"Let's Work" was the second single from the 1981 album ''

Controversy Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view. The word was coined from the Latin ''controversia'', as a composite of ''controversus'' – "turned in an opposite d ...

'', by

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 ...

. The song originates from a dance called "the Rock" that local kids were doing at the time in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

. Prince responded quickly with a track called "Let's Rock", and wished to quickly release it as a single.

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

refused, and a disappointed Prince did not include the song on ''Controversy'', saying the phase had passed. Instead, the song was updated with new lyrics and possibly new music and became "Let's Work"—one of his most popular dance numbers.

Background

The song is based on a funky bass line and features a shouted title throughout the song and relies heavily on keyboards to create a sexy groove in the verses and quick solos for 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 ...

es. The lyrics are a tease, equating "working" with having sex. The song was backed with "Ronnie, Talk to Russia", which precedes it on the ''Controversy'' album. The extended

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 ...

features instrumental solos;

Morris Day Morris E. Day (born December 13, 1956) is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer of The Time. Music career Morris Day is best known as the lead singer of The Time, a group associated with Prince. Day and Pri ...

on drums; samples from "

" and "Annie Christian", two other songs from the same album; and additional, more insistent lyrics. Prince performed the extended version in concert during the ''Controversy'' and '' 1999'' tours. This is the first US Prince single to include a non-album

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

(although it was previously released as a single in the UK). " Gotta Stop (Messin' About)" was written on the ''

Dirty Mind ''Dirty Mind'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was released on October 8, 1980, by Warner Bros. Records and produced entirely by Prince at his home studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota ...

'' tour, and is consistent with the

minimalist In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Don ...

demo-like quality of that album.

Critical reception

Daphne A. Brooks of

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called the song "an exquisite, mid-tempo dance track with a sinuously insistent bass line that fuels the electric slide togetherness of the party." Stephen Holden of

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

also described "Let's Work" as "a bright and squeaky dance song". ''

Cash Box magazine ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said "Undoubtedly, this will get a good workout in the clubs and on B/C lists, and crossover is a strong possibility."

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1982 singles Prince (musician) songs Songs written by Prince (musician) Warner Records singles Song recordings produced by Prince (musician) 1981 songs