(1983) Marcia Griffiths’ Electric Boogie Remains A Timeless Song For Parties

December 19, 2023

One of the most memorable reggae dance songs of the golden era of reggae music is Marcia Griffiths’ hit song Electric Boogie, which still has the power to transform the atmosphere of any room today.

This remarkable track captivates listeners and effortlessly compels countless individuals to groove on the dancefloor.

The 1983 infectious song that, according to a report, served to “teach, educate, and uplift” the listeners was written and produced by Bunny Wailer. According to DanchallMag, Marcia and her longtime friend Bunny Wailer recorded the song as a duet for the first time back in 1983.

The initial release piqued the interest of Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, and the record producer recommended that she create a remix. This remix catapulted her to global recognition in 1989.

The remix made its chart debut in 1990 at No. 90 on the US Billboard Hot 100 list. It remained on the chart for 11 weeks, peaking at No. 51. Additionally, the Hot Black Singles chart saw it peak at No. 78.

To date, Electric Boogie is the best-selling single by a Jamaican female reggae artiste in the US, according to Billboard.

Other Billboard victories for the Kingston native include her Marcia Griffiths and Friends album, which debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart in 2013 and was her first album to enter the chart. Furthermore, her 15-track album Timeless, her highest charting album, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart in 2019.

The song, paired with the Electric Slide dance, made the song a mega-hit. The tune has been described as a family-oriented fun party song as it became a staple for weddings and other celebratory events in its time.

As for the music video, the energetic video captured the essence of the song, featuring many individuals doing the Electric Slide as Marcia Griffiths smoothly sang the catchy lyrics of the song. Adults and children were all shown doing the dance in the street, with male dancers freestyling their own moves. After some time, Griffiths also joined the happy group and busted the Electric Slide.

Watch the music video of Marcia Griffith’s Electric Boogie below: