"I'll Be Around" is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners (known as "Detroit Spinners" in the UK). It was co-written by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt and produced by Bell.

Recorded at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios, the house band MFSB provided the backing. The production of the song gives it a smooth, mid-tempo feel, with the signature guitar riff (in octaves) played by Norman Harris at the forefront and punctuation from female background singers, the MFSB horns & strings and conga-playing from Larry Washington. Bobby Smith handles lead vocals on the song.

The song was included on the group's 1973 self-titled album on Atlantic Records, their first album release for the label. It was initially released as the B-side of the group's first single on Atlantic Records, with "How Could I Let You Get Away" being the A-side. Radio deejays, however, soon opted for "I'll Be Around" which led to Atlantic flipping the single over and the song became an unexpected hit, eventually spending five weeks at No.1 on the U.S. R&B chart (the group's first No.1 on the R&B chart), and reaching No.3 on the U.S. Pop chart in the fall of 1972. It also reached sales of over one million copies, The Spinners' first record ever to do so. The success of "I'll Be Around" would be the first in a series of chart successes The Spinners and Bell would have together during the 1970s.

Personnel

Lead vocals by Bobby Smith Background vocals by Bobby Smith, Philippé Wynne, Pervis Jackson, Henry Fambrough and Billy Henderson Additional Background vocals by Linda Creed and the Sigma Sweethearts (Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson, and Evette Benton) Instrumentation by MFSB The signature bassline which underpins the song is played by Ronnie Baker

Cover versions In 1985, the American new wave group What Is This released a cover of "I'll Be Around", produced by Todd Rundgren, that reached No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2015, the German group, Hotlane (Agnes Lindström & Jack Tennis) sampled "I'll Be Around" on the song "Whenever", featured on their first album titled "The EP".

Chart performance

Weekly charts The Spinners version Chart (1972)PeakpositionCanadian RPM Top Singles 6US Billboard Hot 1003US Billboard Hot Soul Singles1US Cashbox Top 1001

Hall & Oates version Chart (2004–05)PeakpositionUS Billboard Hot 10097US Billboard Adult Contemporary6

Year-end charts Chart (1972)RankCanada61

See also List of Best Selling Soul Singles number ones of 1972

Notes

References A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul by John A. Jackson, (Publication: New York Oxford University Press (U.S.), 2004) "I'll Be Around" [ song review] on Allmusic website