Gett Off

Album: Diamonds And Pearls (1991)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Prince was at his lustiest in the early '90s, with "Gett Off" pushing the boundaries even further. The song is essentially a seduction where Prince puts the moves on a young lady, making his intentions very clear. There's a lot of humor in the song, which takes some of the edge off. For instance, when he gets her back to his "Paisley crib" (his Paisley Park compound near Minneapolis) he offers her something to eat, and she asks for ribs. "I don't serve ribs," he replies. "You better be happy that dress is still on."

    Daringly, Prince released it as the first single from his 1991 album, Diamonds And Pearls. It was too spicy for many radio stations but fans loved it, and the song made a decent chart showing, going to #21 in America. The next single was another hot number, but less explicit: "Cream." That one was a #1 hit.
  • That's a flute playing the little riff that comes in after the chorus. It was played Eric Leeds, who plays saxophone on the song "Around The World In A Day."
  • Prince is joined by two different vocalists on the chorus. The deep-voiced guy who says, "23 positions in a one night stand..." is Tony M. (Anthony Mosley), a rapper/dancer who was part of the New Power Generation band, which Prince formed in 1991 as his backing group. The female singer is Rosie Gaines, who shows up on a lot of different Prince songs, including his own version of "Nothing Compares 2 U."
  • Prince wasn't the first to have a hit with a super-sexy song with this title (although his is the only one stylized with "get" as "gett"). In 1978 the disco group Foxy had a hit with "Get Off," which leaves little to the imagination.
  • The video was shot at Prince's Paisley Park Studios on a set that looks like a modern Bacchanalia. It starts with a scene where two young ladies, Diamond and Pearl, show up for "the audition." They spend the rest of the video dancing with Prince and his crew, their visuals as racy as the lyrics.

    Diamond is played by Lori Elle, Pearl by Robia LaMorte. It was directed by Randee St. Nicholas, who went on to direct videos for Britney Spears ("Make Me") and Carrie Underwood ("Cry Pretty").
  • A year after this song was released on the Diamonds And Pearls album, Prince extended his deal with Warner Bros. Records, but that didn't go very well. He fought with the label over what material to release, and in 1993 he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol in part of a quest to divest himself from the label. He gradually broke away from the label, releasing a series of hitless albums in the late '90s before tightening up his sound with his 2004 album Musicology.
  • Prince lifted the "I like 'em fat, I like 'em proud" line from a 1969 song by James Brown called "Mother Popcorn."

    Brown was a huge influence on Prince, especially when it came to his live shows. Prince often included saxophone player Maceo Parker, who was part of Brown's band, in his touring group.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe ShaverSongwriter Interviews

The outlaw country icon talks about the spiritual element of his songwriting and his Bob Dylan mention.

Gene Simmons of Kiss

Gene Simmons of KissSongwriter Interviews

The Kiss rocker covers a lot of ground in this interview, including why there are no Kiss collaborations, and why the Rock Hall has "become a sham."