"Got to Give It Up" is a 1977 hit single recorded by American soul music legend Marvin Gaye. The song held the number one position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for one week, from June 18 1977 to June 25. It replaced "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac, and was replaced by "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti. On the R&B Singles Charts it held the number one spot for five weeks on April 30, until June 17, 1977 (being interrupted twice at the number one position for one week by "Whodunit" by Tavares for the week of May 21, 1977 and Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" for the week of May 28, 1977 respectively).

History

About the song

The song, solely written by the singer and co-produced with Art Stewart, is about a man who was too shy to get on the floor and dance. But the groove allows him to lose himself in the music allowing a need for escape.

Initially "Got to Give It Up" in its 11-minutes-plus version was included as the final side of his 1977 double-album live collection, Live at the London Palladium (number three pop, number one R&B). The song was issued as an edited four minutes-plus-release, titled "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1," and became Gaye's biggest hit, with sales exceeding two million copies, since his seminal 1973 anthem, "Let's Get It On". The single reached number one simultaneously on Billboard's Pop, R&B and Dance singles charts. Gaye became one of the few soul icons to find modest success in the disco field, as did another Motown icon, Diana Ross, with the song "Love Hangover". The song helped Gaye's live album, Live at the London Palladium, which also featured the song in its full entirety, reach the top five of the albums chart and helped it become one of the best-selling albums of that year while "Got to Give It Up" was one of the best-selling singles of that year.

The song became a precursor to the familiar percussion-led, falsetto-sung, party-fill atmosphere of Michael Jackson's 1979 hit "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough". The chant "Let's dance/let's shout/get funky what it's all about!", appearing in the latter part of the original track, was also appropriated for the chorus of The Jacksons' 1979 hit "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)".

Musicians

"Got to Give It Up" was mostly sung by Gaye on both lead and background through the duration of the song especially in the second half. Marvin's brother, Frankie Gaye and Janis Hunter, who would become Gaye's second wife, provided background vocals near the end of the first half of the song.

Aaliyah version

Aaliyah's cover version of Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up" features a rap from Slick Rick, and was included on her 1996 album One in a Million. It was released as the second single in the UK. Aaliyah's version of "Got to Give It Up" failed to chart in the U.S. when it was commercially released there in December 1998 (It was not sent to radio stations for airplay, it was only made for sale in stores), but it was a minor hit in the UK peaking at number 37 in the UK Singles Chart. It reached number 34 in New Zealand. The single's b-side, "No Days Go By", was one of Aaliyah's few self-compositions. An alternate mix of Aaliyah's "Got to Give It Up" (without Slick Rick's vocals) was included on her posthumous 2002 compilation album I Care 4 U.

Charts

Chart (1996/1997)	Peak position
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart	34
UK Top 75 Singles	37

Trivia

• Marvin overdubbed dialogue from outside his recording studio to match the "disco" feel of the song.
• Marvin's original title for "Got to Give It Up" was "Dancin' Lady".
• Marvin was inspired to write "Got to Give It Up" after Johnnie Taylor released "Disco Lady".
• Part two of "Got to Give It Up" was mostly an instrumental with several ad-libs by the singer.
• During the verse everybody's screaming/this is such a cool place, Marvin can be overheard greeting longtime friend and Soul Train host Don Cornelius at the studio saying "Hey Don, say man, I didn't know you was in here!"
• The song is included on the soundtrack to the 1999 film Summer of Sam.
• The song is featured on the soundtrack of the 2007 film The Nanny Diaries.''
• The song is featured in the 2000 film Charlie's Angels.
• The song is featured in the 1998 film How Stella Got Her Groove Back.
• It is played in the 1993 film Menace 2 Society at the beginning when it shows Kaine as a kid.
• The song is featured in the 2002 film Barbershop.
• Justin Timberlake performed the song live at the 2008 Fashion Rocks concert.

References

External links