Gett Off
"Gett Off" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() UK 7" single | ||||
Single by Prince and The New Power Generation | ||||
from the album Diamonds and Pearls | ||||
B-side |
"Horny Pony" (7") "Violet the Organ Grinder" (12") "Gangster Glam" (12") "Clockin' the Jizz" (12") | |||
Released | July 29, 1991[1] | |||
Format |
7" single 12" single CD single CD maxi single | |||
Recorded | Paisley Park Studios, May, 1991 | |||
Genre | Hip hop, R&B, funk, new jack swing, dance | |||
Length |
Album/7": 4:31 Extended remix: 8:31 | |||
Label | Paisley Park, Warner Bros. | |||
Writer(s) | Prince | |||
Producer(s) | Prince | |||
Certification | Gold (RIAA) - October 23, 1991 | |||
Prince and The New Power Generation singles chronology | ||||
|
"Gett Off" is the lead single by Prince and The New Power Generation from the 1991 album Diamonds and Pearls.[2] The cover uses a face drawn in place of the first letter in the word Off, and Prince's name written in reverse. The song was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching number 4 in the United Kingdom. In the United States, "Gett Off" went to number 21 on the pop chart and number 6 on the R&B charts.[3] In addition, "Gett Off" was Prince's seventh and final song to reach #1 on the US dance chart,[4] putting him in a tie with Michael Jackson and Enrique Iglesias as the most successful male artist in its history.
Development
"Gett Off" evolved from several earlier compositions, starting with the song "Glam Slam" from 1988's Lovesexy. Prince created an unreleased remix in early 1991 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., 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 very valuable 12" 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.) It was number 97 in VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s.
"Mother Popcorn"
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.
Releases
7" releases
- US 7-19225
- "Gett Off" (single remix) – 4:31
- "Horny Pony" – 4:17
- UK W0056
- DEU 5439-19225-7
- "Gett Off" (single remix) – 4:01
- "Horny Pony" – 4:17
- UK PROMO SAM 888
- "Gett Off" (Urge Single Edit) – 4:24
12" releases
- US 0-40138
- US PROMO PRO-A-4920
- AUS MX79029-30
- UK 0-40138
- "Gett Off" (extended remix) – 8:31
- "Gett Off" (Houstyle) – 8:20
- "Violet the Organ Grinder" – 4:59
- "Gett Off" (Flutestramental) – 7:26
- "Gangster Glam" – 6:04
- "Clockin' the Jizz" (Instrumental) – 4:51
- UK W0056T
- DEU 9362-40187-0
- "Gett Off" (Urge Mix) – 8:20
- "Gett Off" (Thrust Mix) – 9:29
- UK PROMO SAM 857
- "Gett Off" (Urge Mix) – 8:20
- "Gett Off" (Flute Instrumental) – 7:26
- "Gett Off" (Purple Pump Mix) – 8:31
- "Gett Off" (Thrust Edit) – 4:48
- "Gett Off" (Thrust Dub) – 7:24
- US
- PROMO JUN7
- "Gett Off" (Damn Near 10 Minutes) – 9:22
- PROMO PRO-A-4977
- "Gett Off" (Urge Mix) – 8:20
- "Gett Off" (Urge Dub) – 4:35
- "Gett Off" (Flutestramental) – 4:12
- "Gett Off" (Thrust Mix) – 9:29
- "Gett Off" (Thrust Dub) – 7:24
- "Gett Off" (Rosie's Dub) – 5:30
CD maxi single releases
- US
- 9 40138-2
- "Gett Off" (single remix) – 4:31
- "Gett Off" (Houstyle) – 8:20
- "Violet the Organ Grinder" – 4:59
- "Gett Off" (Flutestramental) – 7:26
- "Gangster Glam" – 6:04
- "Clockin' the Jizz" (Instrumental) – 4:51
- "Gett Off" (Extended Remix) – 8:31
- PROMO PRO-CD-4977
- "Gett Off" (single remix) – 4:01
- "Gett Off" (Urge Single Edit) – 4:25
- "Gett Off" (Thrust Single Edit) – 4:48
- "Gett Off" (Purple Pump Mix) – 8:31
- "Gett Off" (Urge Mix) – 8:20
- "Gett Off" (Thrust Mix) – 9:29
- UK W0056CD
- DEU 9362-40188-2
- "Gett Off" (single remix) – 4:01
- "Gett Off" (Urge Single Edit) – 4:24
- "Gett Off" (Purple Pump Mix) – 8:31
- JAP WPCP-4630
- "Gett Off" (extended remix) – 8:31
- "Gett Off" (Houstyle) – 8:20
- "Violet the Organ Grinder" – 4:59
- "Gangster Glam" – 6:04
- "Cream" (N.P.G Mix) – 5:47
- "Things Have Gotta Change" (Tony M. Rap) – 3:57
- "2 the Wire" (Creamy Instrumental) – 3:13
- "Get Some Solo" – 1:31
- "Do Your Dance" (KC's Remix) – 5:58
- "Housebangers" – 4:23
- "Q in Doubt" (instrumental) – 4:00
- "Ethereal Mix" – 4:43
Notes
- "Damn Near 10 Minutes Mix", "Single Remix", "Extended Remix" a.k.a. "Purple Pump Mix" and "Album Version" are edits of the original song.
- "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. Other titles are variations around the original song with added rap parts, chants or instrumental parts.
Appearances in other media
- The edited 4:04 single mix backmasks the word "ass"; this version was included on the UK compilation Now That's What I Call Music! 20.
- On the soundtrack of the 1992 film Innocent Blood.
- The actress Hilary Swank sang this song in the film P.S. I Love You.
- The song was played in the strip club scene in the 1991 film The Last Boy Scout.
- An instrumental version is briefly heard during "Rich Hank, Poor Hank", an episode from the eighth season of the animated series King of the Hill.
- The song features in episode 3 of series 1 of Fresh Meat in one of the scenes.
- The song has been mentioned in the 2006 John Green novel Looking for Alaska.
Charts
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[5] | 8 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] | 9 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] | 13 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[8] | 13 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[9] | 3 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] | 13 |
Norway (VG-lista)[11] | 7 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] | 13 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] | 3 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[14] | 4 |
US Billboard Hot 100 | 21 |
US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay | 56 |
US Billboard Hot R&B Songs | 6 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
Chart (2016) | Peak position |
France (SNEP)[15] | 97 |
References
- ↑ Uptown: The Vault – The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince: Nilsen Publishing 2004, ISBN 91-631-5482-X. P.124
- ↑ Prince And The New Power Generation* - Gett Off at Discogs
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 471.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 208.
- ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off". VG-lista. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Prince: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Prince & The New Power Generation – Gett Off" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
External links
Preceded by "Makin' Happy" by Crystal Waters |
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single September 28, 1991 |
Succeeded by "Ride on the Rhythm" by Little Louie Vega featuring Marc Anthony |