Get Down Tonight
Encyclopedia
"Get Down Tonight" is a song released in 1975
on the eponymous album
by the disco
group KC and the Sunshine Band
. The song became widely successful, becoming the first of their five number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. It also reached the top of the Hot Soul Singles chart.
Richard Finch
told Songfacts that "Get Down Tonight" was inspired by a Gilbert O'Sullivan
song called "Get Down
." He explained: "He wrote that song about his dog. That record was really hot back then. And I was like, 'Okay, this guy has a great idea.' He's talking about 'get down.' But I didn't find out until later on he was talking about his dog. And I was like, 'Well, that's really square.' How hip is that?"
production act Bamboo
for the hit single "Bamboogie". It peaked at Number 2 in the UK Singles Chart
.. The song reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart
in January 1998.
1975 in music
-January–April:*January 2 - New York City U.S. District Court Judge Richard Owen rules that former Beatle John Lennon and his lawyers can have access to Department of Immigration files pertaining to his deportation case....
on the eponymous album
KC and the Sunshine Band (album)
KC and the Sunshine Band is the second studio album of the hugely successful disco group KC and the Sunshine Band. The album contained three major hit songs—"That's the Way ", "Get Down Tonight", and "Boogie Shoes"....
by the disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
group KC and the Sunshine Band
KC and the Sunshine Band
KC and the Sunshine Band is an American musical group. Founded in 1973 in Miami, Florida, their style has included funk, R&B, and disco. Their most well known songs include the disco hits "That's the Way ", " Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man", "Keep It Comin' Love", "Get Down Tonight", "Give...
. The song became widely successful, becoming the first of their five number-one hits on the 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...
chart. It also reached the top of the Hot Soul Singles chart.
Composition
The song displays some of the signature characteristics of the disco era such as a fast tempo, and repeating lyrics. The song features a distinctive introduction, in which a recorded guitar solo is rendered at double speed in a distinct samisen rhythm over a normal-speed guitar line in the background.Richard Finch
Richard Finch (musician)
Richard Finch , is an American composer, producer, engineer, and song arranger. He is best known as the co-founder, producer and former bass player of KC and the Sunshine Band...
told Songfacts that "Get Down Tonight" was inspired by a Gilbert O'Sullivan
Gilbert O'Sullivan
Gilbert O'Sullivan is an Irish-English singer-songwriter, best known for his early 1970s hits "Alone Again ", "Clair" and "Get Down". The music magazine, Record Mirror, voted him the No...
song called "Get Down
Get Down (Gilbert O'Sullivan song)
"Get Down" is a song by Gilbert O'Sullivan, from his album I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter. Released as a single, it spent two weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart in April 1973, and was also a number-one hit in Ireland and a top-ten hit in the United States and Canada. The song has nothing to do...
." He explained: "He wrote that song about his dog. That record was really hot back then. And I was like, 'Okay, this guy has a great idea.' He's talking about 'get down.' But I didn't find out until later on he was talking about his dog. And I was like, 'Well, that's really square.' How hip is that?"
Cover versions
- In 1988, "Get Down Tonight" was covered by British band ShriekbackShriekbackShriekback are an English rock band, formed in 1981 in Kentish Town by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and League of Gentlemen , and Dave Allen, formerly of the Gang of Four , with Carl Marsh, formerly of Out On Blue Six soon added to the line-up. They were joined by Martyn Barker on drums in 1983...
. Harry Wayne Casey appears in the vidoeclip for a few seconds. - In 2010, The song was covered by Sing It Out Loud for the MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
original movie Turn The Beat AroundTurn the Beat Around (film)Turn the Beat Around is an MTV original film produced by MTV and Paramount Pictures. It is loosely based upon the 1983 film Flashdance.-Plot:...
soundtrack.
Sampling
In 1998 the song was sampled by the houseHouse music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
production act Bamboo
Bamboo (production act)
Bamboo was a short-lived British house production act formed by producer Andrew Livingstone, formerly of Hed Boys . It had a #2 hit in the UK Singles Chart with "Bamboogie" in 1998, which was based on a sample from the KC and the Sunshine Band song "Get Down Tonight". The act's other hit single,...
for the hit single "Bamboogie". It peaked at Number 2 in the 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 ...
.. The song reached #2 in the 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 ...
in January 1998.
Appearances in other media
- In 1986, the song appears in the movie Sid and NancySid and NancySid and Nancy is a 1986 British biopic directed by Alex Cox. The film portrays the life of Sid Vicious , bassist of the seminal punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and his relationship with girlfriend Nancy Spungen .-Plot:The film opens with several police officers dragging Sid Vicious out of the Hotel...
which was based on the life of Sid ViciousSid ViciousSid Vicious was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols...
and Nancy SpungenNancy SpungenNancy Laura Spungen was the American girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. Spungen has been the subject of controversy among music historians and fans of the Sex Pistols.-Early life:...
. - In 1996, the song was heard in the Australian film Hotel de LoveHotel de LoveHotel de Love is a 1996 Australian film written and directed by Craig Rosenberg.-Plot:Fraternal twin brothers meet a childhood crush at a rundown hotel and rediscover their love as they renew their competition for her affection.-Principal cast:...
. - In the 2002 motion picture Austin Powers in GoldmemberAustin Powers in GoldmemberAustin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film and the third installment of the Austin Powers series starring Mike Myers in the title role. The movie was directed by Jay Roach, and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil, Goldmember,...
, the song is featured as part of the medley-song "Hey Goldmember" along with Earth, Wind & FireEarth, Wind & FireEarth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
's "Sing A SongSing a Song (song)"Sing a Song" is a hit song by R&B/funk band, Earth, Wind & Fire, which was written by Maurice White and Al McKay. It was released in 1975 and included on the band's 1975 double-live album, Gratitude. "Sing a Song" spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart in January 1976, and it was...
" and two other KC & the Sunshine Band's songs, namely "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" Shake Your Booty" is a song recorded and released in 1976 by KC and the Sunshine Band for the album Part 3. The song became their third number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as their third number-one on the soul singles chart. The song was met with a degree of controversy, since the...
" and "That's the Way (I Like It)That's the Way (I Like It)"That's the Way " is a song written by H.W. Casey and Richard Finch, and recorded and released in 1975 by KC and the Sunshine Band for their eponymous second album...
". The lyrics of all four songs were changed completely, and the song is performed by Foxxy CleopatraFoxxy CleopatraFoxxy Cleopatra, played by Beyoncé Knowles, was the female counterpart to Austin Powers in the third Austin Powers film: Austin Powers in Goldmember.-Austin Powers in Goldmember:...
, one of the movie's main characters, portrayed by Beyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
. - The song is played in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityGrand Theft Auto: Vice CityGrand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
.
Charts
| Chart (1975) | 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... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles 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,... |
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 ... |
21 |