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This article is about the Michael Jackson song. For the Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band song, see Till You Get Enough.

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
A generic label with the iconic "Epic" logo on the top of the label and "QUINCY JONES PRODUCTIONS" on the upper right. The rest on the label contains credits and factual information about the product itself.
A-side label of U.S. vinyl single
Single by Michael Jackson
from the album Off the Wall
B-side"I Can't Help It"
ReleasedJuly 10, 1979[1]
RecordedDecember 1978 – June 1979,
Allen Zentz Recording Studios, Westlake Recording Studios and Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles[2][self-published source?]
Genre
Length6:06 (album version)
5:53 (US 12" single version)
4:13 (video version)
3:58 (European single version)
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Michael Jackson
Producer(s)
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"A Brand New Day"
(1979) 		"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
(1979) 		"Rock with You"
(1979)
Music video
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" on YouTube
Alternative cover
A smiling adult African American male with a black afro, wearing a black tuxedo, white shirt, and a black bow tie. Both of his thumbs are hooked into his pants pockets with his palms and fingers facing forward and splayed out. The sides of his jacket are tucked behind his hands as he leans back slightly, giving a playful, casual touch to his formal look. Behind him there is a brown brick wall and to the side of his head there is a blue, square sign with "Michael Jackson" in white writing on two black borders, "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" in black writing, and "Can't Help It" in white writing.
Picture sleeve for most European 7-inch vinyl releases

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is a single written and recorded by American singer Michael Jackson. Released under Epic Records on July 10, 1979,[1] the song is the first track on Jackson's fifth studio album Off the Wall (1979). It was the first solo recording over which Jackson had creative control.

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was Jackson's second single to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, following "Ben" and his first solo number-one hit on the Billboard Soul Singles chart.[4] It remained at number one for six weeks on Billboard Soul Singles chart. It is certified 4x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song was also worldwide success, reaching number one in nine other countries.[5] "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was well received by contemporary music critics and is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most iconic disco songs of all time.[6]

An accompanying music video for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was released in October 1979. The video shows Jackson dancing, as well as being shown in an innovative triplicate, in different color backgrounds. The song also won Jackson his first Grammy Award and American Music Awards. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is considered to be the first song to showcase Jackson's talent as a solo artist, both as a singer and songwriter.

Background and production

In 1978, Jackson starred as the Scarecrow in The Wiz, an urbanized retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. After the filming, Jackson, who was still a member of The Jacksons, approached the film's musical director, Quincy Jones, to ask if he knew of any producers to help with Jackson's future solo endeavors.[7] Jones suggested himself, and the two began work on Off the Wall.[7] After listening to hundreds of demos, the two decided upon the ones to record. These included "Workin' Day and Night", "Get on the Floor" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[8] The song was recorded in Los Angeles.[9] Jackson claimed that when the melody of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" came to him, he couldn't shake it off. He found himself humming and singing it while walking through the Jacksons' Encino home. As Michael was not a keyboardist, although certainly capable of playing piano, he had his brother Randy perform the melody on a piano in the family's recording studio.[8] When Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, a devout Jehovah's Witness, heard the song, she was shocked by the lyrical content, and felt that the title could be misconstrued as pertaining to sexual activity.[10] Jackson reassured her that the song was not a reference to sex, but could mean whatever people wanted it to.[10] Upon playing the recording to Jones, it was agreed that the song would be featured on Off the Wall.[8]

In a speech at the 2016 Red Bull Music Academy, Greg Phillinganes alleged that Jackson played him an early demo of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and said "it needs another part," after which Phillinganes suggested the bridge, and the two agreed to rate his contribution at 10% of the song. Soon thereafter, however, he was informed that his contribution would be considered merely an arrangement. Nevertheless, many pressings of the single list both Jackson and Phillinganes as composers.[11] Quincy Jones has backed Phillinganes' allegation.[12]

Composition

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is the first solo song written by Michael Jackson, although "Blues Away" had been released in 1976.

Musically, it is credited as a disco-funk song. The song's full length on Off The Wall is just over six minutes. The song introduced Jackson's falsetto voice and vocal hiccups, which would become one of Jackson's signature techniques. Along with Jackson's vocal hiccups, Jackson's voice in the song was described as having vocal tics—from the hiccups, a "grunt", and "the 'oho!'".[7] "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is played in the key of B Mixolydian and in common time signature and Jackson's voice range is from G♯3 to B5. Instruments used are a six-piece horn section (two trumpets, alto sax, tenor sax, trombone, and baritone sax), string section (arranged by Ben Wright), and two guitars, keyboards, bass, drums and percussion. The song's tempo is upbeat at 120 beats per minute. The song begins with a spoken word section by Jackson, before he bursts into singing.[13]

Release and reception

"Don’t Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was released on August 10, 1979, under Epic Records; Jackson's first solo single away from Motown Records.[8] It was well received by contemporary critics. Stephen Holden, of Rolling Stone, described the song as "one of a handful of recent disco releases that works both as a dance track and as an aural extravaganza comparable to Earth, Wind and Fire's 'Boogie Wonderland'".[14] The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 on October 13, and within three months of its release, it had been certified gold.[8][15][16] It was Jackson's first solo number one single since "Ben", seven years prior.[15] It remained atop of the Billboard Hot 100 for one week. It also reached the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, Norway and South Africa, and peaked at number three in the United Kingdom.[10] "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was awarded platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1989.[15]

In 2006, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" reached number 17 in the United Kingdom, following the Visionary campaign, whereby 20 of Jackson's hit singles were reissued in several European countries.[10] Following Jackson's death in June 2009, his music saw an increase in popularity.[17] "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" peaked at number seven on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs Chart, peaking at number nine on the charts[18] issue date July 11, 2009. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" charted within the top ten, placing at number nine, in France,[19] and charted within the top 20 in Italy, Portugal and Switzerland, placing at number 16, 18 and 20.[20][21][22] The song also charted at number 21 in Australia, 38 in the United Kingdom,[23] and 50 in Sweden, respectively.[24] "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"s least successful country was Japan, peaking at number 77.[25] "Don’t Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was certified platinum in Australia by CBS records Australia in 1980 (Epic's distributor in Australia) for the shipments of more than 100,000 units.[26]

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" earned Jackson his first solo Grammy Award, winning Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 1980 Grammy Awards. It was also nominated for Best Disco Recording. The song also received Favorite Soul/R&B Single at the 1980 American Music Awards.[9][27]

Music video

A adult African American male with short black hair. He is pointing forward with his right hand and is making a facial expression and he is wearing a black bow tie with a black and white tuxedo. Behind him, there is a pink background.
Jackson in the music video for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"

The music video for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was directed and produced by Nick Saxton and made its world premiere in October 1979.[10] It was Jackson's first music video as a solo artist. The music video shows a smiling Jackson in a black and white tuxedo with a black bow tie (resembling the Off The Wall album cover photo) dancing and singing the song while appearing chroma keyed over a background of abstract geometric figures. At one stage, Jackson is seen dancing in triplicate, which was considered innovative at the time.[8]

The music video was included on the video albums: Video Greatest Hits - HIStory, Number Ones and Michael Jackson's Vision.

Live performances

Michael Jackson performed this song on The Jacksons' Destiny Tour on the second leg, as well as the Triumph Tour. It was also performed on Jackson's 96-97 HIStory World Tour as part of the "Off the Wall Medley" along with "Rock with You" and "Off the Wall". Jackson would have also performed it on the This Is It concert series as part of the "Off the Wall Medley", but the shows were cancelled due to his sudden death.[28]

Covers

Canadian trumpeter Maynard Ferguson recorded an instrumental cover of the song for his 1982 album Hollywood. This cover was used as the theme song for the Brazilian TV show Video Show, which ran on Rede Globo from 1983 to 2019. Ashaye covered the song as part of his single "Michael Jackson Melody".[29]

Legacy

James Montgomery of MTV noted that "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough", along with Off the Wall's other three singles, "showcased (or, more specifically, unleashed) Jackson's talents as a [sic] entertainer, a vocalist, a writer and, most importantly, as a leading man."[9] After Jackson's death, AOL's Radio Blog released a list, entitled "10 Best Michael Jackson Songs", which placed "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" at number ten on the list.[30]

William Ruhlmann, author of The All-Music Guide to Rock, praised "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" as an "irresistible dance track".[31] John Lewis, author of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, noted that the "jittery, frenetic opening track" is the centerpiece of Off the Wall.[31] He concluded that "Jackson's falsetto hollers and frisky yelps serve as an obbligato to the lead line, punctuating Ben Wright's thrilling string arrangement and Jerry Hey's tight horn charts".[31] Jason Elias, a writer for Allmusic, noted that "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" presents a "new Michael Jackson" that was "sexual, adult, and aggressive.[7] Elias commented that "Like the best of Jones' late-'70s, early-'80s work, this [song] wasn't quite disco, couldn't be hardcore funk - it was an amalgam of styles with the all-important pop accessibility."[7]

Jackson's biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli described Jackson's vocal styling as a "sexy, playful falsetto" that "no one had ever heard from him before".[8] Nelson George stated that the argument for Jackson's greatness began with the arrangements of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". He noted that the percussion and backing vocals were "artfully choreographed" to "create drama and ecstasy on the dance floor". He concluded, "It's one thing to make a dance record — it is another to instill that track with an epic, celebratory quality as Michael does here".[32] James Montgomery of MTV noted that Off The Wall contained a "masterful mixture of fiery disco tracks", specifying "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Workin' Day and Night".[9]

Track listing

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Chart (1979) Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[62] 50
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[63] 27
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[64] 32
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[65] 31
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[66] 50
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[67] 13
UK Singles (Music Week)[68] 23
US Billboard Hot 100[69] 91
US Cash Box Top 100[70] 17
Chart (1980) Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[71] 12
South Africa [72] 4

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[73] Gold 35,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[74] Gold 45,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[76] Platinum 812,000[75]
United States (RIAA)[77] Platinum 1,000,000^
Digital
United States (RIAA)[77] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". Michael Jackson Official Website. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  2. ^ Jean-Pierre Hombach (2010). Michael Jackson King Of Pop. Lulu.com. pp. 185, 189. ISBN 978-1-4716-2322-6. Retrieved June 19, 2016.[self-published source]
  3. ^ Stone, Rolling (June 23, 2014). "50 Best Michael Jackson Songs".
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 284.
  5. ^ "Michael Jackson's Catalogue Garners Major New Gold & Platinum Awards - RIAA". RIAA. August 23, 2018.
  6. ^ "The Story of... 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough' by Michael Jackson". Smooth. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d e Elias, Jason. "Song Review". Allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Taraborrelli, pp. 183–187
  9. ^ a b c d Montgomery, James (July 6, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Life & Legacy: Don't Stop (1979-81)". MTV.com. Viacom. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Halstead, pp. 92–93
  11. ^ "Greg Phillinganes Lecture (Montréal 2016), Red Bull Music Academy". Red Bull Music Academy.
  12. ^ Marchese, David. "Quincy Jones on the Secret Michael Jackson and the Problem With Modern Pop".
  13. ^ "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson Digital Sheet Music (Digital Download)". MusicNotes.com. Alfred Publishing Co. Inc. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
  14. ^ Holden, Stephen (November 1, 1979). "Off the Wall album review - Rolling Stone". RollingStone.com. Wenner Media LLC. Archived from the original on June 29, 2009. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
  15. ^ a b c George, p. 37–43
  16. ^ "The Hot 100 - 1979 Archive". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  17. ^ Ed Christman, Antony Bruno (July 2, 2009). "Michael Jackson Music Sales Surge Could Last For Months". Billboard.com. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
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  19. ^ a b "France Songs the week of July 11, 2009". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
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  21. ^ a b "Portugal Top 20 - 24-07-2009". Top40-Charts. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
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  29. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 31. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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  57. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  58. ^ "Michael Jackson – Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
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  63. ^ "Ultratop Jaaroverzichten 1979". Ultratop 50 (in Dutch). Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  64. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6855a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  65. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1979". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  66. ^ "Dutch Charts Jaaroverzichten-Single 1979". Single Top 100 (in Dutch). Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  67. ^ "Official New Zealand Music Chart - End of Year Charts 1979". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  68. ^ "Top Singles 1979". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. December 22, 1979. p. 27.
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  72. ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1980". Retrieved September 2, 2018.
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  74. ^ "Danish single certifications – Michael Jackson – Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  75. ^ Copsey, Rob (August 27, 2018). "Top 60 Michael Jackson songs on the Official Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  76. ^ "British single certifications – Michael Jackson – Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  77. ^ a b "American single certifications – Michael Jackson – Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". Recording Industry Association of America.

Further reading

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