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.
ERA
RECORDING DATE
You Can’t Win (Film version) : Recorded from November 1977 to January 1978.
You Can’t Win (extended version) : Recorded in January 1978. After the original soundtrack version of “You Can’t Win” was recorded in 1977, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones went back into the studio in January 1978 and re-recorded the track. It was the re-recording that was released in January 1979 as the second single from The Wiz. The 7-inch version split the song in half, with “Part 1” as the A-side and “Part 2” as the B-side; the full-length version was released as a 12-inch single and later was included on The Ultimate Collection in 2004.
STUDIO(S)
A & R Recording (New York City)
SONGWRITER(S)
Charlie Smalls
PRODUCER(S)
Quincy Jones
RELEASE DATE :
September 18, 1978 (The Wiz soundtrack).
January 11, 1979 (You Can’t Win single)
LABEL
Epic CBS Records
LENGTH
7:17
ALTERNATE VERSIONS RECORDED BY MJ (covers and remixes by other artists are not included)
The Wiz film version (performed in the film and released on VHS/DVD but never on disc)
MUSICIANS
???
PEAK ON HOT 100 BILLBOARD :
81
SHORT FILM
No short film but the song is performed during the film “The Wiz” filmed in 1977 ans released on October 24, 1978.
LIVE PERFORMANCES ON TV SHOWS
Never performed on TV
LIVE PERFORMANCES IN CONCERTS
Never performed in concerts
Jackson Dynasty 