Working Day and Night

"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 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]

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. Song was rehearsed for third leg of Dangerous World Tour in 1993, but it was ultimately removed from setlist due to allegations made against him in August 1993.

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] This song has also been used for the Michael Jackson: One production.

Personnel[]

Official versions[]

• "Album Version" - 5:12
• "Original Demo from 1978" - 4:10
• "Immortal Version" - 3:36
• "Live at Triumph Tour" by The Jacksons - 6:53
• "Live at Wembley July 16, 1988" from the Bad World Tour, available in the deluxe edition of Bad 25 - 5:55

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[]