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"This Had To Be"

Date range assessed by the fact that the “Light up the Night” album was recorded at Allen Zentz Recording; in Mike Smallcombe’s “Making Michael”, “The main [“Off the Wall”] sessions [at Allen Zentz Recording] began in early December of 1978… Another song Michael and Quincy chose to record was written by Paul McCartney. [(“Girlfriend”)]... Michael was forced to leave the studio in January 1979 to begin rehearsing with his brothers for their forthcoming Destiny Tour, which was due to kick off in the German city of Bremen on January 22.”)

Mike Smallcombe, “Making Michael”

Michael returned the favor [of Louis Johnson helping Michael co-write “Get on the Floor”] by writing ‘This Had to Be’ with the Johnson brothers for Light Up the Night.