Legacy Recordings

Michael Jackson was the rubber-limbed Scarecrow in search of a home when he found Quincy Jones on the set of The Wiz. Together they forged heart, courage and brains with tough rhythms to create “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” Playing his husky, carnal lead off a boy-soprano chorus, Michael grew a backbone of sex and sizzle and landed on center stage as his own man. Following the breakthrough single, Michael and “Q” eased on down the platinum road for three monster albums, leaving Michael to walk on the moon and the Emerald Planet of MTV.

(M. Jackson/G. Phillinganes); Produced by Quincy Jones; co-produced by Michael Jackson; rhythm arrangement by Greg Phillinganes and Michael Jackson; vocal and percussion arrangements by Michael Jackson; strings arranged by Ben Wright; horns arranged by Jerry Hey; Michael Jackson, lead and background vocals; Louis Johnson, bass; John Robinson, drums; Greg Phillinganes, electric piano; David Williams, Marlo Henderson, guitars; Randy Jackson, Paulinho da Costa, Richard Heath, percussion; The Seawind Horns: Jerry Hey, trumpet, flugelhorn; Larry Williams, tenor and alto sax, flute; Kim Hutchcroft, baritone and tenor sax, flute; William Reichenbach, trombone; Gary Grant, trumpet; Jim Gilstrap, Augie Johnson, Mortonette Jenkins, Paulette McWilliams, Zedric Williams, background vocals; Gerald Vinci, concertmaster; Rec. Los Angeles, November 1978. From Off The Wall, Epic 35745; P 1979 MJJ Productions, Inc
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough by Michael Jackson

For his 1991 album, Dangerous, Michael Jackson stepped away from the lush Quincy Jones wall of sound and into leaner/meaner dance territory. “Black Or White,” a near-perfect pop confection, owed its appeal to a smart mix of three seemingly disparate elements: the uncluttered approach of noted L.A. engineer/producer Bill Bottrell, the switchblade jangling of Slash’s guitar and Jackson’s unerring pop/funk sensibility. The track manages to deftly float a serious message about hypocrisy and race atop a groove which takes playful stabs at both the Rolling Stones and Prince.

Listen to “Black Or White” by Michael Jackson on Rhapsody
or Buy the CD at LegacyRecordings.com.