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"Gett Off" is a song written and produced by American musician
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
for his thirteenth album, ''
Diamonds and Pearls ''Diamonds and Pearls'' is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the first with his new backing band The New Power Generation. It was released on October 1, 1991, by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. ...
'' (1991). The album was his first with his backing band
the New Power Generation The New Power Generation, also known as The NPG, was the backing band of musician Prince from 1990 to 2013. They were replaced by 3rdeyegirl as his backing band in 2013. In 2015, the New Power Generation reunited as Prince's backing band for h ...
. "Gett Off" was released as the
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
from ''Diamonds and Pearls'' in June 1991. "Gett Off" was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching number four in the United Kingdom. In the United States, "Gett Off" went to number 21 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number six on the ''Billboard''
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
. In addition, "Gett Off" was Prince's seventh and final song to reach number one on the ''Billboard''
Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
. It ranked at number 97 in VH1's ''100 Greatest Songs of the '90s''.


Background and release

"Gett Off" evolved from several earlier compositions, starting with the song "
Glam Slam "Glam Slam" is a song by American musician Prince, and the second single from his 1988 album, ''Lovesexy''. The song has sexual overtones with a spiritual undertone and fits the ''Lovesexy'' theme of integrating God and sex. The song is complex mu ...
" from 1988's ''
Lovesexy ''Lovesexy'' is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Prince. The album was released on May 10, 1988 by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded in just seven weeks, from mid-December 1987 to late Janua ...
''. Prince created an unreleased
remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
in early 1991 called "Glam Slam '91", which used the
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
of "Glam Slam", but with new music and lyrics that borrowed partially from '' Graffiti Bridges "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 A maxi single or maxi-single (sometimes abbreviated to MCD or CDM) is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an A-side song and a B-side song. The first maxi singles Mungo Jerry's first single, "In the Summertime" was the ...
release of "
New Power Generation The New Power Generation, also known as The NPG, was the backing band of musician Prince from 1990 to 2013. They were replaced by 3rdeyegirl as his backing band in 2013. In 2015, the New Power Generation reunited as Prince's backing band for ...
", also from ''Graffiti Bridge''. "Gett Off" also uses a few musical segments from "Get Off". The new track features vocal contributions from
Rosie Gaines Rosie Gaines (born Rosemary Gaines; June 26, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Pittsburg, California. Gaines is a former band member of Prince's group, The New Power Generation. She duetted with singer Prince on th ...
and
Tony M. The New Power Generation, also known as The NPG, was the backing band of musician Prince from 1990 to 2013. They were replaced by 3rdeyegirl as his backing band in 2013. In 2015, the New Power Generation reunited as Prince's backing band for ...
, and flute by long-time Prince associate
Eric Leeds Eric Leeds is an American saxophone player, mostly known for his work with Prince. He has recorded mostly music in the pop and funk genres, but is a studied jazz musician.Cole, George.Eric Leeds: Interviews: The Last Miles: The Music of Miles D ...
. 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.).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 Blue Light or Blue light may refer to: Science and technology * Portion of the visible spectrum related to the blue color ** Blue laser ** Blue LED * Cherenkov radiation, the physical phenomenon responsible for the characteristic blue glow in nucl ...
" and "
Get Wild "Get Wild" is a song by the New Power Generation, and the first single from their 1995 album, '' Exodus''. The song was a hit in the UK, reaching number 19 in the UK Singles Chart. "Get Wild" is a funk song, in the style of Parliament and Funka ...
".


Critical reception

Patrick Corcoran from Albumism noted 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."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
from
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
described it as a "slamming dancefloor rallying cry" and a "terrific" pop single. Mike Diver for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
said in his 2010 review, that it's "more explicit" and "borrows a line or two from
James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
but is undeniably
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
through and through".
Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...
from ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' wrote that "this delicious sleaze-speed
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
dish cuts deep with an intense bass line, vocal shrieks, and racy lyrics."
Simon Price Simon Price (born 25 September 1967) is a British music journalist and author. He is known for his weekly review section in ''The Independent on Sunday'' and his book ''Everything (A Book About Manic Street Preachers)''. Career Writer Pric ...
from ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' picked it as a "highlight" from the ''
Diamonds and Pearls ''Diamonds and Pearls'' is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the first with his new backing band The New Power Generation. It was released on October 1, 1991, by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. ...
'' album, describing it as "hilariously immature". Another editor,
Alexis Petridis Alexis Petridis ( el, Αλέξης Πετρίδης; born 13 September 1971) is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for the UK newspaper ''The Guardian'', as well as a regular contributor to the magazine '' GQ''. In addition to his mus ...
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." Machgiel Bakker from ''
Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...
'' called it a "hectic funk workout". A reviewer from ''
Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...
'' commented that the song is "a brilliant curtain raiser for his new album. Cool and funky, it evokes memories of George Clinton and
Gil Scott-Heron Gilbert Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American Jazz poetry, jazz poet, singer, musician, and author, known primarily for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician ...
, while remaining totally original. Massive." ''
People Magazine ''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC (company), IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People ...
'' stated that the singer will "blind you with his brilliance, as he does on the conspicuously funky "Gett Off"." Jeff Weiss from ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' said the song "led to more unplanned pregnancies than anything Prince had recorded" since "
Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
". Neil McKay from '' Sunday Life'' noted that it features "heavy dance".


Music video

An official
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
was developed and released for the song. It is directed by Randee St. Nicholas and is notable for the appearance of Diamond & Pearl, as well as Prince's Yellow Cloud Guitar.


"Mother Popcorn"

The
lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a "libretto" and their writer, a ...
"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 James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
song "
Mother Popcorn "Mother Popcorn (You Got to Have a Mother for Me)" is a song recorded by James Brown and released as a two-part single in 1969. A #1 R&B and #11 Pop hit, it was the highest-charting of a series of recordings inspired by the popular dance the Pop ...
". Prince alludes to the borrowing in a vocal aside ("Reminds me of something James used to say..."). The
musical quotation Musical quotation is the practice of directly quoting another work in a new composition. The quotation may be from the same composer's work (self-referential), or from a different composer's work (appropriation). Sometimes the quotation is done for ...
is preceded by a crackling noise mimicking the sound of an old
vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...
record and a sample of Brown's song.


Track listings


7-inch releases

US 7-19225 # "Gett Off" (single remix) – 4:31 # "Horny Pony" – 4:17 UK W0056
German 5439-19225-7 # "Gett Off" (single remix) – 4:01 # "Horny Pony" – 4:17


12-inch releases

US 0-40138
Australian 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
German 9362-40187-0 # "Gett Off" (Urge Mix) – 8:20 # "Gett Off" (Thrust Mix) – 9:29


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 UK W0056CD
German 9362-40188-2 # "Gett Off" (single remix) – 4:01 # "Gett Off" (Urge Single Edit) – 4:24 # "Gett Off" (Purple Pump Mix) – 8:31 Japanese 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) – 4:54 # "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

*"Album Version", "Single Remix", "Extended Remix" a.k.a. "Purple Pump Mix" and "Damn Near 10 Minutes" are edits of the original version. *"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 Steve W. "Silk" Hurley (born November 9, 1962), also known as J. M. Silk (for "Jack Master Silk"), is an American club DJ, house music producer, and songwriter. From 1985 to 1988, he had four top-10 singles on the US Dance chart, including the ...
. *"Violet the Organ Grinder", "Gangster Glam" and "Clockin' the Jizz" are variations around the original version with added rap parts, chants or instrumental parts.


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Release history


Appearances in other media

* The edited 4:04 single mix
backmask Backmasking is a recording technique in which a message is recorded backward onto a track that is meant to be played forward. It is a deliberate process, whereas a message found through phonetic reversal may be unintentional. Artists have s ...
s the word "ass"; this version was included on the UK compilation ''Now That's What I Call Music! 20'' which marks the first appearance of Prince on a Now Album. * The maxi-single was too long and pricey for the UK Singles chart, and so this ''Gett Off'' release was classed as an album, peaking at number 33 on the UK Albums chart in August 1991. * On the soundtrack of the 1992 film '' Innocent Blood''. * A brief snippet of this song as well as ''Cream'', ''Sexy MF'' and ''Darling Nikki'' were sung by a character in the popular British sketch show
The Fast Show ''The Fast Show'', known as ''Brilliant'' in the US, is a BBC comedy sketch show that ran from 1994 to 1997, with specials in 2000 and 2014. The show's central performers were Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Mark Williams (actor), M ...
. Due to copyright, these clips were not included in the home media releases of the show, despite the anachronistic 1940 music hall setting.Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
 * The song appears in the 2021 film '' Coming 2 America'', sung by
Teyana Taylor Teyana Me Shay Jacqueli Shumpert ( Taylor; born December 10, 1990) is an American singer, actress, dancer and choreographer. In 2005, she signed a record deal with Pharrell Williams' Star Trak Entertainment imprint. Afterwards, she choreographe ...
,
Jermaine Fowler Jermaine Fowler is an American actor, comedian, producer and writer. He is perhaps best known for his role as King Akeem Joffer's long-lost son Lavelle Junson in the 2021 romantic comedy film ''Coming 2 America'' and Franco Wicks on the CBS sit ...
, and Brandon Rogers.


References

{{Authority control 1991 singles 1991 songs Music videos directed by Randee St. Nicholas New jack swing songs Paisley Park Records singles Prince (musician) songs Song recordings produced by Prince (musician) Songs about casual sex Songs written by Prince (musician) Warner Records singles