Get It Up

"Get It Up"
7" single cover
Single by the Time
from the album The Time
B-side"After Hi School"
ReleasedJune 26, 1981
RecordedApril 1981
StudioMinneapolis, Minnesota
Genre
  • Minneapolis sound
  • post-disco
Length3:01 (7" edit)
9:08 (album version)
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Prince
Producer(s)
  • Morris Day
  • Prince (as "Jamie Starr")
The Time singles chronology
"Get It Up"
(1981) 		"Cool"
(1981)

"Get It Up" is the debut single by American funk rock band the Time, from their 1981 self-titled debut album. Like most of the album, the song was recorded in Prince's home studio in April 1981, and was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince with Morris Day later adding his lead vocals.[1] Revolution keyboardist Doctor Fink provided synth solos on the track, uncredited.

The funk-pop number relies on synthesizers and contains numerous solos throughout the song. The song is propelled by a strong bass line and contains live drums and handclaps. A raunchy guitar solo provides a rock element to the funky track. "Get It Up" is basically an ode to sex and Day's attempts to get some. Prince's vocals are very apparent in the song, both in the background and the lead at times.

"Get It Up" was only released as a 7" single with the poppy "After Hi School" as its B-side. "After Hi School", while not an outstanding effort was composed by Dez Dickerson and is perhaps the strongest pop effort on the album. Along with the track "Cool", "Get It Up" peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot R&B singles chart, and at number 16 on the Disco Top 80 chart.[2] The full version of "Get It Up" was later a B-side for the 12" single of "Ice Cream Castles" in 1984. "Get It Up" is one of The Time's more popular numbers, and a live version of the song recorded at the House of Blues in 1998 was included on Morris Day's 2004 album, It's About Time where it segues into "777-9311".

Personnel

Credits sourced from Prince Vault and Guitarcloud[3][4][nb 1]

  • Morris Day - lead and backing vocals
  • Prince - backing vocals, Oberheim OB-X, ARP Omni, electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, handclaps
  • Dr. Fink - Oberheim OB-X (solo)
  • Sue Ann Carwell - backing vocals

TLC version

"Get It Up"
Single by TLC
from the album Poetic Justice: Music from the Motion Picture
ReleasedJune 6, 1993 (1993-06-06)
Recorded1993
Genre
Length4:25
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)Prince
Producer(s)
TLC singles chronology
"Hat 2 da Back"
(1992) 		"Get It Up"
(1993) 		"Creep"
(1994)
Music video
"Get It Up" on YouTube

"Get It Up" was covered by American girl group TLC for the Poetic Justice soundtrack becoming a major hit for the group and was later included in TLC's first greatest hits album, Now and Forever: The Hits (2003). The music video for "Get It Up" was shot in June 1993.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993) Peak
position
Europe (European Dance Radio)[5] 13
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[6] 25
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 42
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[8] 3
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[9] 15
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[10] 14
US Cash Box Top 100[11] 33

Year-end charts

Chart (1993) Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[12] 76

Notes

  1. ^ Due to the similar recording times, most of the equipment can be identified by looking at the most recent album Prince made, which in this case is Dirty Mind.

References

  1. ^ Hill, Dave (1989). Prince A Pop Life (First American ed.). New York: Harmony Books. p. 102. ISBN 0517572826.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 260.
  3. ^ "Album: The Time - Prince Vault". www.princevault.com. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  4. ^ "Dirty Mind". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  5. ^ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 39. September 25, 1993. p. 28. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  6. ^ "TLC – Get It Up". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  7. ^ "TLC Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  8. ^ "TLC Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  9. ^ "TLC Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  10. ^ "TLC Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  11. ^ "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVI, no. 47. July 31, 1993. p. 12. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  12. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 3, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  • v
  • t
  • e
The Time
Studio albums
  • The Time (1981)
  • What Time Is It? (1982)
  • Ice Cream Castle (1984)
  • Pandemonium (1990)
  • Condensate [as "The Original 7ven"] (2011)
Singles
  • v
  • t
  • e
TLC
Studio albums
Compilations
  • Now & Forever: The Hits
  • The Very Best of TLC: Crazy Sexy Hits
  • 20
Video releases
Singles
As featured artist
  • "Crooked Smile"
  • "Freedom (Theme from Panther)"
  • "Let's Just Do It"
  • "Voice of Love"
  • "What's Going On (Dupri's R&B Mix)"
  • "What It Ain't (Ghetto Enuff)"
Other songs
Concert tours
Television
Related articles
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