V/3 VI | VI/b7 IV III III/b7 |
While the slash chords may seem complex, all of I’ll Be There’s verse chords are diatonic to F major (Ionian).
Verse 2 is similar, but without the descending chords in the final two bars:
| F | C/E | Dm Dm/C | Am |
| Bbmaj7 Dm7 | C11 | F | F |
Verse 4 adds a C11 at the end:
| F | C/E | Dm Dm/C | Am |
| Bbmaj7 | C11 | F | F C11 |
Bridge
The bridge changes the key to Ab, making the F chord a VIx. After repeating, it stays on F, then returns to the verse starting on F as chord I. The more I listen, the more I appreciate its genius.
||: Ab | Eb | Bb | F :|| F | F |
Arrangement notes
I’ll Be There is unusual in its arrangement, as the verse and chorus chords are identical. The verse melody constantly hints at the chorus, which doesn’t actually arrive until 2:45, then repeats and fades around 3:43.
Here’s a chord chart.
I’ll Be There Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
I’ve never played I’ll Be There in a key other than the original, and I’ve only ever worked with female singers performing it. Michael Jackson was very young when he recorded the song, so his voice was quite high.
That said, it doesn’t mean you’ll never need to change the key. If you’re creating an acoustic arrangement in a more guitar-friendly key, I recommend downloading the iReal Pro version, as it allows you to change the key easily.
I’ll Be There | TAB
Let’s find a way to play I’ll Be There in a band without all that production—even if we don’t have a keyboard player!
Intro
Here’s the intro (keyboard adapted to guitar).
Notice how we move between playing three and two strings to create a more defined part.
Verse + Chorus
For the main part, I want to create movement by starting high, then going low. Once you can play this confidently, you could blend and expand on this concept, even harmonising the descending progression.
Changing the rhythm is also not an issue—just follow the vocal. Should your band expand to include horns and lots of backing vocals, simply scale back and start playing licks that follow these chords.
However, you must first be able to “carry the tune”.
Bridge
For the bridge, I again feel you should grab hold of the progression and lead the way. Start with what I’ve written here, then find variations.
I’m always surprised how well this tune works for a working Motown/Soul band. The chorus is a great sing-along! It’s also great fun to play, as you can find endless variations and change your part depending on the size of the band.
Once you can play the TAB examples, go back to backing tracks and using the chart, play along with Michael!
I’ll Be There Chords: Continue Learning
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Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
- How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
- Let’s Stay Together
- My Girl
- Stand By Me
- You’re All I Need To Get By
