Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)

"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", released December 9, 1978, is a hit single recorded by The Jacksons for the CBS/Epic Records album Destiny and peaked in the Spring of 1979.^[1]

The most successful of the Jacksons' disco/funk-era recordings for Epic, "Shake Your Body" (originally demoed as "Shake a Body") was produced by the Jackson brothers, written by Randy and Michael, and featured Michael on lead vocals. The chorus "let's dance/let's shout (shout)/shake your body down to the ground" was inspired by an ad-lib from Marvin Gaye's "Got To Give It Up: "Let's dance/let's shout (shout)/gettin' funky's what it's all about."

Released to radio in a single edit of three minutes and forty-five seconds and played in its full eight-minute album version by clubs, the single peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at #3 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. The ensuing 12" Disco Single Remix featured a more focused drum and rhythm track, as well as the new synthesizer-voiced 3 octave climbing glissando that was not heard on the album version. "Shake Your Body" sold over two million copies, attaining double-platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America.

The single was later sampled by reggae artist Shaggy for his 2000 single "Dance & Shout". It was also sampled by rapper Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock on their song "Get on the Dance Floor".

The B-side on the 7" was "That's What You Get (for Being Polite)".

The first performance of "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)" was on the second leg of The Jacksons Destiny Tour in 1979. Later, it was performed on the Triumph Tour in 1981. In 1984 it was performed on the Victory Tour. It was performed also during the Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in September 2001; it would be the last song performed live by the Jacksons before the death of Michael Jackson in 2009.

Charts

Personnel

• Written and composed by Randy Jackson and Michael Jackson
• Lead vocals by Michael Jackson
• Background vocals by Jackie Jackson, Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson and Marlon Jackson
• Produced and vocal arrangements by The Jacksons
• Rhythm arrangements by Greg Phillinganes
• Horn and strings arranged by Tom Tom 84
• Keyboards and synthesizers by Greg Phillinganes and Mike Boddicker
• Drums by Ed Green
• Percussion by Paulinho Da Costa