Working Day and Night

"Working Day and Night"
Song by Michael Jackson
from the album Off the Wall
Released August 10, 1979
Format Vinyl
Recorded December 1978 – April 1979
Genre
Length 5:14
Label Epic
Songwriter(s) Michael Jackson
Producer(s)
Music video
"Working Day and Night (Audio)" on YouTube

"Working Day and Night" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It is the third track from his fifth studio album, Off the Wall (1979). The song was written and produced by Jackson. Despite not being released as a single, it has been played often on the radio and in films, becoming one of Jackson's most popular songs. He also performed the song live. It is also featured on the video game Michael Jackson: The Experience. The song has been sampled by several artists. It was remixed and released on the remix/soundtrack album, Immortal, in 2011. In 2014, producer Timbaland sampled percussion and breaths from the song in the duet version of "Love Never Felt So Good" (with Justin Timberlake); the duet was released as a single from Xscape.

Background

"Working Day and Night" was written by Michael Jackson and recorded for his studio album Off the Wall issued in August 1979.[1] The song was not released as a single, but as the B-side for "Rock with You" in the USA, and B-side for "Off the Wall" in the UK.[2] The song has a tempo of 128 beats per minute, making it one of Jackson's fastest songs.[3]

Live performances

"Working Day and Night" was performed by both of The Jacksons' tours, and two of Michael Jackson's first two world concert series tours as a solo artist.

The song was performed by The Jacksons' Triumph Tour in 1981 and Victory Tour in 1984. In Michael Jackson's solo tours, the song was performed live on the Bad World Tour from 1987-1989, and the first two legs of Dangerous World Tour in 1992.

A live version, recorded at one of The Jacksons' 1981 Madison Square Garden concerts, was released as a track for a live album, The Jacksons Live!. In 2001, the original demo recording of the song was released as a bonus track on the expanded, special edition of Off the Wall. The live performance video at Jackson's Dangerous World Tour in Bucharest, Romania on October 1, 1992, was featured on the DVD in his box set The Ultimate Collection in 2004,[2] and a live concert DVD, Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour, in 2005. In 2012, a live audio and video version of the song performed during the Bad World Tour was released on the deluxe edition of Bad 25 and the concert DVD Live at Wembley July 16, 1988. The song was remixed and released on the soundtrack to Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, Immortal, in 2011.[4]

Personnel

  • Written and composed by Michael Jackson[1]
  • Produced by Quincy Jones
  • Co-produced by Michael Jackson
  • Lead and background vocals: Michael Jackson
  • Bass: Louis Johnson
  • Drums: John Robinson
  • Guitar: David Williams and Phil Upchurch
  • Electric piano and synthesizer: Greg Phillinganes
  • Synthesizer programming: Michael Boddicker
  • Percussion: Paulinho Da Costa, John Robinson and Michael Jackson
  • Horns arranged by Jerry Hey and performed by The Seawind Horns:
    • Trumpet and flugelhorn: Jerry Hey
    • Tenor, alto saxophones and flute: Larry Williams
    • Baritone, tenor saxophones and flute: Kim Hutchcroft
    • Trombone: William Reichenbach
    • Trumpet: Gary Grant
  • Rhythm and vocal arrangements by Greg Phillinganes and Michael Jackson
  • Vocal and percussion arrangements by Michael Jackson

Official versions

Covers and samples

  • In 1983, George Duke sampled this song for the "Overture" of the album Guardian of the Light.[5]
  • In 1999, Will Smith sampled this song on his track "Can You Feel Me" for his album Willennium.[6]
  • In 1989, Richie Rich sampled this song for his single "Salsa House",[7] from the album I Can Make You Dance.
  • In 2009, Michael's sister Janet Jackson sampled this song for her single "Make Me" from her greatest hits album Number Ones.
  • In 2014, Timbaland sampled percussion and breaths from the song for the duet version of Jackson's posthumous song "Love Never Felt So Good", which features American recording artist Justin Timberlake for the record Xscape

References

  1. 1 2 Off the Wall (Special Edition) (Liner notes). Michael Jackson. Epic Records. 2001.
  2. 1 2 Halstead, Craig; Cadman, Chris (2007). Michael Jackson: For The Record. Bedfordshire: Authors OnLine Ltd. pp. 366–367. ISBN 0-7552-0267-8.
  3. ↑ The Complete Michael Jackson, International Music Publications Ltd, 1997, ISBN 1859094473, p103
  4. ↑ "Immortal: Michael Jackson". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  5. ↑ "Richie Rich's Salsa House sample of Michael Jackson's Workin' Day and Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  6. ↑ "Will Smith feat. Eve's Can You Feel Me? sample of Michael Jackson's Workin' Day and Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
  7. ↑ "Richie Rich's Salsa House sample of Michael Jackson's Working' Day and Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
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