"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)"
One of A-side labels of the US 7-inch vinyl release
Single by The Jacksons
from the album Destiny
B-side
  • "That's What You Get (for Being Polite)"
  • "All Night Dancin'"
Released1978[1]
StudioLos Angeles, California
Genre
Length
  • 8:00 (album)
  • 3:47 (7-inch)
  • 8:37 (extended)
  • 2:27 (Immortal version)
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)The Jacksons
The Jacksons singles chronology
"Blame It on the Boogie"
(1978) 		"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)"
(1978) 		"Lovely One"
(1980)

"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" is a song recorded by the Jacksons for their 1978 album Destiny, and released as a single the same year. It peaked at No. 7 in the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1979.[4]

Background

The most successful of the Jacksons' recordings for Epic, "Shake Your Body" (originally demoed as "Shake a Body") was produced by the Jackson brothers, written by Randy and Michael, and featured Michael on lead vocals. The chorus "let's dance/let's shout (shout)/shake your body down to the ground" was inspired by an ad-lib from Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up": "Let's dance/let's shout (shout)/gettin' funky's what it's all about" and the rhythmic pattern from Teddy Pendergrass's "Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose" (from his album Life Is a Song Worth Singing was released a couple of months previously).[citation needed]

Release

The Jacksons (1977)

Released to radio in a single edit of three minutes and forty-five seconds (and played in its full eight-minute album version by clubs), the single reached No. 3 in Cash Box magazine and peaked at no. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[5] It also peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.[5] The ensuing 12" Disco Single Remix featured a more focused drum and rhythm track, as well as the new synthesizer-voiced three octave climbing glissando that was not heard on the album version. "Shake Your Body" sold over two million copies, attaining platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America.[6]

In the UK and Ireland, the single was a major success on the charts, peaking there likewise at No. 4 and No. 9 in 1979.[7][8] In Australia the single was less successful only reaching No. 59 on the charts at that time.[9] In New Zealand and Canada at peaked in the charts at No. 8 and No. 13.[10][11]

Cash Box said it has a "rippling rhythm section, solid beat and stunning chorus" but that Michael Jackson's vocals are the "centerpiece."[12] Record World said it has an unusual arrangement and "has a bit of gospel in the beat and features Michael Jackson's high, distinct vocals."[13]

The B-side on the 7" was "That's What You Get (for Being Polite)" while the B-side on the 12" was "All Night Dancin'".

Live performances

The first performance of "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" was on the second leg of the Jacksons' Destiny Tour in 1979. Later, it was performed on the Triumph Tour in 1981. In 1984 it was performed on the Victory Tour. In 1987, it was performed on the first leg of Michael Jackson's Bad Tour. It was also performed during the Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary concerts at the Madison Square Garden in New York City in September 2001; it would be the last song performed live by the Jacksons before the death of Michael Jackson in 2009. The song was going to be performed as an instrumental interlude (merged with "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough") during Jackson's 2009-2010 This Is It concert series at London's O2 Arena, which was cancelled due to his sudden death. The song was remixed and released on the deluxe edition of the Michael Jackson's Immortal album.

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[26] Gold 75,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[6] Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "BPI certifications for The Jacksons".
  2. ^ a b Richards, Matt; Langthorne, Mark (2015). 83 Minutes: The Doctor, the Damage, and the Shocking Death of Michael Jackson. Thomas Dunne Books. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-25010-892-0.
  3. ^ Horton, Matthew (2015). "The Jacksons - "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. New York: Universe. p. 413.
  4. ^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 91, no. 20. May 19, 1979. p. 100. ISSN 0006-2510.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Destiny – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "American single certifications – The Jacksons – Shake Your Body". Recording Industry Association of America.
  7. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Shake Your Body". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  9. ^ a b "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4734a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  11. ^ a b "The Jacksons – Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  12. ^ "Singles Reviews > Feature Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XL, no. 36. January 20, 1979. p. 18. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  13. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. January 13, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
  14. ^ "The Jacksons – Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  15. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 4750b." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  16. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 13, 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  17. ^ "The Jacksons – Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  18. ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 19, 1979". Cash Box. Archived from the original on February 5, 2011.
  19. ^ "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. June 6, 1979. p. 37. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  20. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1979" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  21. ^ "1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM. Vol. 32, no. 13. Library and Archives Canada. December 22, 1979. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  22. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  23. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1979" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  24. ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1979". The Longbored Surfer. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  25. ^ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1979". Cash Box. Archived from the original on August 25, 2012.
  26. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Jacksons – Shake Your Body". Music Canada.
  27. ^ "British single certifications – Jacksons – Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)". British Phonographic Industry.

External links


The Jackson 5 / The Jacksons singles
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