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Blame It On The Boogie

"Blame It on the Boogie" is a song originally released in 1978 by English singer-songwriter Mick Jackson and also covered the same year by The Jacksons.

The song was co-authored by Mick Jackson (credited as Michael George Jackson-Clarke) as well as Mick's brother David Jackson and Elmar Krohn.

In the UK, both the Mick Jackson version and the Jacksons' were released within a few days of each other in September 1978. The UK music press, struck by the rival versions being by similarly named artists, declared a "Battle of the Boogie" which Mick Jackson recalls as "great publicity.

The Jacksons' version—incorrectly lauded by Melody Maker as their "self-penned song"—was the more successful version reaching Number 8 on the chart dated 4 November 1978; the Mick Jackson version—hailed by NME as "far superior"—had peaked at Number 15 on the chart for 21 October.

Mick Jackson himself in 2003 said of the Jacksons' version of "Blame It on the Boogie": "[the original] version had 100% of our heart and soul in it but the Jacksons' version had the magic extra 2% that made it incredible."

In 1989 Stock Aitken Waterman recorded their version with Big Fun which reached Number 4, the songs highest chart placing in the UK.

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Buy and listen

Big Fun

Blame It On The Boogie

TOTP 1989

Big Fun

Blame It On The Boogie

Smash Hits Poll Winners Party 1990

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