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Gett Off

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"Gett Off"
UK 7-inch single
Single by Prince and the New Power Generation
from the album Diamonds and Pearls
B-side"Horny Pony"
ReleasedJune 7, 1991
RecordedMay 10, 1991[1]
StudioPaisley Park (Chanhassen, Minnesota)
GenreFunk[2]
Length
  • 4:31 (album version)
  • 4:00 (UK single version)
Label
Songwriter(s)Prince
Producer(s)Prince
Prince and the New Power Generation singles chronology
"New Power Generation"
(1990) 		"Gett Off"
(1991) 		"Cream"
(1991)
Music video
"Gett Off" on YouTube

"Gett Off" is a song written and produced by American musician Prince, released in June 1991 by Paisley Park and Warner Bros. as the lead single from his thirteenth album, Diamonds and Pearls (1991). The album was his first with his backing band the New Power Generation. "Gett Off" was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching number four in the United Kingdom; the maxi-single was too long and pricey to appear on the UK Singles Chart, so this release was classified as an album, peaking at number 33 on the UK Albums Chart in August 1991.[3][4]

In the United States, the single reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.[5] In addition, it was Prince's seventh and final song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.[6] The music video for the song was directed by Randee St. Nicholas. "Gett Off" was ranked at number 97 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s". [7]

Background and release

[edit]

"Gett Off" evolved from several earlier compositions, starting with the song "Glam Slam" from 1988's Lovesexy. Prince created an unreleased remix in October 1990 called "Glam Slam '91", which used the chorus of "Glam Slam", but with new music and lyrics that borrowed partially from Graffiti Bridge's "Love Machine". Prince toyed with the song some more, adding a new chorus, and involving the newly formed New Power Generation. The song was renamed "Gett Off", which was very similar to a B-side/remix called "Get Off" from the maxi single release of "New Power Generation", also from Graffiti Bridge. "Gett Off" also uses a few musical segments from "Get Off". The new track features vocal contributions from Rosie Gaines and Tony M.,[citation needed] and flute by long-time Prince associate Eric Leeds. Prince also contributes a guitar solo.

Prince delivered the song exclusively to nightclubs on his 33rd birthday on a now valuable 12-inch single featuring the otherwise unavailable "Gett Off (Damn Near 10 Minutes Mix)" remix. It was so well-received that Prince decided to release the song commercially as a single with the rap song "Horny Pony" as its B-side, and also as a maxi single with several remixes, which varied from country to country. He also added it at the last minute to Diamonds and Pearls, replacing "Horny Pony" (on the packaging for Diamonds and Pearls, "Horny Pony" is written in red over "Gett Off", to fit in with the narrative track listing that was already finished.) Coincidentally, "Gett Off" contains a sample from 'Horny Pony'. As well as being conceived from other compositions, it served as the musical blueprint for "Blue Light" and "Get Wild".

Critical reception

[edit]

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that "this delicious sleaze-speed funk dish cuts deep with an intense bass line, vocal shrieks, and racy lyrics."[8] A reviewer from Music Week said the song is "a brilliant curtain raiser for his new album. Cool and funky, it evokes memories of George Clinton and Gil Scott-Heron, while remaining totally original. Massive."[9] Machgiel Bakker from Music & Media called it a "hectic funk workout".[10] People Magazine wrote that the singer will "blind you with his brilliance, as he does on the conspicuously funky "Gett Off"."[11] NME ranked it number 32 in their list of "Singles of the Year" in December 1991.[12] David Fricke from Rolling Stone commented, "Dirty Mind goes house".[13]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic described it as a "slamming dancefloor rallying cry" and a "terrific" pop single.[14] Neil McKay from Sunday Life noted that it features "heavy dance".[citation needed]

Mike Diver for the BBC felt in his 2010 review, that it's "more explicit" and "borrows a line or two from James Brown but is undeniably Prince through and through".[15] Simon Price from The Guardian named it a "highlight" from the Diamonds and Pearls album, describing it as "hilariously immature".[16] Jeff Weiss from Pitchfork said the song "led to more unplanned pregnancies than anything Prince had recorded" since "Kiss".[17] Another The Guardian editor, Alexis Petridis, stated, "From its opening scream to its ferocious concluding guitar solo, Gett Off is prime-quality Prince: funny, lubricious, preposterously funky, every bit the equal of his best work."[18] Patrick Corcoran of Albumism felt that the song's "exhortation to "23 positions in a one night stand" was a lightning conduit for rampant male sexuality, unfettered by the playful androgyny of the past."[19]

Music video

[edit]

An official music video was developed and released for the song. It is directed by Randee St. Nicholas[20] and is notable for the appearance of Diamond & Pearl, as well as Prince's Yellow Cloud Guitar.

"Mother Popcorn"

[edit]

The lyrics "I like 'em fat, I like 'em proud, you've got to have a mother for me..." and the music that accompanies them in the fourth verse of "Gett Off" are paraphrased from the 1969 James Brown song "Mother Popcorn". Prince alludes to the borrowing in a vocal aside ("Reminds me of something James used to say..."). The musical quotation is preceded by a crackling noise mimicking the sound of an old vinyl record and a sample of Brown's song.

Track listings

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  • "Damn Near 10 Minutes" is the original, unpolished mix.
  • "Album Version", "Single Remix" and "Extended Remix" a.k.a. "Purple Pump Mix" are edits of the 'final' mix. This version has Prince say 'Club Mix' near the beginning of the song, whereas he does not in the original.
  • "Urge Mix" (alternatively titled "Houstyle"), "Thrust Dub" (alternatively titled "Flutestramental"), "Thrust Single Edit", "Urge Single Edit", and "Thrust Mix" are house versions remixed by Steve "Silk" Hurley.
  • "Violet the Organ Grinder", "Gangster Glam" and "Clockin' the Jizz" are variations around the original version with added rap parts, chants or instrumental parts.

Personnel

[edit]

Personnel are adapted from Benoît Clerc and Guitarcloud[21][22]

Charts

[edit]

Release history

[edit]
Release history and formats for "Gett Off"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States June 7, 1991 Limited U.S. 12" Single
[56]
United Kingdom August 19, 1991
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [57]
Japan December 21, 1991 CD [58]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Gett Off". Prince Vault.
  2. ^ Breihan, Tom (December 22, 2021). "The Number Ones: Prince & The New Power Generation's "Cream". Stereogum. Retrieved June 28, 2024. Musically, "Cream" is a very cool little sideways move for Prince. It's nothing like the hard, percussive funk of "Gett Off
  3. ^ "Prince | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  4. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 75 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 471.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 208.
  7. ^ "VH1 100 Greatest '90s Songs".
  8. ^ Flick, Larry (June 22, 1991). "Dance Trax: Hi-NRG Awards Set; Waters Flowing; Princely Track" (PDF). Billboard. p. 31. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  9. ^ "Mainstream: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. August 17, 1991. p. 8. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  10. ^ Bakker, Machgiel (September 28, 1991). "Dance: Dancing All Over The Airwaves" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 13. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  11. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Diamonds and Pearls". People. October 21, 1991. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  12. ^ "Singles of the Year". NME. December 21, 1991. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  13. ^ Fricke, David (December 12, 1991 – December 26, 1991). "The year in records". Rolling Stone. Issue 619/620.
  14. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Prince & the New Power Generation / Prince – Diamonds and Pearls". AllMusic. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  15. ^ Diver, Mike (2010). "Prince & The New Power Generation Diamonds and Pearls Review". BBC. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  16. ^ Price, Simon (April 22, 2016). "Prince: every album rated – and ranked". The Guardian. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  17. ^ Weiss, Jeff (April 30, 2016). "Prince / The New Power Generation – Diamond and Pearls". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  18. ^ Petridis, Alexis (September 12, 2019). "Prince's 50 greatest singles – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  19. ^ Corcoran, Patrick (September 27, 2016). "Prince & The New Power Generation's 'Diamonds and Pearls' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  20. ^ "Gett Off (1991) by Prince feat. The New Power Generation". IMVDb. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  21. ^ Clerc, Benoît (October 2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus. ISBN 9781784728816.
  22. ^ "Diamonds and Pearls". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  23. ^ "Prince and the New Power Generation – Gett Off". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  24. ^ "Prince and the New Power Generation – Gett Off" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  25. ^ "Prince and the New Power Generation – Gett Off" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  26. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1633." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  27. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 39. September 28, 1991. p. 29. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  28. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 38. September 21, 1991. p. 25. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  29. ^ Bakker, Machgiel (September 28, 1991). "Dancing All Over The Airwaves" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 39. p. 13. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  30. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  31. ^ "Prince and the New Power Generation – Gett Off" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  32. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 44. November 2, 1991. p. 31. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  33. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved May 28, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Prince".
  34. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 38, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  35. ^ "Prince and the New Power Generation – Gett Off" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  36. ^ "Prince and the New Power Generation – Gett Off". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  37. ^ "Prince and the New Power Generation – Gett Off". VG-lista. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  38. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 42. October 19, 1991. p. 39. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  39. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  40. ^ "Prince and the New Power Generation – Gett Off". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  41. ^ "Prince and the New Power Generation – Gett Off". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  42. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  43. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. August 31, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  44. ^ "Prince Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  45. ^ "Prince Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  46. ^ "Prince Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  47. ^ "Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  48. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  49. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1991" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. December 21, 1991. p. 21. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  50. ^ "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. December 21, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  51. ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1991" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  52. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1991". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  53. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  54. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1991" (in German). Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  55. ^ "1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England. January 11, 1992. p. 20.
  56. ^ "Gett Off".
  57. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. August 17, 1991. p. 19.
  58. ^ "ゲット・オフ・リミックスEP | プリンス" [Gett Off Remix EP | Prince] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
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