Get Up Offa That Thing

Infobox Single
Name = Get Up Offa That Thing


Caption =
Artist = James Brown
from Album = Get Up Offa That Thing
A-side =
B-side = "Release the Pressure"
Released = May 1976
Format = 7"
Recorded = April 1976, Criteria Studios, Miami, FL
Genre = Funk
Length = 4:11 (Side A)
Label = Polydor
PD14326
Writer = Deanna Brown
Diedra Brown
Yamma Brown
Producer = James Brown
Certification =
Last single =
This single =
Next single =
Misc =

"Get Up Offa That Thing" (sometimes subtitled "(Release the Pressure)") is a song performed by James Brown. It was released as a two-part single in 1976 (the B-side, titled "Release the Pressure", is actually a continuation of the same song) and also appeared on an album of the same name. It was one of Brown's biggest hits in the second half of the 1970s, reaching #4 on the R&B chart, and became a staple of his later live performances.

The song's lyrics urge the listener to "Get up offa that thing / and dance 'til you feel better." Brown's declamatory vocals include a dismissive passing reference to Barry White ("Barry who?" responds one of the band members).

Personnel

* James Brown - lead vocal

"with The J.B.'s:"
* Russell Crimes - trumpet
* Holly Ferris - trombone
* St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone
* Peyton Johnson - tenor saxophone
* Jimmy Nolen - guitar
* Robert Coleman - guitar
* Charles Sherrell - clavinet
* Melvin Parker - drums
* Other players unknown

Appearances in other media

* Sung by Oliver James' character Ian Wallace in the 2003 movie "What a Girl Wants".
* The song is used in the closing sequence of the 2005 computer animated film "Robots".
* Towards the end of the film version of "Harriet the Spy", Harriet and classmates dance in tune to the song during a school show.
* Sung by Whoopi Goldberg's character as part of a medley of songs in "".
* Sung by the cast of NBC's "Another World" in the soap opera's final episode in 1999. A female gorilla named Carolyn kidnapped Cass Winthrop and that was Carolyn's favorite song.
*Song used by West Coast Swing Dancer, Benji Schwimmer and his dance partner/cousin, Heidi Groskreutz for So You Think You Can Dance (Season 2).
*Song used by breakdancer, Gev Manoukian during the audition process of So You Think You Can Dance (Season 2).
*Song used by b-boy crew Super Cr3w, during Season 2, Episode 1 of America's Best Dance Crew. Super Cr3w integrated the song with a high impact ninja theme that pleased the fans and earned them high praises from all judges.
* Song used by dancer, William Wingfield, during a solo performance on So You Think You Can Dance (Season 4).

References

* Leeds, Alan M., and Harry Weinger (1991). Star Time: Song by Song. In "Star Time" (pp. 46-53) [CD liner notes] . London: Polydor Records.
* White, Cliff (1991). Discography. In "Star Time" (pp. 54-59) [CD liner notes] . London: Polydor Records.

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:jxfoxxlaldae Song Review] at Allmusic