Working Day and Night

"Working Day and Night"
"Working Day and Night"
Song by Michael Jackson
from the album Off the Wall
A-side	"Rock with You"
Released	August 10, 1979
Recorded	December 1978 – April 1979
Genre	Disco; funk;
Length	5:12
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	Michael Jackson
Producer(s)	Quincy Jones; Michael Jackson (co-producer);
Licensed audio
	"Working Day and Night" 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 by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones, with Jackson in the role of co-producer. Despite not being released as a single, Jackson performed the song live for his first two solo tours. 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 US, 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] It is in the key of E Minor.

Live performances

"Working Day and Night" was performed by the Jacksons on the Triumph Tour in 1981 and Victory Tour in 1984. The song was performed live on Jackson's Bad World Tour during 1987–1989, and the first two legs of the Dangerous World Tour in 1992. The song was rehearsed for the third leg of the tour in 1993, but was ultimately removed from the setlist.

A live version, recorded at one of the Jacksons' 1981 Madison Square Garden concerts, was included on live album, The Jacksons Live!, later edited and released as the album's second single in November 1981.^[4] Record World said that "An energetic bass riff transports the exciting vocal interaction, while horn spice gives added radio appeal."^[5] 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.^[6] The song has also been used for the Michael Jackson: One production.

Personnel

Written and composed by Michael Jackson^[1]
Produced by Quincy Jones
Co-produced by Michael Jackson
Recorded and mixed by Bruce Swedien
Lead and background vocals: Michael Jackson
Bass guitar: Louis Johnson
Drums: John Robinson
Guitars: David Williams and Phil Upchurch
Acoustic and electric pianos, synthesizer: Greg Phillinganes

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 arrangements by Greg Phillinganes and Michael Jackson
Vocal and percussion arrangements by Michael Jackson

Official versions

Album version – 5:12
Original demo from 1978 – 4:10
Immortal version – 3:36
Live at Triumph Tour (The Jacksons) – 6:53
Live at Wembley July 16, 1988 (from the Bad World Tour, available on the deluxe edition of Bad 25) – 5:55

Covers and samples

In 1983, George Duke sampled the song for the "Overture" of the album Guardian of the Light.^[7]
In 1999, Will Smith sampled the song on his track "Can You Feel Me" for his album Willennium.^[8]
In 1989, Richie Rich sampled the song for his single "Salsa House",^[9] from the album I Can Make You Dance.
In 2009, Jackson's sister Janet Jackson sampled the 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

^ ^a ^b Off the Wall (Special Edition) (Liner notes). Michael Jackson. Epic Records. 2001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ ^a ^b Halstead, Craig; Cadman, Chris (2007). Michael Jackson: For The Record. Bedfordshire: Authors OnLine Ltd. pp. 366–367. ISBN 978-0-7552-0267-6.
^ The Complete Michael Jackson, International Music Publications Ltd, 1997, ISBN 1859094473, p103
^ Jacksons, The; Bronson, Fred (2017-10-24). The Jacksons: Legacy. Running Press. ISBN 978-0-316-47374-3.
^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. February 27, 1982. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
^ "Immortal: Michael Jackson". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
^ "Richie Rich's Salsa House sample of Michael Jackson's Workin' Day and Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
^ "Will Smith feat. Eve's Can You Feel Me? sample of Michael Jackson's Workin' Day and Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
^ "Richie Rich's Salsa House sample of Michael Jackson's Working' Day and Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-02-14.

[liner-1] Off the Wall (Special Edition) (Liner notes). Michael Jackson. Epic Records. 2001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[mjftr-2] Halstead, Craig; Cadman, Chris (2007). Michael Jackson: For The Record. Bedfordshire: Authors OnLine Ltd. pp. 366–367. ISBN 978-0-7552-0267-6.

[3] The Complete Michael Jackson, International Music Publications Ltd, 1997, ISBN 1859094473, p103

[4] Jacksons, The; Bronson, Fred (2017-10-24). The Jacksons: Legacy. Running Press. ISBN 978-0-316-47374-3.

[rw-5] "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. February 27, 1982. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-02.

[6] "Immortal: Michael Jackson". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-02-14.

[7] "Richie Rich's Salsa House sample of Michael Jackson's Workin' Day and Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-02-14.

[8] "Will Smith feat. Eve's Can You Feel Me? sample of Michael Jackson's Workin' Day and Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-02-14.

[9] "Richie Rich's Salsa House sample of Michael Jackson's Working' Day and Night". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2012-02-14.

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v t e Michael Jackson: Off the Wall
Side one	"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" "Rock with You" "Working Day and Night" "Get on the Floor"
Side two	"Off the Wall" "Girlfriend" "She's Out of My Life" "I Can't Help It" "It's the Falling in Love" "Burn This Disco Out"
Related articles	Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall Destiny Destiny World Tour Michael Jackson albums discography

v t e Michael Jackson songs
Singles Songs Unreleased songs
1970s	"Got to Be There" "Ain't No Sunshine" "I Wanna Be Where You Are" "Rockin' Robin" "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" "You've Got a Friend" "Ben" "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" "My Girl" "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" "We've Got a Good Thing Going" "With a Child's Heart" "Morning Glow" "All the Things You Are" "Happy" "Too Young" "Music and Me" "We're Almost There" "Just a Little Bit of You" "You Can't Win" "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" "Rock with You" "Working Day and Night" "It's the Falling in Love"
1980s	"Off the Wall" "Girlfriend" "She's Out of My Life" "One Day in Your Life" "The Girl Is Mine" "Billie Jean" "Beat It" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" "Human Nature" "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" "Thriller" "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)" "Lonely Teardrops" "That's What Love Is Made Of" "Farewell My Summer Love" "Girl You're So Together" "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" "Bad" "The Way You Make Me Feel" "Speed Demon" "Liberian Girl" "Just Good Friends" "Another Part of Me" "Man in the Mirror" "Dirty Diana" "Smooth Criminal" "Leave Me Alone" "Twenty-Five Miles"
1990s	"Black or White" "Jam" "In the Closet" "Remember the Time" "Heal the World" "Who Is It" "Give In to Me" "Will You Be There" "Gone Too Soon" "Dangerous" "Come Together" "Scream" "Childhood" "They Don't Care About Us" "Stranger in Moscow" "This Time Around" "Earth Song" "D.S." "You Are Not Alone" "Tabloid Junkie" "HIStory" "Smile" "Mind Is the Magic" "Blood on the Dance Floor" "Ghosts" "Is It Scary" "On the Line"
2000s	"Speechless" "You Rock My World" "Heaven Can Wait" "Butterflies" "Cry" "One More Chance" "Cheater" "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" "Fall Again" "This Is It"
2010s	"Hold My Hand" "Hollywood Tonight" "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" "Behind the Mask" "Don't Be Messin' 'Round" "I'm So Blue" "Price of Fame" "Love Never Felt So Good" "Chicago" "Loving You" "A Place with No Name" "Slave to the Rhythm" "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" "Blue Gangsta"
2020s	"She's Trouble"
Other	"We Are the World" "What More Can I Give" "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" "Blood on the Dance Floor x Dangerous" "Diamonds Are Invincible"
Featured	"A Brand New Day" "Ease on Down the Road" "Who's Right, Who's Wrong" "Night Time Lover" "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" "State of Independence" "Muscles" "Say Say Say" "Somebody's Watching Me" "Don't Stand Another Chance" "Centipede" "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)" "Eaten Alive" "Get It" "2300 Jackson Street" "Do the Bartman" "Whatzupwitu" "Why" "I Need You" "We Be Ballin'" "Girls, Girls, Girls" "All in Your Name" "There Must Be More to Life Than This" "Low" "Don't Matter to Me"
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