Tra il 1977-1978, mentre Michael Jackson è impegnato nella parte di spaventapasseri in The Wiz con Diana Ross, comincia a crearsi nella sua mente la voglia di un album da solista. Contatta Quincy Jones, con il quale ha un grande rapporto di amicizia, e gli chiede un consiglio a proposito della sua idea.

Nell'autobiografia di Michael (Moonwalk 1988), è scritto che Quincy, detto "Q" per la sua passione per il barbecue, si propone come produttore pensando che il ragazzo di Gary gli avesse teso un tranello... ma Michael giura che non ci aveva neanche pensato di chiedere a Quincy Jones di diventare il suo "mentore".

Comunque, nel 1979, esce il primo capolavoro firmato Micheal Jackson senza famiglia al seguito. All'album partecipano i grandi della musica tra cui Paulinho da Costa alle percussioni, Rod Temperton compositore ed arrangiatore, Louis "Thunder Thumbs" Johnson, George Duke, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney e tanti altri. I maligni diranno che ormai i Jacksons fanno musica "obsoleta", ed è per questo che il più dotato del gruppo li lascia. In realtà invece Michael aveva una gran voglia di cimentarsi in qualcosa di suo e solo suo, senza più condividere oneri e onori con i fratelli e il babbo (notare che l'anno seguente registrerà un album con i Jacksons).

Il bambino sta crescendo. Nel 1979 Micheal ha 21 anni e sono già più di 13 che calca le scene.
E grazie a Quincy Jones, la musica contenuta in Off The Wall sarà più funkeggiante ed attuale con il trend che si stava diffondendo in quel periodo: la Black Music.

"Off the Wall" (Epic Records) racchiude delle perle che rimangono ancora oggi delle icone della Disco Music fine anni '70, esaminiamole:

"Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" è la canzone che apre l'album. Un pezzo R&B con venature dance da tenere in ogni discoteca con un ritmo vivace e sostenuto. "Rock With You" è ufficialmente la canzone che fa impazzire le donne per quella voce tremolante e sensuale che ti entra nelle viscere e non ti esce più. Anche "Working Day And Night" è una canzone molto vivace, ottima da ballare, peccato per la mancanza di carattere che purtroppo non riesce mai a farla entrare nel "Best Of....". In "Girlfriend" e in "I Can't Help It" si sente molto l'influenza di Paul McCartney nel primo e di Wonder nel secondo ed entrambi aiutano Michael a sfondare, aiuti che si ripeteranno in "Thriller" e in "Bad" e che lanceranno un'altra manciata di stelle sulla testa di MJ. In seguito ci emoziona con "She's Out Of My Life", ci fa sognare con "It's The Fallin' In Love" e ci esalta con "Burn This Disco Out".

Ho voluto apposta lasciare alla fine la title-track perché riassume quella che sarà la mentalità di Mike in futuro: prendi la vita con semplicità. Mentre "Off The Wall", la traccia, ci consiglia di ballare anche nei momenti più difficili, come se fosse una ragione di vita, Off The Wall (senza virgolette quindi l'album) ci riassume la black_music anni '70 e quelle che sono state le tendenze di un decennio e ovviamente, ci narra le origini del mito, punto.

Se ho dimenticato qualcosa, scusate, stavo ballando.

Elenco tracce testi samples e video

01   Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (06:05)

1st Verse
Lovely is the feelin' now
Fever, temperatures risin' now
Power (ah power) is the force the vow
That makes it happen
It asks no questions why (ooh)
So get closer (closer now) to my body now
Just love me 'til you don't know how (ooh)
Chorus
Keep on with the force, don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force, don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough

2nd Verse
Touch me and I feel on fire
Ain't nothin' like a love desire (ooh)
I'm melting (I'm melting) like hot candle wax
Sensation (ah sensation) lovely where we're at (ooh)
So let love take us through the hours
I won't be complanin'
'Cause this is love power (ooh)

Chorus
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
(Ooh)

3rd Verse
Heartbreak enemy despise
Eternal (ah eternal) love shines in my eyes (ooh)
So let love (oh let love) take us through the hours
I won't be complanin' (no no)
'Cause your love is alright, alright

Chorus
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Refrain
Lovely is the feeling now
I won't be complanin' (ooh ooh)
The force is love power

Chorus
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
Keep on with the force don't stop
Don't stop 'til you get enough
(ad-lib to fade)

02   Rock With You (03:40)

Girl, close your eyes
Let that rhythm get into you
Don't try to fight it
There ain't nothin' that you can do
Relax your mind
Lay back and groove with mine
You got to feel that heat
And we can ride the boogie
Share that beat of love

I wanna rock with you (all night)
Dance you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
We're gonna rock the night away

Out on the floor
There ain't nobody there but us
Girl, when you dance
There's a magic that must be love
Just take it slow
'Cause we got so far to go
When you feel that heat
And we're gonna ride the boogie
Share that beat of love

I wanna rock with you (all night)
Dance you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
We're gonna rock the night away

And when the groove is dead and gone... yeah
You know that love survives
So we can rock forever, on

I wanna rock with you
I wanna groove with you

I wanna rock with you
I wanna groove with you

I wanna rock (all night) with you girl (sunlight)
Rock with you, rock with you (yeah) (all night)
Dance the night away

I wanna rock with you (yeah) (all night)
Rock you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock with you (all night)
Rock the night away
Feel the heat feel the beat (all night)
Rock you into day (sunlight)
I wanna rock (all night) - rock the night away

03   Workin' Day and Night (05:13)

04   Get on the Floor (04:39)

05   Off the Wall (04:05)

1st Verse
When the world is on your shoulder
Gotta straighten up your act and boogie down
If you can't hang with the feeling
Then there ain't no room for you this part of town
'Cause we're the party people night and day
Livin' crazy that's the only way
Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
Groove, let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)

2nd Verse
You can shout out all you want to
'Cause there ain't no sin in folks all getting loud
If you take the chance and do it
Then there ain't no one who's gonna put you down
'Cause we're the party people night and day
Livin' crazy that's the only way

Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
C'mon and groove, and let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)

Bridge
Do what you want to do
There ain't no rules it's up to you (ain't no rules it's all up to you)
It's time to come alive
And party on right through the night (all right)
3rd Verse
Gotta hide your inhibitions
Gotta let that fool loose deep inside your soul
Want to see an exhibition
Better do it now before you get to old
'Cause we're the party people night and day
Livin' crazy that's the only way

Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy ourselves/yourself
C'mon and groove (yeah) let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)

Chorus
So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
C'mon and groove (yeah) let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall
Life ain't so bad at all (live life off the wall)
Live your life off the wall (live it off the wall)

06   Girlfriend (03:04)

1st Verse
Girlfriend
I'm gonna tell your boyfriend (yeah)
Tell him (woo hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (yeah)
Tell him what you do to me
Late at night when the wind is free

2nd Verse
Girlfriend
I'm gonna show your boyfriend (yeah)
Show him (woo hoo)
The letters I've been savin' (yeah)
Show him how you feel inside
An' how love could not be denied (oh no)

Chorus
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do, etc.

We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine

3rd Verse
Girlfriend
You better tell your boyfriend (yeah)
Tell him (woo hoo)
Exactly what we're doin' (yeah)
Tell him what he needs to know
Or he may never let you go
Chorus
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do, etc.

Chorus
We're gonna have to tell him
You'll only be a girlfriend of mine
Do-doot-do, etc.

(ad-lib to fade)

07   She's Out of My Life (03:38)

08   I Can't Help It (04:29)

09   It's the Falling in Love (03:48)

10   Burn This Disco Out (03:44)

1st Verse
There's a steam beat
And it's comin' after you
You can take it
If you only let your feelings through
Refrain
So D.J. spin the sounds
There ain't no way that your gonna
Let us down
Gonna dance gonna burn this disco out

Chorus
Groove all night
Keep the boogie alright
Get that sound
Everybody just get on down

2nd Verse
Got a hot foot
Better freak across the floor
Join the party
And we'll keep you movin', that's for sure

Refrain
So D.J. spin the sounds
There ain't no way that your gonna
Sit us down
Gonna dance 'til we burn this disco out

Chorus
Groove all night
Keep the boogie alright
Get that sound
Everybody just get on down

Bridge
Once you get the beat inside your feet
There ain't no way to stop you movin' good
Now the weekend's come it's time for fun
You got to groove just like you know you should

3rd Verse
People now
Are you ready
Won't you rock across the room
Got a feelin'
That we're gonna raise the roof off soon
Refrain
So D.J. spin the sounds
There ain't no way that your gonna
Sit us down
Gonna dance 'til we burn this disco out

Chorus
Groove all night
Keep the boogie alright
Get that sound
Everybody just get on down

Refrain
So D.J. spin the sounds
There ain't no way that your gonna
Sit us down
Gonna dance 'til we burn this disco out

Chorus
Groove all night
Keep the boogie alright
Get that sound
Everybody just get on down

Chant:
Gonna dance, gonna shout
Gonna burn this disco out
Gonna dance, gonna shout
Gonna burn this disco out
Gonna dance, gonna shout
Gonna burn this disco out

(ad-lib to fade)

11   [interview] (00:37)

12   [introduction to Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (original demo from 1978)] (00:13)

13   Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (original demo from 1978) (04:48)

14   [interview] (00:29)

15   [introduction to Workin' Day and Night (original demo from 1978)] (00:10)

16   Workin' Day and Night (original demo from 1978) (04:19)

17   [interview] (00:48)

18   [interview] (04:57)

19   [interview] (01:32)

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Altre recensioni

Di  RingoStarfish

 ‘Off The Wall’ è la quintessenza dell’album “dance” o comunque fatto per far ballare gli esseri umani.

 Possiamo sognare muovendoci per una notte come se ballare fosse la più bella filosofia di vita, come se fosse vitale e importante come respirare o mangiare.


Di  lucumine74

 "Michael Jackson scrive 'Don't stop til you get enough', un brano che entra di diritto nella storia della musica disco."

 "Dischi di tale eleganza musicale non vengono prodotti ormai da anni e anni e anni."


Di  Ilpazzo

 Con la morte di Michael Jackson muore il pop, muore l'arte dell'intrattenimento musicale (quella vera.. quella che stabilì lui e che nessuno più ha eguagliato).

 "Off The Wall" è una delle produzioni più geniali della storia della musica.


Di  DizionarioRock

 Michael Jackson rappresenti l’anti-musicale per eccellenza.

 ‘She’s Out Of My Life’ è la peggiore del disco: banale, stupida, tediosa.