"Gett Off" is the lead single by Prince

Prince (musician)

Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...

 and The New Power Generation from the 1991 album

Album

An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

 Diamonds and Pearls

Diamonds and Pearls

Diamonds and Pearls is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, released October 1, 1991, on Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. It is his first album to have The New Power Generation, his backing band at the time, receive co-billing...

. The song was a last-minute addition to the album, replacing "Horny Pony", which became the song's B-side

A-side and B-side

A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...

 (on the packaging for Diamonds and Pearls, "Horny Pony" is written in red over "Gett Off", to fit in with the narrative track listing.) 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 #4 in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and #21 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Development

"Gett Off" evolved from several earlier compositions, starting with the song "Glam Slam

Glam Slam

"Glam Slam" is a song by Prince, and the second single from his 1988 album, Lovesexy. The title originates from the sexual quote "Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am". The song has sexual overtones with a spiritual undertone and fits the Lovesexy theme of integrating God and sex. The song is complex...

" from 1988's Lovesexy

Lovesexy

Lovesexy is the tenth studio album by Prince, released on May 10, 1988. Lovesexy was issued as a substitute record after the release of the infamous The Black Album had been suddenly cancelled. The Black Album and Lovesexy almost act as companion pieces, sharing the song "When 2 R in Love", but...

. Prince created an unreleased remix

Remix

A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....

 in early 1991 called "Glam Slam '91", which used the chorus

Refrain

A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...

 of "Glam Slam", but with new music and lyrics that borrowed partially from Graffiti Bridge

Graffiti Bridge (album)

Graffiti Bridge is the twelfth studio album by Prince and the soundtrack to the 1990 film Graffiti Bridge.The album was much better received in sales than the film, reaching #6 in the US and #1 in the UK. Nearly every song on the record was written by Prince despite the handful of artists...

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 ironically very similar to a B-side/remix called "Get Off" from the maxi single

Maxi single

A maxi single or maxi-single 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:...

 release of "New Power Generation

New Power Generation (song)

"New Power Generation", or "N.P.G.", is a song by Prince from the 1990 album and film, Graffiti Bridge. It is an anthem for his backing band, The New Power Generation, who were officially co-credited on his album covers for a time, and continue to back him up, albeit with a changing lineup...

", 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

Rosie Gaines is an American vocalist, musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer from Pittsburg, California. She released a number of dance hits, the most notable being "Closer Than Close".-Ensemble career:...

 and Tony M.

Tony M.

Tony M. is a rapper best known as a member of Prince's band, The New Power Generation. Mosley began his association with Prince as an extra in the film Purple Rain. He can be seen dancing with Kirk Johnson and Damon Dickson during various performances at the First Avenue club...

, and flute

Flute

The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...

 by long-time Prince associate Eric Leeds

Eric Leeds

Eric Leeds is an American jazz and funk musician who plays the saxophone and other woodwind and brass instruments. He is best known for his work with Prince.- Biography :Leeds was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of a retailer...

. Prince also adds a guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

 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 added it at the last minute to Diamonds and Pearls. The song was released as a single with the rap-pop number "Horny Pony" as its B-side, and also as a maxi-single with several remixes, which varied from country to country. It was #97 in VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's.

"Mother Popcorn"

The lyrics

Lyrics

Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...

 "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

1969 in music

-Events:Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. At a Rolling Stones concert in Altamont, California, a fan was stabbed to death by Hells Angels, a biker gang that had been hired to provide security for the event...

 James Brown

James Brown

James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...

 song "Mother Popcorn

Mother Popcorn

"Mother Popcorn ", 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 Popcorn which Brown made that year...

". Prince alludes to the borrowing in a vocal aside ("Reminds me of something James used to say..."). The musical quotation

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 , or from a different composer's work ....

 is preceded by a crackling noise mimicking the sound of an old vinyl

Gramophone record

A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...

 record and a sample of Brown's song. The line that follows, "...now move your big ass 'round this way so I can work on that zipper, baby," is Prince's own.

Charts

Chart (1991)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...	21
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	56
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...	6
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...	1
UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...	4
Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...	8

7" releases

US 7-19225

1. Gett Off (Single Remix) (4:31)
2. Horny Pony (4:17)

UK W0056
DEU 5439-19225-7

1. Gett Off (Single Remix) (4:01)
2. Horny Pony (4:17)

UK PROMO SAM 888

1. Gett Off (Urge Single Edit) (4:24)

12" releases

US 0-40138
US PROMO PRO-A-4920
AUS MX79029-30
UK 0-40138

1. Gett Off (Extended Remix) (8:31)
2. Gett Off (Houstyle) (8:20)
3. Violet The Organ Grinder (4:59)
4. Gett Off (Flutestramental) (7:26)
5. Gangster Glam (6:04)
6. Clockin’ The Jizz (Instrumental) (4:51)

UK W0056T
DEU 9362-40187-0

1. Gett Off (Urge Mix) (8:20)
2. Gett Off (Thrust Mix) (9:29)

UK PROMO SAM 857

1. Gett Off (Urge Mix) (8:20)
2. Gett Off (Flute Instrumental) (7:26)
3. Gett Off (Purple Pump Mix) (8:31)
4. Gett Off (Thrust Edit) (4:48)
5. Gett Off (Thrust Dub) (7:24)

US

PROMO JUN7

1. Gett Off (Damn Near 10 Minutes) (9

22)NEWLIN

PROMO PRO-A-4977

1. 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)

NEWLIN

CD maxi single releases

US

9 40138-2

1. 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)

NEWLIN

PROMO PRO-CD-4977

1. 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)

NEWLIN

UK W0056CD
DEU 9362-40188-2

1. Gett Off (Single Remix) (4:01)
2. Gett Off (Urge Single Edit) (4:24)
3. Gett Off (Purple Pump Mix) (8:31)

JAP WPCP-4630

1. Gett Off (Extended Remix) (8:31)
2. Gett Off (Houstyle) (8:20)
3. Violet The Organ Grinder (4:59)
4. Gangster Glam (6:04)
5. Cream (N.P.G Mix) (5:47)
6. Things Have Gotta Change (Tony M. Rap) (3:57)
7. 2 The Wire (Creamy Instrumental) (3:13)
8. Get Some Solo (1:31)
9. Do Your Dance (KC's Remix) (5:58)
10. Housebangers (4:23)
11. Q In Doubt (4:00)
12. Etheral Mix (4:43)

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
  Innocent Blood
  Innocent Blood may refer to:*Innocent Blood , a 1980 novel by P. D. James*Innocent Blood , a 1989 album by Resurrection Band*Innocent Blood , a 1992 film by John Landis...
  
  .
• The actress Hilary Swank
  Hilary Swank
  Hilary Ann Swank is an American actress. Swank's film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then a major part in The Next Karate Kid , as Julie Pierce, the first female protégé of sensei Mr. Miyagi...
  
   sang this song in the film P.S. I Love You
  P.S. I Love You (film)
  P.S. I Love You is a 2007 American drama film directed by Richard LaGravenese. The screenplay by LaGravenese and Steven Rogers is based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Cecelia Ahern. The film is dedicated to the memory of producer Molly Smith's sister Windland Smith Rice.-Plot:Holly and Gerry...
  
  .
• An instrumental version is briefly heard during "Rich Hank, Poor Hank
  Rich Hank, Poor Hank
  "Rich Hank, Poor Hank" is the 157th episode in the Fox animated comedy King of the Hill. It was broadcast as the 8th episode in the 8th season, and was the last King of the Hill episode to use traditional cel animation. From this point on, the show is digitally inked and painted. The episode's...
  
  ," an episode from the eighth season of the animated series King of the Hill
  King of the Hill
  King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
  
  .

The song features in Episode 3, Series 1 of Fresh Meat in one of the scenes.