A Tale of Two Michael Jacksons
The original version of “Blame it on the Boogie”
Michael Jackson sang the original version of “Blame It on the Boogie.” Not Michael Jackson of The Jacksons and wacky behaviour fame, but Michael (Mick) Jackson of Yorkshire, England.
Mick Jackson wrote “Blame It on the Boogie” along with his brother, David, and drummer and songwriter, Elmar Krohn. Mick Jackson originally had “Blame It on the Boogie” in mind for Stevie Wonder, but his record label, Global Records Munich, asked him to record a version of his own.
Mick recorded “Blame It on the Boogie” in 1977 and released it in 1978, just weeks before The Jacksons’ version.
Mick Jackson’s breakthrough
Mick Jackson had previously enjoyed some minor chart success, but “Blame It on the Boogie,” produced by composer Sylvester Levay, was going to be his breakthrough.
In 1978, “Blame It on the Boogie” was showcased at the music industry trade show, Miden, held in Cannes, France. There, a member of The Jacksons entourage, who was searching for tracks for the then-struggling group, heard the song. He secretly taped “Blame It on the Boogie” and played it to The Jacksons back in the US.
