THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

357-James Ingram and Michael McDonald- Yah Mo B There.

1985-Number 12 single.

Best Bit-At 4.12. In the 2005 American romantic film comedy ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin,’ the main character works in an electronic store, in which a Michael McDonald DVD has constantly been playing for two years. A salesman (played by Paul Rudd) has developed an intense hatred of the DVD and tells the manager, ‘Nothing against Michael McDonald, but if I hear Ya Mo B There one more time, I’m gonna Yah Mo burn this place to the ground!’

James Edward Ingram was born on February 16th, 1952, in Akron, Ohio, United States, he died of brain cancer on January 29th, 2019, at the age of 66. Prior to finding international success, James Ingram had been a member of a Los Angeles band called ‘Revelation Funk,’ and then as a keyboard player in Ray Charles’ (1930-2004) (see also best songs 475 and 185) touring group. The discography of James Ingram includes five solo studio Albums released between 1983-2008, and 30 singles released between 1981-1999, there are also two official compilation Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, eight of his singles have made the top 40, with ‘Baby Come to Me,’ with Patti Austin, (1982) and ‘I Don’t Have the Heart,’ (1990) both reaching Number 1, while ‘Yah Mo B There’ peaked at Number 19. In the UK, James Ingram has had three top 40 hits, with ‘Somewhere Out There,’ with Linda Ronstadt,’ charting the highest at Number 8 in 1986. In the UK all of James Ingram’s three top 40 hits have been duets.

Michael H. McDonald was born on February 12th, 1952, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, he is a singer, songwriter and keyboardist, who is known for his distinctive, soulful voice. In 1974 he spent a year as a member of the Steely Dan touring band, and has continued to work with them in the studio, and on the road intermittently down the years. However Michael McDonald will always be best remembered for being a member of American Rock band The Doobie Brothers, recording with them on five studio Albums, and nine Billboard top 40 singles, including his co-write of their Billboard Number 1 song ‘What a Fool Believes’ in 1979. He has also had a very successful solo career, releasing 11 studio Albums between 1982-2017, and 28 singles between 1982-2022, there are also seven official compilation Albums, and one live Album available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, three of his singles have made the top 40, he has also had a further five top 40 hits as a featured artist, with ‘On My Own,’ with Patti LaBelle reaching Number 1 in 1986. In the UK, Michael McDonald has had one top 40 solo hit single, with ‘Sweet Freedom’ reaching Number 12 in 1986, he has also had a further two hits as a featured artist, with ‘On My Own,’ with Patti LaBelle, peaking the highest at Number 2 in 1986.

‘Yah Mo B There’ was the third of five singles released from ‘It’s Your Night,’ the debut studio Album by James Ingram, from July 1983, the song was co-written by James Ingram, Michael McDonald, Rod Temperton, (1949-2016) (see also best songs 889 and 511) and the legendary Quincy Jones, (1933-2024) (see also best songs 1022-889-812-703-511 and 191) who was also the songs producer, and issued the Album and single on his record label ‘Qwest,’ which was partly owned by Warner Brothers.

‘Yah Mo B There’ was first issued as a single in December 1983, reaching Number 19 on the American Billboard Hot 100, and Number 44 in the UK, it was the remixed version by John Benitez, which had the greater success in the UK, when making Number 12 during the spring of 1985. John Benitez was born on November 7th, 1957, in New York City, United States, he is better known by his working name John ‘Jellybean’ Benitez.’ It was his younger sister Debbie who nicknamed him ‘Jellybean’ in his youth, as his initials are J.B. and also from the expression ‘Know what I mean, Jellybean?’ His high profile production work includes producing some of Madonna’s early songs, including the Billboard Number 1 single ‘Crazy for You’ in 1985, he also produced the Whitney Houston (1963-2012) track ‘Love Will Save the Day,’ (1988-Billboard Number 9 & UK Number 10.) Working alongside many different vocalists ‘Jellybean’ has also released five studio Albums between 1984-2010, and has issued 12 singles between 1984-2009, with two of those tracks reaching the Billboard Hot 100, with ‘Who Found Who’ featuring Elisa Fiorillo, peaking the highest at Number 16 in 1987, while in the UK, four of his singles have made the top 40, with ‘Jingo’ charting the highest at Number 12 in 1987.

‘Yah Mo B There’ is in reference to God, and the power faith can have over difficult times, ‘Yah’ being the shortened ‘Yahweh,’ the Hebrew name for God. James Ingram who came up with the songs title has said, ‘We were talking about how to say ‘God will be there’ without scaring most of the audience away.’

‘Heavenly Father watchin’ us fall, we take from each other, and give nothing at all. Well it’s a doggone shame, but never too late for change.’