Go (Common song)
Encyclopedia
"Go!" is the third single from rapper
Common's
sixth album Be. It is produced by Kanye West
, who also performs backing vocals for the track alongside John Mayer
. The track's percussion is handled by Num Amuntehu, while its scratches
are provided by A-Trak
. Its beat contains a sample from "Old Smokey" by Linda Lewis
. Its lyrics deal with sexual fantasies.
Two remix
es of "Go!" featuring Joy Denalane
were released as singles: one was remixed by Kanye West and the other by Jazzanova
.
. They all headed to a studio where Kanye worked on a beat and Mayer told Common to write about fantasies. Despite Common's initial hesitance of being influenced by a non hip hop artist, he wrote the song and it was later recorded in two studios: Sony Studios in New York City
and Encore Studios in Burbank, California
.
charts. Critics attribute this success to its mellow beat, smooth vocals and subject matter. Spence D. of IGN.com writes:
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
Common's
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
sixth album Be. It is produced by Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, who also performs backing vocals for the track alongside John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
. The track's percussion is handled by Num Amuntehu, while its scratches
Scratching
Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
are provided by A-Trak
A-Trak
A-Trak is a Montreal-born DJ, turntablist, and owner of the record label Fool's Gold.- Career :...
. Its beat contains a sample from "Old Smokey" by Linda Lewis
Linda Lewis
Linda Lewis is an English vocalist, songwriter and Guitarist. Lewis is the oldest of six children two of whom also had singing careers...
. Its lyrics deal with sexual fantasies.
Two 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 ....
es of "Go!" featuring Joy Denalane
Joy Denalane
Joy Maureen Denalane , known as Joy Denalane, is a German singer-songwriter, known for her mixture of soul, R&B, and African folk music with lyrics in German and English.-Early life:...
were released as singles: one was remixed by Kanye West and the other by Jazzanova
Jazzanova
Jazzanova is a German Berlin-based DJ/producer collective consisting of Alexander Barck, Claas Brieler, Jürgen von Knoblauch, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering, and Axel Reinemer. Formed in 1995, the group is one of the foremost proponents of the nu-jazz, chillout and jazz house styles of music...
.
Conception
Common, Kanye West and John Mayer were inspired to create a song after seeing the 2004 movie RayRay (film)
Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.Charles was set to...
. They all headed to a studio where Kanye worked on a beat and Mayer told Common to write about fantasies. Despite Common's initial hesitance of being influenced by a non hip hop artist, he wrote the song and it was later recorded in two studios: Sony Studios in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Encore Studios in Burbank, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Acclaim
It was the most commercially successful song on Be as it reached #79 on The Billboard Hot 100 and also reached the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and Hot Rap TracksHot Rap Tracks
Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single...
charts. Critics attribute this success to its mellow beat, smooth vocals and subject matter. Spence D. of IGN.com writes:
Music video
A music video directed by Kanye West, MK12 and Convert was produced. It features Common relaxing in a modern house that contains rugs, couches and a large window allowing much light into the house. Common's surroundings are constantly morphing, but maintain a brown and beige color scheme. As a preface to various scenes in which Common fulfills fantasies with women, phrases such as "body of a dancer" and "free love" appear.A-side
- "Go (LP Version)" (3:44)
- "Go (Instrumental)" (3:44)
- "Go (Radio Edit)" (3:44)
- "Go (Accapella)" (3:44)
B-side
- "Chi-City (LP Version)" (3:27)
- "Chi-City (Instrumental)" (3:27)
- "Chi-City (Radio Edit)" (3:27)
- "Chi-City (Accapella)" (3:27)
Chart positions
| Chart (2005) | 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... |
79 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 31 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks Hot Rap Tracks Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single... |
21 |
| 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 ... |
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