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.
RECORDING DATE
In January-July 1978 with The Jacksons
The song was co-authored by Mick Jackson[4] (credited as Michael George Jackson-Clarke) as well as Mick’s brother David Jackson and Elmar Krohn. Although Mick Jackson recorded the song in 1977, “Blame It on the Boogie” was written in hopes of being sold to Stevie Wonder. The two versions of the song were widely released by the artists’ respective labels – Warner Bros. and CBS – within one day of each other. Mick Jackson’s track was showcased in 1978 at Midem where, according to Mick Jackson, “The Jacksons’ manager [Peter Kerstin] heard the track being played…and took a tape recording of it…back to the States [where] the Jacksons quickly recorded a version so it would be out before mine.”The Mick Jackson recording was released by Atlantic Records in the US in August 1978 when it reached #61, and #15 in the UK.
According to Michael Jackson of the Jacksons, Bobby Colomby, who was producing the Jacksons’ Destiny album, brought the group “Blame It on the Boogie”. “It was an uptempo, finger-poppin’-time type song that was a good vehicle for the band approach we wanted to cultivate. I had fun slurring the chorus: [the lyric] ‘Blame It on the Boogie’ could be sung in one breath without putting my lips together.”
STUDIO(S)
Hayvenhurst home Studio in Encino, California
Total EXperience Recording Studios (Hollywood, California)
Record Plant
(Los Angeles, California)
Cherokee Studios
(Hollywood, California)
Dawnbreaker Studios
(San Fernando, California)
SONGWRITER(S)
Mick Jackson, Dave Jackson and Elmar Krohn
PRODUCER(S)
The Jacksons
RELEASE DATE :
September 8, 1978 (single)
December 18, 1978 (album Destiny).
LABEL
Epic CBS Records
LENGTH
3:36
7:00 (12-inch version)
ALTERNATE VERSIONS RECORDED BY MJ (covers and remixes by other artists are not included)
Be A Pepper : In December 1978, The Jacksons signed a contract with Dr Pepper. They recorded “Be A Pepper”, a one minute version of “Blame It On The Boogie” with lyrics about the Dr Pepper drink. The song was used for radio and TV commercials in 1979 and eventually released on 1995 (25 Years of Dr Pepper Music).
MUSICIANS
Michael Jackson – lead vocals, rhythm arrangements
Jackie Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Randy Jackson – background vocals, rhythm arrangements
Tito Jackson – guitar, background vocals, vocal arrangements
John Luongo – mixing
Don Murray – engineer
Bobby Colomby, Mike Atkinson – executive producer
Roland Bautista, Michael Sembello – guitar
Nathan Watts, Gary King – bass guitar
Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, rhythm arrangements
Rick Marotta – drums, percussion
Laudir de Oliveira, Claudio Slon – percussion (congas)
Jerry Hey – horn arrangements
PEAK ON HOT 100 BILLBOARD :
54
SHORT FILM
Date of shooting : August 1978
Date of premiere : September 1978
Directed by : Peter Conn
Official release : On DVD in 2010 (Vision, long version) and on the Jacksons’ You Tube official page.
LIVE PERFORMANCES ON TV SHOWS
January 23, 1979 : While in Bremen, The Jacksons tape a performance of “Blame It On The Boogie” on Musikladen TV show. The show airs two days later on January 25.
January 28+29+30, 1979 : While in Madrid, The Jacksons tape a performance of “Destiny”, “Blame It On The Boogie”, “Goin Places” and “Shake Your Body” on Spanish TV show Aplauso (which airs RTVE on February 3, 1979).
February 2 : In Amsterdam, The Jacksons tape a performance for a Dutch television show, “Sonja’s Goed Nieuws Show,” a talk show hosted by Sonja Barend. The group perform “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)” and “Blame It On The Boogie” at De Mirandabad, near the wave pool, as part of its inauguration.
February 6+7+8+9, 1979 : While in London, The Jacksons tape performances of “Shake Your Body”, “Blame It On The Boogie” & “Destiny” on Top Of The Pops.
February 14 + 15, 1979 : While on tour in Switzerland, The Jacksons perform Destiny, Shake Your Body & Blame It On The Boogie for an Abba Special “Disco in the Snow”.
LIVE PERFORMANCES IN CONCERTS
Destiny World Tour 1979
Jackson Dynasty 