Michael Jackson – Got to Be There U.S. withdrawn Melody Recordings LP

$99.00

Free U.S. shipping!  A copy of the withdrawn U.S. LP Got to Be There by Michael Jackson, released on the short-lived Melody Recordings label.

1 in stock

Description

Offered for sale is a U.S. pressing of Got to Be There by Michael Jackson, issued on the Melody Recordings label.

Due to legal action, this album was withdrawn shortly after release in 1972. (more below)

About this copy: This copy of Got to Be There is a 1972 U.S. pressing on the Melody Recordings label.

The cover is VG++ with moderate foxing on the back cover.  The cover is still in the original shrink wrap.

The disc is M- and looks unplayed.   Clean disc!

A nice copy of a rare Michael Jackson LP that is usually found with significant cover wear.

Background: In the 1970s, American copyright law had a few loopholes in it and numerous companies took advantage of that to release unauthorized, or “pirate” copies of albums that had been legitimately released by major record labels.

Most of these pirate pressings were sold as 8 track tapes, as companies who were interested in making a quick buck found duplicating tapes to be a lot easier to do than making records. Still, a few did go to the trouble of manufacturing records, most of which were sold in discount stores.

Perhaps the largest label to engage in the manufacture of pirate pressings was a company called Melody Recordings, which claimed to be based in West Caldwell, New Jersey. In the early 1970s, the label released 15 or so titles by artists including Charlie Pride, Neil Young, the Small Faces, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Carole King, Santana, Paul Simon and others.

The music on these releases was lifted straight from the versions of the album released by the legitimate labels, and all but one of the Melody Recordings LPs featured the same cover – a color photo of two crowns and two scepters.

The back cover claims that all royalties have been paid to the artist, but somehow, we doubt that, as all albums on this label were removed from the market not long after their release.

They’re all quite hard to find today, especially in good condition, as the covers were quite prone to wear.

Released in 1972, Got to Be There was the first solo album by Michael Jackson.

The album reached #14 on the U.S. album chart and #37 on the UK chart.  On the U.S. singles chart, “Rocking Robin” reached #2 and “Got to Be There” reached #4.

Allmusic.com gave Got to Be There this review:

Riding high on the wild success of the Jackson 5, Motown ringleader Berry Gordy assembled every single notable production team member and songwriter in his arsenal to contribute to the solo debut of the J5’s boy wonder, Michael. By the time Got to Be There was released, much had changed in the Jackson dynamic, none the least Michael’s voice. But this album launched three chart singles: a cover of the bubblegum classic “Rockin’ Robin,” Leon Ware’s “I Wanna Be Where You Are,” and the title track. As a cohesive album, Got to Be There is wildly erratic, and his covers of “You’ve Got a Friend” and “Ain’t No Sunshine” show Jackson’s versatility as a singer.

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Country of origin: U.S.
Size: 12″
Record Label: Melody Recordings
Catalog Number:
SS 6017
Year of Release: 1972
Format: Stereo
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Additional information

Weight 9 oz
Dimensions 12.4 × 12.4 × 0.2 in