got to give it up

Marvin Gaye originally wrote this funky groove as a parody of the disco scene. Executives at Motown Records had been trying to get him to record something in the disco style to capitalize on its huge popularity at the time; but Gaye was critical of the music. Eventually he decided to do a caricature of the style and began working on a song he called 'Dancing Lady' as a response to Johnnie Taylor's 'Disco Lady'. Art Stewart was brought in as producer and engineer for the sessions at Marvin's Room, Gaye's Los Angeles studio complex. The party atmosphere included Johnny McGhee on guitar; Fernando Harkness on saxophone; Bugsy Wilcox on drums; Jack Ashford on tambourine; with his brother Frankie Gaye, sister Zeola Gaye, and girlfriend Janis Hunter on background vocals. Gaye handled synthesizer, bass, keyboards, and percussion, as well as lead and background vocals. During the sessions, Gaye recorded an actual party and looped the chatter of the crowd on the track.

'Got to Give It Up' wound up being over eleven minutes long and had to be edited down to four minutes for single release, with the second half as the b-side. 'Got to Give It Up (Part 1)' hit twenty-four in the Netherlands; seven in the UK; five in Canada; and number one on the US Dance, Soul, and Hot 100 charts. The full version was included as the final side of his 'Live at the London Palladium' album.








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I used to go out to parties and stand around;
'Cause I was too nervous to really get down.
But my body yearned to be free.
I got up on the floor, boy,
So somebody could choose me.
No more standin' upside the wall.
I have got myself together, baby,
Now I'm havin' a ball.
Long as you're groovin' theres' always a chance
Somebody watchin' might wanna make romance.

Move your body, move baby, and dance all night,
To the groovin', I feel all right.
Havin' a party, ooh, invite all your friends;
But if you see me stop by, let me in.
Baby, just party all night long.
Let me slip into your erotic zone.

Move it up,
Turn it around, ooh, shake it down
Ooh, you can bump me when you want to, babe.
This is such a groovy party, baby.
Dancin' face to face and everybody's screamin'
This is such a groovy place.
All the young ladies are so fine.
You're movin' your body leaves me no doubt;
Know what you're thinkin', baby, you want to turn me out.
Think I'm gonna let you do it?

Keep on dancin' oh, Keep on dancin' oh.
Ooh, look so good, yeah, keep on dancin'
Oh, now sugar, got to give it up.
Keep on dancin', gotta give it up.
Keep on dancin' . . . . .




parts 1 & 2