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Muscles (song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Muscles
| cover = Diana Ross Muscles.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Diana Ross
| album = Silk Electric
| B-side = I Am Me
| released = September 17, 1982
| recorded = 1982
| studio = Sunset Sound Recorders, (Los Angeles, California)
| venue =
| genre = R&B, Pop
| length = 3:59, 6:38
| label = RCA
| writer = Michael Jackson
| producer = Michael Jackson
| prev_title = It's Never Too Late
| prev_year = 1982
| next_title = So Close
| next_year = 1983
| misc =
}}
"'Muscles'" is a 1982 hit single written and produced by Michael Jackson, and performed by American singer Diana Ross. It was released as the first single on September 17, 1982 by RCA from Ross's Gold-certified album 'Silk Electric'. The single reached number No. 7 in 'Cash Box' magazine and No. 10 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart. It climbed as high as No. 4 on the 'Billboard' Soul chart. The sexy song, which was rumoured to be named after Jackson's pet snake, was written for Ross and her "desire" for a muscle-bound lover. The track featured prominent background vocals by Patti Austin with seasoned session singers Maxine and Julia Waters. It earned Ross a twelfth and latest Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. (Although Ross has never won a competitive Grammy, she was awarded an honorary Lifetime Achievement Award from NARAS in 2012.)
Music video
The single's erotic music video featured Ross in bed dreaming of muscular men. In one scene she is shown floating through the air over a landscape which turns out to be a man's musclebound body. The video features a young Gil Birmingham ('The Twilight Saga' film series) in one of his first-ever media appearances.
Track listing
* 'UK vinyl, 12"' (12CL 268)
# "Muscles" 4:36
# "I Am Me" 3:50
* 'US vinyl, 12", promo' (JD-13382)
# "Muscles" 6:38
# "I Am Me" 3:50
* 'US vinyl, 7"' (PB 13348)
# "Muscles" 3:59
# "I Am Me" 3:50
* 'US vinyl, 7", Gold Standard Stereo' (GB-13798)
# "Muscles" 3:59
# "Pieces of Ice" 3:57
* 'FR vinyl, 7"' (2C 008-86609)
# "Muscles" 3:59
# "I Am Me" 3:50
* 'NE vinyl, 12"' (052Z-86609)
# "Muscles" 4:35
# "I Am Me" 3:47
* 'NE vinyl, 7"' (1A 006-86609)
# "Muscles" 3:59
# "I Am Me" 3:50
Personnel
*Diana Ross lead vocals
*Michael Jackson producer, uncredited background vocals
*Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NYC mastering
*Patti Austin additional backing vocals
*Bill Wolfer synthesizer
*Michael Boddicker synthesizer
*Ray Chew keyboards
*Eric Gale guitar
*Yogi Horton drums
*Neil Jason bass
*Denzil Miller keyboards
*Jeff Mironov guitar
*Jonathan Moffett drums
*Julia Tillman Waters additional backing vocals
*Greg Smith synthesizer
*Maxine Willard Waters additional backing vocals
*David Williams guitar
*Nathan Watts bass
Charts
Cover versions
*The song was recorded in 1997 by producer/DJ Peter Rauhofer recording as Club 69 and was a featured single on the Club 69 album 'Style'. The vocals on this version of "Muscles" are performed by singer-songwriter, Suzanne Palmer.
Samples
*Lil' Kim sampled "Muscles" for her rap "Diamonds" but it was not included in the final cut of her album 'The Notorious K.I.M.'
*Young Jeezy also sampled "Muscles" for the title track of his album 'The Inspiration'.
References
Category:1982 singles
Category:Diana Ross songs
Category:Songs written by Michael Jackson
Category:Song recordings produced by Michael Jackson
Category:1982 songs
Category:RCA Records singles
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