"Rock with You" | ||||||||||||||
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Side-A label of U.S. vinyl single
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Single by Michael Jackson | ||||||||||||||
from the album Off the Wall | ||||||||||||||
B-side | "Get on the Floor" "Working Day and Night" |
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Released | November 3, 1979 | |||||||||||||
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Recorded | December 1978 – June 1979 | |||||||||||||
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Length | 3:39 (album version) 3:23 (single edit) |
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Label | Epic | |||||||||||||
Writer(s) | Rod Temperton | |||||||||||||
Producer(s) | Quincy Jones | |||||||||||||
Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||||||||||||
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"Rock with You" is a song written by English songwriter Rod Temperton, produced by Quincy Jones and recorded by Michael Jackson. It was released on November 3, 1979, as the second single from Jackson's fifth album Off the Wall (1979). It was also the second number one hit of the 1980s, a decade whose pop singles chart would soon be dominated by Jackson. Temperton, formerly of the group Heatwave, also wrote Jackson's song "Thriller" (1984).
It reached number one on both the pop and R&B singles charts. On the former, "Rock With You" spent four consecutive weeks at number one starting January 19, 1980. According to Billboard, the song was the fourth biggest single of 1980. It is also considered one of the last hits of the disco era.
It was re-released as a single on February 27, 2006, as part of the Visionary: The Video Singles box set.
This song is written in the key of Gb major. Meter is 4/4 at 114 bpm.
AllMusic highlighted the song on the album itself. Robert Christgau called this song a smooth ballad.
A music video was released for the song. It features Michael in a sparkly sequined suit singing the song with a bright laser behind him. The video was directed by Bruce Gowers.
The music video was included on the video albums: Video Greatest Hits - HIStory,Number Ones and Michael Jackson's Vision.
Michael performed the song on the Jacksons' Destiny Tour on the second leg, as well as the Triumph Tour and the Victory Tour. He performed the song on his solo tour the Bad World Tour. He also performed the song during the HIStory World Tour, but only a part of the Off the Wall medley on certain concerts. "Rock with You" was rehearsed for the Dangerous World Tour, but wasn't performed. Jackson also would have performed it for the This Is It concert series, but the shows were canceled, due to his sudden death.