Dancing Machine

"Dancing Machine" is a 1973 song recorded by American R&B outfit The Jackson 5, released as a single in 1974. The group's first US Top Ten hit since 1971's "Sugar Daddy", "Dancing Machine" hit #1 in Cash Box and reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In addition, it hit #1 on the R&B charts.^[2] Billboard ranked it as the No. 5 song for 1974.^[3] It brought The Jackson 5 their second Grammy Award nomination in 1975 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, losing to Rufus and Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good".

Background

The song, which reportedly sold over three million copies,^[4] popularized the physically complicated Robot dance technique, devised by Charles Washington in the late 1960s. Michael Jackson first performed the dance on television while singing "Dancing Machine" with the Jackson 5 on an episode of Soul Train.

"Dancing Machine", originally recorded for the group's 1973 album G.I.T.: Get It Together, was also the title track of their 1974 album Dancing Machine released in 1974 as a remix for a response to the success of the single.

Cover versions

The song was most notably sampled by MC Hammer, on his 1990 album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em (for the song "Dancin' Machine").
It was also sampled again in 1990 by Vanilla Ice on the album To The Extreme, later by Too $hort (featuring Bun B) on the song "Shout It Out", in 2008 by Q-tip on the album The Renaissance ("Move") and Yung Wun for his song "Tear It Up" on his album The Dirtiest Thirstiest (in which the sample was uncredited and also his sample was taken directly from the film Drumline when the marching band performed it in medley).
"Dancing Machine" was covered by Suburban Legends on their Japan-only EP, Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights.
An alternate longer version (4:25) appears on the I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters compilation released in 2009.
A remix by Polow da Don was featured in a commercial for Svedka.
In D-TV Disney, it was set to the Dance of the Hours segment from Fantasia.
Paula Abdul covered the song in 1997 as an unreleased demo.
Roni Griffith covered the song in 1984.
Justin Timberlake interpolated part of the song (Watch her get down, watch her get down) for his 2013 album The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2 for the song "Murder."

Personnel

Lead vocals by Michael Jackson and Jermaine Jackson
Background vocals by Michael Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jackie Jackson, Marlon Jackson, and Randy Jackson.
Instrumentation by assorted Los Angeles musicians including James Gadson and Charles Wright

Notes

↑ Hitsville USA, The Motown Singles Collection, Vol. 2: 1972-1992 (1993), liner notes
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 287.
↑ Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1974
↑ Sales statistics for Jackson 5 singles. Retrieved March 17, 2008

Preceded by "The Payback (Part 1)" by James Brown	Billboard Hot Soul Singles number one single May 11, 1974	Succeeded by "I'm in Love" by Aretha Franklin

The Jackson 5/The Jacksons

Studio albums

The Jackson 5	Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 ABC Third Album Jackson 5 Christmas Album Maybe Tomorrow Goin' Back to Indiana Lookin' Through the Windows Skywriter G.I.T.: Get It Together Dancing Machine Moving Violation

The Jacksons	The Jacksons Goin' Places Destiny Triumph Victory 2300 Jackson Street

Live albums

Compilations

Concert tours

Television

Specials

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Category
Portal

The Jackson 5/The Jacksons singles

Singles on Steeltown Records	"Big Boy" "We Don't Have to Be Over 21 (To Fall in Love)"

Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5	"I Want You Back"

ABC	"ABC" "The Love You Save" / "I Found That Girl" "Never Had a Dream Come True" "I'll Bet You" "Don't Know Why I Love You" " La La (Means I Love You)"

Third Album	"I'll Be There" "Mama's Pearl" "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage"

Jackson 5 Christmas Album	"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" "Give Love on Christmas Day"

Maybe Tomorrow	"Never Can Say Goodbye" "Maybe Tomorrow" "16 Candles"

Greatest Hits	"Sugar Daddy"

Lookin' Through the Windows	"Little Bitty Pretty One" "Lookin' Through the Windows" "Doctor My Eyes"

Skywriter	"Corner of the Sky" "Hallelujah Day" "Skywriter"

G.I.T.: Get It Together	"Get It Together" "Dancing Machine"

Dancing Machine	"Dancing Machine" "The Life of the Party" "I Am Love" "Whatever You Got, I Want"

Moving Violation	"Forever Came Today" "All I Do Is Think of You"

The Jacksons	"Enjoy Yourself" "Show You the Way to Go" "Dreamer"

Goin' Places	"Goin' Places" "Even Though You're Gone" "Different Kind of Lady" "Music's Taking Over" "Find Me a Girl"

Destiny	"Blame It on the Boogie" "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" "Destiny"

Triumph	"Lovely One" "This Place Hotel" "Can You Feel It" "Walk Right Now"

The Jacksons Live!	"Things I Do for You" (Live)

Victory	"State of Shock" "Torture" "Body"

2300 Jackson Street	"Nothin' (That Compares 2 U)" "2300 Jackson Street" "Art of Madness"

Notable collaborations and album tracks	"Who's Lovin' You" "Hum Along and Dance" "Time Out for the Burglar" "Feelin' Alright" "That's How Love Is" "This Is It"

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