Off the Wall (Michael Jackson song)

Last updated
"Off the Wall"
Off the Wall by Michael Jackson A-side US vinyl single.jpg
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]
RecordedDecember 1978 April 1979
Genre
Length
  • 4:05 (album version)
  • 3:46 (single version)
Label
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)
Michaeljoffthewall.jpg
Artwork for German and Dutch vinyl releases

Jackson performed the song on the Jacksons' Destiny World Tour's (1979) second leg, as well as the Triumph Tour (1981) and the Victory Tour (1984). He performed the song only on the first leg of his Bad tour (1987), his first solo tour. During the HIStory World Tour (1996), the song was included on the Off the Wall medley (also featuring the songs "Rock with You" and "Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough") on some concert playlists. A live performance of the song can be seen in One Night in Japan, a bootleg live album and DVD release of Jackson's 1987 concert in Yokohama, Japan, during the Bad tour.

Sample

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".

Track listing

European 7" single (EPC 8045)
No.TitleLength
1."Off the Wall" (remix [lower-alpha 1] )4:01
2."Workin' Day and Night"5:10
Total length:9:10
US 7" single (9-50838)
No.TitleLength
1."Off the Wall" (7" remix [lower-alpha 1] )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

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [28] Silver200,000
United States (RIAA) [29] Platinum1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. 1 2 No version description listed on the actual single.

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