I’ll Be Around – Spinners | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning

Chart Performance: Pop (#3) & R&B (#1 for 5 weeks); 1972

Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne

Some R&B groups, such as The Cadillacs, named themselves after car brands, whereas five boys from Michigan took theirs from the chrome hubcaps on group member Bobbie Smith’s automobile.

As The Spinners, they first scored with That’s What Girls Are Made For in 1961 behind vocalist Harvey Fuqua, formerly of the Moonglows. Two more Top 10’s followed in 1966 and 1970, yet, five hits in ten years hardly set the music world on fire.

In 1972, their latest label would only spring for the cost of recording four songs. Producer Thom Bell had penned I’ll Be Around using only three chords, and enlisted Phil Hurtt – the only songwriter in the office at the time – to quickly come up with some lyrics.

Unfortunately, Around was pegged as the B-Side to How Could I Let You Get Away until deejays began spinning it instead. Another of the tunes laid down at the four song session, Could It Be I’m Falling In Love, also hit #1.

This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.

Produced by:

  • Thom Bell

Lyrics Written by:

  • Thom Bell
  • Phil Hurtt

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Ed Osborne

Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).