On this day in music history: January 5, 1980 - Rock With You by Michael Jackson hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 6 weeks, also topping the Hot 100 for 4 weeks on January 19, 1980. Written by Rod Temperton, it is the third solo chart topper for the R&B and pop music superstar. Released as the second single from Jacksons hugely successful Off The Wall album, songwriter Rod Temperton will be asked by producer Quincy Jones in late 1978 to contribute songs to the project. Temperton had initially written Rock With You for his own band Heatwave, who are recording their third album Hot Property. When the bands lead singer Johnnie Wilder, Jr. tells Temperton he doesnt like the song, the songwriter will give the song to Jackson and Jones as well as writing Burn This Disco Out and Off The Wall specifically for MJ. While Jones is back in Los Angeles cutting the basic tracks for the album, Jackson is on the road with his brothers, touring in support of their then current album Destiny. Jackson will fly back to L.A. on weekends or on other days off from the tour to record his vocals and monitor the sessions in progress. Michael will record his lead and background vocals on Rock With You in one six hour long session in early 1979. Before the song is released as a single in October of 1979, engineer Bruce Swedien will remix the track noticeably from the version that appears on the first pressing of the Off The Wall LP. The remixed version will feature a punchier mix with more prominent guitars, orchestration, and accented with handclaps in the chorus sections. The record will take off immediately at radio and on club dance floors around the world. An alternate remix of the track will surface in Japan as a very rare promotional only 12, which to date has not been released to the public, but has circulated as a bootleg among fans. Rock With You is certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 00:32:27 +0000
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