Off the Wall (Michael Jackson song)

"Off the Wall"
Side A of the US vinyl single
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Off the Wall
B-side	"Get on the Floor"
Released	November 16, 1979 (UK)[1] January 31, 1980 (US)[2]
Recorded	December 1978 – April 1979
Genre	Disco funk
Length	4:05 (album version) 3:46 (single version)
Label	Epic CBS
Songwriter(s)	Rod Temperton
Producer(s)	Quincy Jones
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"Rock with You" (1979) "Off the Wall" (1979) "She's Out of My Life" (1980)
Alternative release(s)
Artwork for German and Dutch vinyl releases
Licensed audio
"Off the Wall" on YouTube

"Off the Wall" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, from his fifth album of the same name (1979). It was written by English songwriter Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones, and released by Epic Records as the album's second single in the UK on November 16, 1979^[1] and as the third single in the US on January 31, 1980. The song was first offered to Karen Carpenter, while she was working on her first solo album, but she turned it down.^[3] Lyrically, the song is about getting over troubles.

The song was well received by music critics, and became Jackson's third top 10 single from Off the Wall, which eventually spawned four top 10 singles; Jackson was the first person to accomplish this. It was performed by Jackson in five of his concert tours.

Reception

AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine highlighted the song on its studio album.^[4] The song became Jackson's third top 10 single from Off the Wall. It peaked at number ten on the Pop Singles Chart and at number five on the Billboard Soul Singles Chart.

Cash Box called it "another killer" after "Rock with You" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", saying that "a fluid, sashaying dance beat rocks the cut."^[5]

Other versions and samples

Mariah Carey interpolated "Off the Wall" on her song "I'm That Chick", which is included in her 2008 album E=MC².^[6]

Vaporwave producer Saint Pepsi sampled "Off the Wall" in the song "Enjoy Yourself", a line featured in the original song's chorus. The music video featured scenes from a McDonald's commercial with the character Mac Tonight.^[7]

PinkPantheress sampled "Off the Wall" in her 2021 single "Just a Waste".^{[citation needed]}

Track listing

European 7" single (EPC 8045)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Off the Wall" (remix[a])	4:01
2.	"Workin' Day and Night"	5:10
Total length:		9:10

US 7" single (9-50838)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Off the Wall" (7" remix[a])	3:47
2.	"Get on the Floor"	4:38
Total length:		8:26

Official versions

1. Album version – 4:05
2. Remix – 4:01
3. 7" remix – 3:47
4. Edit – 3:46 – Featured on the Essential Collection is an early fade of the album version.
5. Junior Vasquez mix – 5:13 – Featured on the Stranger in Moscow single.
6. Live – 4:00 – Featured on The Jacksons Live!.

US and Japanese singles feature the remix running 3:47, while the UK and the rest of the world got the other remix running 4:01.

Personnel

• Written and composed by Rod Temperton
• Produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson
• Recorded and mixed by Bruce Swedien
• Michael Jackson: Lead and background vocals, Humming, All Harmonies.
• Louis Johnson: Bass
• John Robinson: Drums
• David Williams, Marlo Henderson: Guitars
• Greg Phillinganes: Rhodes piano, synthesizer
• Michael Boddicker: Synthesizer programming
• George Duke: Synthesizer, synthesizer programming
• Paulinho da Costa: Percussion
• Horns arranged by Jerry Hey and performed by The Seawind Horns:
  • Jerry Hey: Trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Larry Williams: Tenor and alto saxophones, flute
  • Kim Hutchcroft: Baritone and tenor saxophones, flute
  • William Reichenbach: Trombone
  • Gary Grant: Trumpet
• Rhythm and vocal arrangements by Rod Temperton
• Sound effects by George Duke

Charts

Weekly charts 1979–1980 weekly chart performance for "Off the Wall" Chart (1979–1980) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 94 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[9] 11 Ireland (IRMA)[10] 20 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 18 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 23 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 14 Norway (VG-lista)[14] 4 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[15] 20 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 9 UK Singles (OCC)[17] 7 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 10 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[19] 5 US Cash Box Top 100[20] 11 US Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay Chart[21] 9 2009 weekly chart performance for "Off the Wall" Chart (2009) Peak position Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 20 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 81 UK Singles (OCC)[23] 73 US Digital Songs (Billboard)[24] 51

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Off the Wall" Chart (1980) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[25] 69 US Billboard Hot 100[26] 79 US Cash Box Top 100[27] 84

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[28]	Silver	200,000^‡
United States (RIAA)[29]	Platinum	1,000,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

1. No version description listed on the actual single.

References

1. "Epic advertisement" (PDF). Music Week. 1979-11-17. p. 2,40. 'Off The Wall' Michael Jackson's new single off the album. (Special re-mix).
2. "RIAA".
3. "Behind The Music: Karen Carpenter (Solo)". 21 April 2013.
4. "Off the Wall - Michael Jackson - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
5. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. February 16, 1980. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
6. Vineyard, Jennifer (April 11, 2008). "Mariah Carey Leads A Track-By-Track Tour Of E=MC2, Which She Calls '100 Percent Of Me'". Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
7. Minor, Jordan (May 19, 2016). "McDonald's Mac Tonight should make a comeback as the lead in a fast food cinematic universe". Geek. Archived from the original on July 24, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
8. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
9. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0173a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Off the Wall". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
11. "Michael Jackson – Off the Wall" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
13. "Michael Jackson – Off the Wall". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
14. "Michael Jackson – Off the Wall". VG-lista. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
15. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Acts J". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
16. "Michael Jackson – Off the Wall". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
18. "Michael Jackson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
19. "Michael Jackson - Chart History". Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. for Michael Jackson. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
20. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending APRIL 19, 1980". Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved June 21, 2016.. Cash Box magazine.
21. "Michael Jackson".
22. "Michael Jackson – Off the Wall". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
23. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
24. "Michael Jackson - Chart History". Billboard Digital Songs. for Michael Jackson. Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
25. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0272." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
26. "Top 100 Hits for 1980". longboredsurfer.com. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
27. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1980". Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2014.. Cash Box magazine.
28. "British single certifications – Michael Jackson – Off the Wall". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
29. "American single certifications – Michael Jackson – Off the Wall". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 8, 2021.