Chart Rewind: Mariah Carey’s ‘I’ll Be There’ Topped the Hot 100 This Week in 1992 #FBF

Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.

So, as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.

Next up? Pop icon Mariah Carey‘s iconic remake of the 1970’s Jackson 5 hit, ‘I’ll Be There.’ More inside:

At the rate Mariah Carey was consistently racking up Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers in the first two years of her career, seeing songs peak at any place that wasn’t the top was deemed worrisome. Such was reportedly the vibe given by Columbia Records execs when her hit ‘Make It Happen’ – the third single from her highly successful sophomore effort ‘Emotions’ – only reached a summit of #5 on the tally.

A last minute decision for the singer’s ‘MTV Unplugged’ effort would put that worry in their rearview, however.

Story has it that just as Carey and team were ready to move forward with the live showing, the network suggested she include a cover (as was tradition for other artists who had ‘Unplugged’ projects). After choosing The Jackson 5 hit, ‘I’ll Be There,’ and reworking it as a romantic duet with R&B singer Trey Lorenz, the Pop diva unveiled the song live on the date of the show’s airing. Much to fan delight, the song was eventually turned into a single after the public responded so favorably to it. By this week in 1992, it had soared to #1 on the Hot 100 and – as of time reported – remains the only single from the ‘Unplugged’ series to boast this accomplishment.

When the dust settled, ‘There’ was nominated for ‘Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group’ and ‘Best R&B Song’ at the next year’s Grammy Awards. Despite losing both categories, the song – nearly 20 years later – remains a #Lamb favorite and boasts high demand for inclusion on the diva’s setlist for various tours. As we rock out to Carey’s adaptation of this R&B classic, look below to see who joined her in the top 25 this week 27 years ago:

Hot 100 This Week in 1992

Hot 100 This Week in 2019

Click here to see this week’s full TGJ Chart Check: Hot 100 edition.