Off The Wall (1978-1980)

All the studio recordings (songs, demos and alternate versions) recorded by MJ during the Off The Wall era (1978-1979). Songs and poems written but never recorded, live performances, covers and remixes by other artists are not included.

Sources : My personal research, Wikipedia, Michael Jackson: For The Record by Chris Cadman & Craig Halstead, Twitter account of Damien Shields and the amazing archives of the MJCast.

Released on : August 10, 1979

Recorded : December 4, 1978 – June 3, 1979[
Studios : Allen Zentz (Los Angeles, California)Westlake (Los Angeles, CA), Cherokee (Los Angeles, CA)
Length : 42:24
Label : Epic CBS Records
Producers : Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson

Track List
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
Rock With You
Workin’ Day And Night
Get On The Floor
Off The Wall
Girlfriend
She’s Out Of My Life
I Can’t Help It
It’s The Falling In Love (with Patti Austin)
Burn This Disco Out

Singles

Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough (July 10, 1979)
“Rock with You” (November 3, 1979)
“Off the Wall” (November 17, 1979)
“She’s Out of My Life” (April 19, 1980)
“Girlfriend” (July 16, 1980 in U.K. only)

Rare and unreleased songs from this era (1978-1980) :

A Baby Smiles aka Baby Smiles

Disco Kids

Don’t Matter To Me

Personnel
Personnel as listed in the album’s booklet.

Michael Jackson – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (1-6, 9, 10), co-producer (1, 3, 4), percussion (1, 3), vocal arrangements (1, 3, 4, 6), rhythm and percussion arrangements (1, 3)
Patti Austin – lead and backing vocals (track 9)
Tom Bahler – rhythm arrangement (track 6), vocal arrangement (9)
Michael Boddicker – synthesizer (track 2), programming (5, 8)
Larry Carlton – guitar (track 7)
Paulinho Da Costa – percussion (tracks 1, 3-5, 8, 10)
George Duke – synthesizer and synthesizer programming (tracks 5, 6)
David Foster – synthesizer (tracks 6, 9), rhythm arrangement (9)
Jim Gilstrap – background vocals (tracks 1, 4)
Gary Grant – trumpet (tracks 1-6, 8-10)
Richard Heath – percussion (track 1)
Marlo Henderson – guitar (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10)
Jerry Hey – horn arrangements, trumpet, and flugelhorn (tracks 1-6, 8-10)
Kim Hutchcroft – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, and flute (tracks 1-6, 8-10)
Randy Jackson – percussion (track 1)
Mortonette Jenkins – background vocals (tracks 1, 4)
Augie Johnson – background vocals (tracks 1, 4)
Louis Johnson – bass guitar (tracks 1, 3-10), rhythm arrangement (4)
Quincy Jones – producer (all tracks), rhythm arrangements (4, 6, 9), vocal arrangements (6, 9)
Johnny Mandel – strings arrangement (tracks 7, 8)
Paulette McWilliams – background vocals (tracks 1, 4)
Greg Phillinganes – electric piano (tracks 1, 3, 5-10), synthesizer (1, 2, 5, 8), clavinet (4), rhythm arrangements (1, 3, 6, 8)
Steve Porcaro – synthesizer programming (tracks 6, 9)
Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (tracks 1-6, 8-10)
John Robinson – drums (tracks 1-6, 8-10), percussion (3)
Bruce Swedien – recording engineer and audio mixer (all tracks)
Rod Temperton – rhythm and vocal arrangements (tracks 2, 5, 10)
Phil Upchurch – guitar (track 3)
Gerald Vinci – concertmaster (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 8)
Bobby Watson – bass guitar (track 2)
Wah Wah Watson – guitar (tracks 4, 6, 9)
David Williams – guitar (tracks 1-3, 5, 10)
Larry Williams – tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, and flute (tracks 1-6, 8-10), alto saxophone solo (6)
Zedrick Williams – background vocals (tracks 1, 4)
Hawk Wolinski – Fender Rhodes (track 2)
Stevie Wonder – rhythm arrangement (track 8)
Ben Wright – strings arrangements (tracks 1, 2, 4)