"Rock with You" was written by

Rod Temperton Rodney Lynn Temperton (9 October 1949 – 25 September 2016) was an English songwriter, producer and musician. Temperton was the keyboardist and main songwriter for the 1970s pop music, disco and funk band Heatwave, writing songs including " ...

and produced by

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

. It was first offered to

Karen Carpenter Karen Anne Carpenter (March 2, 1950 – February 4, 1983) was an American singer and drummer, who formed half of the sibling duo the Carpenters alongside her older brother Richard. With a distinctive three-octave contralto range, she was prais ...

, while she was working on her first solo album, but she turned it down. It was released on November 3, 1979, by Epic Records as the second single from Jackson's fifth solo studio

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...

'' Off the Wall'' (1979). It was also the third number-one hit of the 1980s, a decade in which the pop singles chart would quickly be dominated by Jackson. It reached number one on both the US pop (Jackson's third number-one on this chart) and R&B charts (Jackson's second number one on that chart). It spent a total of four weeks at the top position on the former chart from January 19 to February 9, 1980, and six weeks (from January 5 to February 9, 1980) on the latter chart. 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. In 2021, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' placed it at number 354 on its list of

The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...

Composition

"Rock with You" is a Disco and funk song, that was written in the key of

E minor E minor is a minor scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has one sharp. Its relative major is G major and its parallel major is E major. The E natural minor scale is: : Changes needed ...

. Meter is 4/4 at 114 bpm. Jackson's vocal range is F₃ to G₅.

Critical reception

The track received generally positive reviews from music critics. J. Edward Keyes of ''

'' said "What's remarkable about 'Rock With You' is how unobtrusive it is: a silky string section and barely-there twitch of guitar — Michael doesn't even hit the word 'Rock' all that hard — he just glides over it, preferring to charm with a wink and a smile rather than with aggression or ferocity." Steven Hyden called it his "favorite song", and noted the line "Girrrrrrl, when you dance, there's a magic that must be love" as being "the most purely joyful moment ydenhas ever heard in a pop song".

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

highlighted the song on the album itself. Robert Christgau called it a "smooth ballad". '' Cash Box'' praised the

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

, calling the song a "soft, classy number" with "multi-tracked harmonies," "a modified dance beat," "shimmering flute tones and jazzy guitar work."

Music video

A music video was released for the song, using the shorter single version. It features Michael in a sparkly sequined suit singing the song with a bright laser behind him. The video was directed by Bruce Gowers and filmed in 1979 at the 800 Stage in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. The music video was included on the video albums: ''

Video Greatest Hits - HIStory Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) systems ...

'', '' Number Ones'' and ''

Michael Jackson's Vision ''Michael Jackson's Vision'' is a deluxe DVD video album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 22, 2010 by Epic Records, Legacy Recordings, and Jackson's own label, MJJ Productions. It includes three DVDs, feat ...

''.

Live performances

Michael Jackson first performed the song on

the Jacksons The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most ...

Destiny World Tour The Destiny World Tour was the third concert tour by the Jacksons to promote the group's ''Destiny'' album. The tour began on January 22, 1979, with their opening concert in Bremen, West Germany. They visited 3 continents and 14 countries, playin ...

on the second leg. He performed the song on

Triumph Tour The Triumph Tour was a concert tour by The Jacksons, covering the United States and Canada from July 8 to September 26, 1981. The tour grossed a total of $5.5 million, setting a record breaking four sold out concerts in Inglewood, California, jus ...

and Victory Tour. He performed the song on his solo tour the

Bad World Tour Bad was the first solo concert tour by American singer Michael Jackson, launched in support of his seventh studio album '' Bad'' (1987). Sponsored by Pepsi and spanning 16 months, the tour included 123 concerts for over 4.4 million fans across ...

. He also performed the song during the

HIStory World Tour The ''HIS''tory World Tour was the third and final worldwide solo concert tour by American singer and recording artist Michael Jackson, covering Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America. The tour included a total of 82 concerts spanning ...

, as a part of the '' Off the Wall'' medley (also featuring "Off the Wall" and "Don't Stop Til' You Get Enough") in certain concerts. "Rock with You" was rehearsed for the

Dangerous World Tour The Dangerous World Tour was the second world concert tour by American singer Michael Jackson to promote his eighth studio album '' Dangerous.'' The tour was sponsored by Pepsi-Cola. All profits were donated to various charities including Jack ...

, but was not performed. Jackson also would have performed it for the This Is It concert series, but the shows were canceled, due to his sudden death.

Mixes

* Original LP version – 3:39 ** This "classic" version was only released on initial runs of the LP record and cassette, as well as certain CD pressings manufactured in Japan, up to and including a Japanese-market version released in 1991. It was replaced by the full version of the 7" remix on later LP pressings and all other CD editions. The original version was later remastered and released on the "French Fans' Selection" deluxe box set edition of ''

King of Pop Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...

''. * 7" remix video edit – 3:23 ** The "remix" was used for the single and to underscore the video. The remix re-pans the guitar, and adds more strings, horns, and hand claps in the chorus. An edit was made to the middle musical bridge by adding fingersnaps and shortening it from two parts to just one. * 7" version – 3:39 ** This is the same as the 7" remix, but with the musical bridge left intact. This version appears on later pressings of the album. * Extended version – 4:57 ** Available only on the Japanese 12" promo, "Rock with You / Robin Hood". The latter song was recorded by Fox and the Promes. * Masters at Work Remix – 5:29 * Frankie's Favorite Club Mix – 7:49 * Frankie Knuckles Radio Mix – 3:50 ** The Masters at Work Remix and Frankie Knuckles remixes all contain previously unheard vocals and ad-libs not heard on the original album version. This is because the remixers were given access to the master tapes of the song to produce their remix. The master tapes contained additional vocals and cuts that didn't make it onto the original album version. * Live 1981 (3:55) ** The live version, taken from the 1981 album ''

The Jacksons Live! ''The Jacksons Live!'' (a.k.a. ''Live'') is a live album by The Jackson 5, The Jacksons. It was released on November 11, 1981 by Epic Records. The album was recorded during the band's North American concert tour in fall 1981, known as the Triumph ...

'', was included on the UK 12" "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" single in 1983. * Live 1988 (4:05) ** The live version, included in the deluxe edition of ''

Bad 25 ''Bad 25'' is the 25th anniversary edition reissue of American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson's seventh studio album '' Bad'' (1987). This is the second album by Jackson re-released on its 25th anniversary, the first being ''Thriller 25'' (20 ...

'' and on the DVD ''

Live at Wembley July 16, 1988 ''Live at Wembley July 16, 1988'' is a live concert DVD by American recording artist Michael Jackson released on September 18, 2012. It was included with the ''Bad 25'' reissue, as well as by itself. This is the third Jackson tour stop released on ...

'', was recorded during one of the shows at

Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003. The stadium ...

during the

Track listing and formats

;European 7" vinyl single (EPC 8206) *A. "Rock with You" – 3:38 *B. "Get on the Floor" – 4:44 ;Netherlands 12" vinyl single (EPC 12.8206) *A. "Rock with You" – 3:20 *B1. "You Can't Win" – 7:17 *B2. "Get on the Floor" – 4:44 ;UK 12" vinyl single (EPC 13 8206) *A. "Rock with You" - 3:20 *B1: "You Can't Win" - 7:17 *B2: "Get on the Floor" - 4:44 ;US 7" vinyl single (9-50797) *A. "Rock with You" – 3:20 *B. "Working Day and Night" – 4:55 ;''Visionary'' DualDisc single (82876725132) ;CD side # "Rock with You" (single mix) – 3:23 # "Rock with You" (Masters at Work Remix) – 5:33 ;DVD side # "Rock with You" (video) – 3:23

Personnel

* Written and composed by

* Produced by

* Recorded and Mixed by

Bruce Swedien Bruce Swedien (; April 19, 1934 – November 16, 2020) was an American recording engineer, mixing engineer and record producer. He was widely known for his work with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney and Barbra Streisand. Swedien fi ...

* Michael Jackson –

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

and

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...

* Bobby Watson – bass * John Robinson – drums * David Williams, Marlo Henderson –

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...

Greg Phillinganes Gregory Arthur Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956) is an American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed the role of keyboards to numerous alb ...

Michael Boddicker Michael Lehmann Boddicker (born January 19, 1953) is an American film composer and session musician, specializing in electronic music. He is a three times National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (N.A.R.A.S.) Most Valuable Player "Synthe ...

– synthesizers * David "Hawk" Wolinski – Fender Rhodes *

Horns Horns or The Horns may refer to: * Plural of Horn (instrument), a group of musical instruments all with a horn-shaped bells * The Horns (Colorado), a summit on Cheyenne Mountain * ''Horns'' (novel), a dark fantasy novel written in 2010 by Joe Hill ...

arranged In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchest ...

Jerry Hey Jerry Hey (born 1950) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Michael Jackson's ''Thriller'', '' Rock with You'' ...

and performed by The Seawind Horns **

–

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

and flugelhorn **

Larry Williams Larry Williams (born Lawrence Eugene Williams, a.k.a. Lawrence Edward Williams; May 10, 1935 – January 7, 1980) was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Williams ...

–

tenor A tenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The low extreme for tenors is wide ...

, alto saxophones and flute **Kim Hutchcroft – baritone, tenor saxophones and flute ** William Reichenbach –

trombone The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

** Gary Grant – trumpet *

Rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...

and vocal arrangements by Rod Temperton * String arrangement by Ben Wright * Concert master – Gerald Vinci

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1970s ballads 1979 singles Disco songs Funk songs Michael Jackson songs Songs written by Rod Temperton Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Cashbox number-one singles Music videos directed by Bruce Gowers Song recordings produced by Quincy Jones Epic Records singles 1979 songs Number-one singles in Spain Songs about dancing Pop ballads