Peak
1
Weeks
24
Score
4,969
Chart Year
1980
This was written by Rod Temperton, who was the keyboard player and primary songwriter in the group Heatwave. He wrote their 1977 hit "Boogie Nights," which got the attention of Michael Jackson's producer, Quincy Jones, who enlisted Temperton to write some songs for Jackson. The arrangement work out quite well: The first song he wrote for Jackson was "Rock With You." Temperton also wrote the "title track to the album" and later contributed the title song to Jackson's next album: "Thriller." This song is ostensibly about dancing, but the sexual subtext is clear. Jackson wants his girl to relax and let the music take over her body, but when they "share that beat of love," it's not likely to happen on the dance floor. The original title was "I Want To Eat You Up," but it was quickly changed to fit Jackson's image as a wholesome heartthrob. This was Michael Jackson's third #1 on the Billboard Hot 100; his first two were "Ben," and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." When "rock" is used as a verb in a song title, it typically means to play or enjoy rock music (Kiss: "Rock And Roll All Nite"). This song appropriated it as another way to describe dancing while implying something more ("boogie" and "groove" were often used in this context). Justin Timberlake used it the same way in his disco-tinged 2002 hit "Rock Your Body." Early in the hip-hop era, Run-D.M.C. declared the group "King of Rock," claiming their stake. They distanced themselves from Jackson with the line, "It's not Michael Jackson and this is not Thriller" and by stepping on his glove in the video. Especially when you watch the video, it dawns on you that this was a disco song... in 1979, when disco was supposed to be sleeping with the fishes (it wouldn't be right to say 'deader than disco'). In fact, it even has some soul overtones. Jackson was well-suited for the dance beats of disco, and was able to work in the genre when it was well past its prime. You'll also find the video in the collections Video Greatest Hits - HIStory, Number Ones and Michael Jackson's Vision. Bruce Gowers directed the music video, which was shot the same day as the clip for "She's Out of My Life." Gowers, who also directed Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," remembered working with a tight budget to create the smoky promo, with Jackson glimmering in a sequined suit. He told Rolling Stone: "In those days they were done for peanuts. Absolute peanuts. I think about all we could afford was the laser. This one was probably about $3,000. If you look at it, there's nothing there but a laser and Michael Jackson. When we did this, this was the start of his solo career. He was very, very timid, very quiet, very unassuming. Really nice, he's an absolute professional, even in those days. It was filmed on a little stage in LA called the 800 Stage, a little stage that we got cheap because we were shooting quite a lot of music videos. There was minimal editing as well, because obviously in those days editing costs money. It was about $350 per machine per hour. If you were using two playbacks and one record, that was a lot of money Everything was rented, trust me: the cameras, the stage, the Duvetyne drop, the smoke." This song was part of the soundtrack for the video game Michael Jackson: The Experience. That was the 2010 game which hearkened back to his Moonwalker phase (you can see it right on the cover art), and hence to the 1989 arcade game Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. And hoo-boy, we just gave every old-skool MJ fan a nostalgia flush!
Girl, close your eyes Let that rhythm get into you Don't try to fight it There ain't nothing that you can do Relax your mind Lay back and groove with mine You gotta 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 (rock, right) 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 gon' rock the night away (rock, right) 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 Wanna rock (all night) With you, girl (sunlight) Rock with you, rock with you, yeah (all night) Dance the night away (rock, right) I wanna rock with you, yeah (all night) Rock you into day (sunlight) I wanna rock with you (all night) Rock the night away (rock, right) Feel the heat, feel the beat (all night) (Woo) Rock you into day (sunlight) I wanna rock (all night) Rock the night away (rock, right)
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 3, 1979 | 76 | 50 |
| 2 | Nov 10, 1979 | 64 | 62 |
| 3 | Nov 17, 1979 | 59 | 67 |
| 4 | Nov 24, 1979 | 35 | 91 |
| 5 | Dec 1, 1979 | 29 | 97 |
| 6 | Dec 8, 1979 | 21 | 105 |
| 7 | Dec 15, 1979 | 12 | 114 |
| 8 | Dec 22, 1979 | 11 | 115 |
| 9 | Dec 29, 1979 | 11 | 115 |
| 10 | Jan 5, 1980 | 3 | 123 |
| 11 | Jan 12, 1980 | 2 | 124 |
| 12 | Jan 19, 1980 | 1 | 125 |
| 13 | Jan 26, 1980 | 1 | 125 |
| 14 | Feb 2, 1980 | 1 | 125 |
| 15 | Feb 9, 1980 | 1 | 125 |
| 16 | Feb 16, 1980 | 5 | 121 |
| 17 | Feb 23, 1980 | 5 | 121 |
| 18 | Mar 1, 1980 | 8 | 118 |
| 19 | Mar 8, 1980 | 14 | 112 |
| 20 | Mar 15, 1980 | 27 | 99 |