Moonwalk originated on Soul Train as 'The Backslide'
The moonwalk dance move was originally called the Backslide and was created on Soul Train, not by Michael Jackson.
Where this was said
Mid-Roll Ads: Show Jingle and Network Promos
At 7:52 · chapter starts 5:12
The mid-roll break opens with the Stuff You Should Know jingle — a playful sung summary of the show's brand — before rolling into a second round of network promos. First America returns with its pitch about the dark history behind the Declaration of Independence. Here's the Thing with Alec Baldwin spotlights conversations with composer Marc Shaiman, lawyer Roberta Kaplan on marriage equality, and documentary director Morgan Neville. Last But Not Least with MC Jin features a charming anecdote about freestyling at the gates of Hit Factory to get Ruff Ryders' attention. After the break, Chuck reads two defining quotes about Soul Train: Cornel West on how soul music taught America to love and be free, and rapper Common on what it meant for ordinary Black people to see themselves on TV.
The Moonwalk Was Born on Soul Train
Long before Michael Jackson made it famous, the moonwalk was invented on Soul Train — where it was known as the Backslide. Soul Train was essentially a weekly showcase for new moves, and whatever you saw on Saturday morning, you'd be doing at the club that same night.
Soul Train comparing to Bandstand like champagne to seltzer
A TV critic wrote in the New York Times in 1973 that comparing Soul Train to American Bandstand was like comparing champagne to seltzer.
Don Cornelius owned Soul Train 100%
Unlike most TV show creators, Don Cornelius retained 100% ownership of Soul Train — a fact that astonished even James Brown when he appeared on the show.
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