Amerie - Gotta Work

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man, I was already really feeling this song but then I just found out that it was produced by some dudes I know. they mostly do tracks for Baltimore rappers (Bossman, Hots, etc) but a couple of them also produced "Freak Like Me" back in the day: http://www.myspace.com/oneupisthefuture

― Alex in Baltimore, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:41 (6 years ago) Permalink

Where is the sample from? Sounds so familiar...

― musically, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:49 (6 years ago) Permalink

First impression: good but I think I prefer 1 Thing.

― chap, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:54 (6 years ago) Permalink

um, that's Sam and Dave if you're serious.

― forksclovetofu, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:57 (6 years ago) Permalink

and first impression is that this is 2 Thing and I'm okay with that.

― forksclovetofu, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:58 (6 years ago) Permalink

"Hold On, I'm Comin," right? And thanks for not being condescending.

― musically, Friday, 6 April 2007 02:20 (6 years ago) Permalink

i love this song so much. the breakdown at the end makes me want to dance around every time it comes on.

from amerie's myspace blog:

"Gotta Work" is a song that I wrote at the very last minute (while I was baking chicken of all things). I've gotten really good at writing/remembering songs in my head ever since I misplaced my dictophone. I know it's around here somewhere… Anyway, I recorded it right away and added it to the bunch right before we went in to mixing.

― maura, Friday, 6 April 2007 02:26 (6 years ago) Permalink

On the other thread where this was discussed, (rolling R&B, I think) I noted that I kinda wished she'd go back to a more subdued style like on her first album and stop trying to remake "1 Thing".

― The Reverend, Friday, 6 April 2007 08:37 (6 years ago) Permalink

have you heard her mixtape?

― maura, Friday, 6 April 2007 12:37 (6 years ago) Permalink

Wasn't being condescending dude; really wasn't sure if you were serious!
Also, more artists should write while baking chicken. I think that's how Aretha made 'do right woman'...

― forksclovetofu, Friday, 6 April 2007 13:55 (6 years ago) Permalink

um, that's Sam and Dave if you're serious.

what's the answer if he's being funny?

― nathalie, Friday, 6 April 2007 14:17 (6 years ago) Permalink

The Blues Brothers.

― forksclovetofu, Friday, 6 April 2007 18:01 (6 years ago) Permalink

Actually, I thought dude was making a commentary about plundering a fairly well-known musical grave far before it had passed from the common imagination and that he was being mock serious.
But yeah, this is pretty good. Surprised more people aren't writing about it here; the first hit on google if you search for it is a link to download it.

― forksclovetofu, Friday, 6 April 2007 18:02 (6 years ago) Permalink

this sounds extremely aguilera-ish

― deej, Friday, 6 April 2007 18:07 (6 years ago) Permalink

this sounds extremely aguilera-ish

-- deej, Friday, 6 April 2007 18:07 (1 week ago)

OTM. This is more "Ain't No Other Man" than it is "1 Thing."

― Tape Store, Sunday, 15 April 2007 23:30 (6 years ago) Permalink

I am not a dude. And remind me never to ask a question here again, haha.

― musically, Monday, 16 April 2007 00:02 (6 years ago) Permalink

okay dude.

― forksclovetofu, Monday, 16 April 2007 01:29 (6 years ago) Permalink

i love love love love this now - knew i was on the verge...

― lex pretend, Monday, 16 April 2007 06:14 (6 years ago) Permalink

um, that's Sam and Dave if you're serious.

-- forksclovetofu, Friday, April 6, 2007 1:57 AM (1 week ago)

um, it isn't. the song is 'hold on i'm coming', for sure, but its some other version, not the sam'n'dave version.

this song FUCKING SHREDS tho.

― stevie, Monday, 16 April 2007 10:07 (6 years ago) Permalink

The very prospect of an Amerie single with a Hold On I'm Coming horn sample has got me hugely excited.

― Matt DC, Monday, 16 April 2007 10:11 (6 years ago) Permalink

i have never even heard of sam and dave or this 'hold on i'm coming' song.

i can't believe that we are to all intents and purposes on the second single from the amerie album except neither of them have been released yet.

― lex pretend, Monday, 16 April 2007 10:16 (6 years ago) Permalink

i have never even heard of sam and dave

they were really really fucking awesome. sam moore's autobiography is a good read, as well.

― stevie, Monday, 16 April 2007 10:25 (6 years ago) Permalink

also, they did 'soul man', and 'soothe me', and a buncha other good stuffs. real 'work up a sweat' bionic old skool r'n'b - if you like the kind of beat amerie often works within, they're one source.

― stevie, Monday, 16 April 2007 10:30 (6 years ago) Permalink

Lex I will Gmail you Hold On I'm Coming this week. And I mean actually send you the real thing this time and not a Kaiser Chiefs song mislabelled or something.

― Matt DC, Monday, 16 April 2007 10:33 (6 years ago) Permalink

ah cool i will check them out then!

xp that would be good matt but if u try to cunningly make me listen to the arctic monkeys again i will not forgive u ever

― lex pretend, Monday, 16 April 2007 10:38 (6 years ago) Permalink

ice ice baby doesn't directly sample under pressure, but i'd feel okay about saying he's pulling it from Mssrs. Bowie and Gabriel, same here.

Also, lex: you could do worse than hitting the p2pairwaves and getting yourself the stax collection or a few best-of-motown discs. Seeing as much as you talk about pop on here, it's really in your best interests.

― forksclovetofu, Monday, 16 April 2007 12:54 (6 years ago) Permalink

ice ice baby doesn't directly sample under pressure, but i'd feel okay about saying he's pulling it from Mssrs. Bowie and Gabriel, same here.

i think you'll find it does, and that peter gabriel had nothing to do with 'under pressure' - but my point was, the version of 'hold on i'm coming' used in the amerie song is a different version to the sam'n'dave 'original', moving to a deftly different tempo.

― stevie, Monday, 16 April 2007 14:56 (6 years ago) Permalink

Seeing as much as you talk about pop on here, it's really in your best interests.

stop being so fucking condescending, seriously.

you know, i love what i've heard of motown, but i have no idea where to start in this massive...MASS of stuff out there.

― lex pretend, Monday, 16 April 2007 14:58 (6 years ago) Permalink

it is pretty bewildering, lex, but the good thing is its mostly so GREAT that you can take a blind stab and hit the good stuffz. the Motown Chartbusters comps are cheap and fine, and Stax comps usually focus on the same prime tracks, so any of those would be ace starting places.

i was really lucky growing up with a dad who played this stuff morning-noon-night.

― stevie, Monday, 16 April 2007 15:01 (6 years ago) Permalink

i wish i'd grown up in a house where rock/pop music was played AT ALL!

there are so many of those compilations though stevie - so often i've gone into the motown section of hmv or wherever and stared at them for 10 minutes before running away in panicky indecision. the times i've managed to keep it together long enough to grab a supremes/gladys knight/chaka khan best of on the way out were the best times.

― lex pretend, Monday, 16 April 2007 15:12 (6 years ago) Permalink

that's the beauty of it tho - you actually can't go wrong with the Motown chartbusters!

― stevie, Monday, 16 April 2007 15:25 (6 years ago) Permalink

Wow, you guys sure are fun to have a conversation with.

― forksclovetofu, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 02:59 (6 years ago) Permalink

Just because the sample sounds different than the original doesn't mean it's not from the original. Most samples aren't cut and pasted from the originals...they're distorted a bit to fit the new song properly.

If you're interested in Motown, Chartbusters are good, but the Hitsville box sets are terrific and come in two packages vs. 12+ separate CDs w/ Chartbusters. The main difference is that the Hitsville comps are based on the American releases, while the Chartbusters order the songs a bit oddly since the lineups are based on UK chart dates. The first Hitsville is the best, all the classic stuff, and the second one has a mix of the great and not-so-great (DeBarge, etc).

― musically, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 03:22 (6 years ago) Permalink

you mean these ones?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hitsville-USA-Singles-Collection-1959-1971/dp/B000025OOQ/ref=sr_1_2/026-2073899-9317229?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1176790641&sr=8-2
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hitsville-USA-Vol-2-Collection-1972-1992/dp/B00000ASAA/ref=sr_1_4/026-2073899-9317229?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1176790641&sr=8-4

Wow, you guys sure are fun to have a conversation with.

dude you are the one who's offended two people so far on this thread by patronising them!

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 06:46 (6 years ago) Permalink

Just because the sample sounds different than the original doesn't mean it's not from the original. Most samples aren't cut and pasted from the originals...they're distorted a bit to fit the new song properly.

its a sample from a different version, audibly different - different instrumentation, different tempo, different octave etc.

the hitsville comps are ACE; however, the chartbusters comps are dirt cheap in the UK - its worth investing in the hitsville sets, because you will love this stuff, lex, but if you're not up for making so huge a leap of faith the chartbusters are good value.

― stevie, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 09:55 (6 years ago) Permalink

lex, I have zero interest in continuing any conversation with you at this point, so what say we both let it go, eh?

― forksclovetofu, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 14:27 (6 years ago) Permalink

fair enough, though to be honest you could do worse than rethinking the way you talk to people. seeing as much as you like to interact with them, it's really in your best interests.

the hitsville comps are ACE; however, the chartbusters comps are dirt cheap in the UK - its worth investing in the hitsville sets, because you will love this stuff, lex, but if you're not up for making so huge a leap of faith the chartbusters are good value.

yeah i am 99% sure it will be worth it - i'll see just how much cheaper the chartbusters ones are first though! and the other thing is, i know all these box sets have the 'classics' on them which are justifiably canonised and which i'll adore, but from my experience of current genres i immerse myself in, i know that there'll be so many gems lurking beneath the 'classic' compilations...and no idea where to find them really.

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 14:54 (6 years ago) Permalink

oh, sorry; actually, I wouldn't mind extending this conversation by forwarding one last point: blow me.

― forksclovetofu, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 14:57 (6 years ago) Permalink

I heard this for the first time last night and my first thought was "Wow has someone sampled JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR!!11!".

Now it seems that Andrew Lloyd Webber may have 'bitten' Sam and Dave, oh well.

I have never heard "Hold On I'm Comin" either I assume.

― Groke, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:13 (6 years ago) Permalink

good lord, england, get your lives together.

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:14 (6 years ago) Permalink

I think I was put off loads of great old Stax-y stuff by that Dave Marsh book: he managed to make it all sound so....exhausting.

― Groke, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:16 (6 years ago) Permalink

soul music was a lot of work.

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:16 (6 years ago) Permalink

we're just marinating in this stuff from the time we're born though, so i think most of us take it as a cultural given. there are probably more people who DON'T own a motown collection over here out of the feeling that they don't need to given how ingrained the songs are/how often they'll hear them in some other context.

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:18 (6 years ago) Permalink

Just played it now and it STILL really reminds me of JCS! Sorry Sam and Dave. And Amerie. And the world.

― Groke, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:19 (6 years ago) Permalink

i've never heard jesus christ superstar either if that helps.

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:20 (6 years ago) Permalink

we're less concerned with this.

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:21 (6 years ago) Permalink

i'm not sure if i've heard it either.

― strongohulkington, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:21 (6 years ago) Permalink

was as much fuss made over the manifold samples on 'take control'?! as far as i recall everyone just focused on AMERIE instead of tom zé this, hall & oates that, which is as it should be

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:22 (6 years ago) Permalink

WTF is it with all these people who have never heard Hold On I'm Coming? I thought that was one of those songs that passed the Bus Queue Test with flying colours (ie EVERYONE knows it).

― Matt DC, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:22 (6 years ago) Permalink

I still haven't heard Gotta Work.

― Matt DC, Tuesday, 17 April 2007 15:22 (6 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 77 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Album of the year.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:26 (5 years ago) Permalink

I love "Crush" and "Take Control" but I just can't get into the "1 More Thing"s, at least when she's chirping those high notes. Not sure why I find it so grating when it defines the pleasure principle for some many others.

― da croupier, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:28 (5 years ago) Permalink

Tim F OTM re: "Some Like It"

― da croupier, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:40 (5 years ago) Permalink

"Shut Up & Drive" is great, either in spite or because of it's Republica b-side sounding-ness. Rihanna's album is exactly halfway decent, although I'm not sure exactly what would improve it. I think it's perhaps a bit less than the sum of its parts.

xp: If anything on the album is "1 More Thing", it's "Take Control". As far as the chirpy high notes go, Amerie doesn't have the greatest chops, per se, but she knows how and when to force beyond her comfort zone for maximum impact. It's very thrilling, as Lex put it, when she goes all out. These moments never seem forced, though. They seem to happen as she gets caught up in the moment. This isn't to say that there isn't any artifice behind that phenomenon, but just to say that she's very good at hiding/selling it.

Also, OMG the harmonies & vocal production on this record. I love cool vocal production.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:40 (5 years ago) Permalink

You all love "Some Like It".

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:41 (5 years ago) Permalink

More seriously, does it really matter whether "Some Like It" is "pj-approved Adventurous Pop"? Does that have any bearing whatsoever on how good or bad the song is? Worrying about something like that seems pointlessly self-conscious to me.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:44 (5 years ago) Permalink

If anything on the album is "1 More Thing", it's "Take Control".

Are you actually saying "Take Control" sounds more like "1 Thing" than "Gotta Work"?

― da croupier, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:46 (5 years ago) Permalink

I went to pick up some new releases yesterday (at a store that puts out the Tuesday releases on the shelves on Monday) and it was nowhere to be found.

OK, I really wanted to buy this album, but this is ridiculous. Someone Sendspace it to me already.

― jaymc, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:49 (5 years ago) Permalink

At least as much so. When I first heard "Take Control", my first thought was that she was trying to remake "1 Thing". By the time I heard "Gotta Work", I just kinda expected it. (xp)

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:51 (5 years ago) Permalink

At any rate, I like "Take Control" (the idiosyncrasies of which eventually made themselves clear) more than "Gotta Work". On second thought, you're probably correct (assuming your thesis is that "Gotta Work" sounds more like "1 Thing" than "Take Control" does; you haven't explicitly stated that).

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 15:54 (5 years ago) Permalink

It's implied by my disbelief in your rather adamant "if <i>anything</i> on the album...," (italics mine) though. You seemed to be ignoring the drums, horns and vocals on "Gotta Work."

― da croupier, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:06 (5 years ago) Permalink

haha but then I forgot there weren't horns on "1 Thing," so I'll shut up now.

― da croupier, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:08 (5 years ago) Permalink

My problem with Some Like It is it's a bit disjointed and therefore doesn't quite take off.

― Matt DC, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:09 (5 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, the drums and vocals are similar (horns? um... {xp nm}). The guitar hook on "Take Control" is a big part of what made me think of it as a retread.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:10 (5 years ago) Permalink

The disjointed feel of "Some Like It" is a large part of its appeal for me. I love how it just shoots off on random tangents, barely bothering to patch them together.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:12 (5 years ago) Permalink

"1 Thing" is so shrill and splashy that I think I just assumed there was a brass section blowing out my eardrum as well.

― da croupier, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:13 (5 years ago) Permalink

I was disappointed by how soon I lost interest in "Gotta Work" – it's too damn relentless, like Sparkle Motion or something.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:15 (5 years ago) Permalink

I didn't put that very well, but I don't know how to state it better at the moment. (xxp)

"1 Thing" is so shrill and splashy that I think I just assumed there was a brass section blowing out my eardrum as well.

Completely understandable.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:16 (5 years ago) Permalink

I dunno. The whole first half is pretty damn relentless, but that's a positive in my book.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:17 (5 years ago) Permalink

Actually, "Gotta Work" is probably my least favorite song of the first half.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:19 (5 years ago) Permalink

"Crush" & "Crazy Wonderful" prove that Cassie album tracks are much better with someone capable of displaying emotion.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 16:30 (5 years ago) Permalink

OMG the remix of "Take Control". Mr. K-Pop singer is way ott.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 17:16 (5 years ago) Permalink

The album comes out here in November, with a *new and improved* tracklist. "That's What U R RMX" with Fabolous and Slim Thug is the firts single, new version of "Crush" that samples the Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love will be single after that I think...

― The Brainwasher, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 17:43 (5 years ago) Permalink

Is "here" Amurrica? If so, I'm glad I got my import copy before they fucked up a good thing.

― The Reverend, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 17:50 (5 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, America.

― The Brainwasher, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 17:51 (5 years ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

Holy shit -- the first half is unstoppable.

TS: Amerie's "Crush" vs Ciara's "C.R.U.S.H."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 6 September 2007 23:51 (5 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

Um, Ciara no contest. This album is really OVERRATED by you folks...

Anyway, UPDATE: The US has been scrapped and she's recording a brand new album...

― The Brainwasher, Friday, 12 October 2007 23:11 (5 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

rong, and rong ;_;

― Jordan, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:11 (5 years ago) Permalink

I can send this to you, Jordan. I got impatient and downloaded it from Limewire. It's pretty great, or at least the first 9 or 10 tracks are. Probably in my top 10 this year.

― jaymc, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:17 (5 years ago) Permalink

I've cooled on it, but still mighty fine.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:20 (5 years ago) Permalink

um, it isn't. the song is 'hold on i'm coming', for sure, but its some other version, not the sam'n'dave version.

this song FUCKING SHREDS tho.

-- stevie, Monday, 16 April 2007 10:07 (7 months ago) Link

It's Erma Franklin's version FYI.

― The Brainwasher, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:24 (5 years ago) Permalink

jenny hooked me up awhile back, jaymc, but thx. i've just been listening to it a lot (the 1st half anyway!).

― Jordan, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:27 (5 years ago) Permalink

The hate for "Some Like It" on this thread is RONG.

― jaymc, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:28 (5 years ago) Permalink

4-4-2

― The Reverend, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:51 (5 years ago) Permalink

whatever i've moaned, it is sad to see her having to play the game and sing hooks for chingy and stuff now.

probably time to give this album another go. don't think my opinions will change (certainly not about ugh 'some like it'), but in the context of other rubbish albums that've been out it'll probly get a bump up. c'est la grim vie.

ciara's 'crush' was great and underrated.

― r|t|c, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:56 (5 years ago) Permalink

crush vs crush, take control vs lose control

― Jordan, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:58 (5 years ago) Permalink

all four are great

― da croupier, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 20:59 (5 years ago) Permalink

why have they completely fucked up the US release of this? And why was "Losing U" relegated to bonus track status?

― danzig, Wednesday, 28 November 2007 23:49 (5 years ago) Permalink

Because it would have stuck out like a sore thumb on the album.

― The Reverend, Thursday, 29 November 2007 04:38 (5 years ago) Permalink

i like 'some like it' even if it is horribly predictable coming from me. I love the tinny piano with its classy jazziness, matt bianco meets some passionate house diva who cant dance, i mean she sounds like cathy dennis. it just conjures all the right hair salon blow dried mousse french restaurant gold bauble feeling, it's so amerie,i walk with good posture, way more than that awful 'don't be afraid to touch' song, because amerie is jazzy. i agree the sam and dave song is boring though.

― minna, Friday, 30 November 2007 06:08 (5 years ago) Permalink

You know, she's really not a good singer for slow jams. I listened to an acapella last night and now her vibrato kind of gets on my nerves, it's like she can only do it one way and doesn't have a lot of control?I think that's why the uptempo rhythmic stuff works so much better for her.

Btw Make Me Believe, Crush, and Gotta Work are all A+ (Some Like it is A-)!

― Jordan, Friday, 30 November 2007 16:23 (5 years ago) Permalink

For some reason this just doesn't work as an album even though there are 5-6 tracks I absolutely love.

― Matt DC, Friday, 30 November 2007 17:08 (5 years ago) Permalink

Best track = All Roads and its unashamed soft rockness.

― Matt DC, Friday, 30 November 2007 17:09 (5 years ago) Permalink

Any other singer would have made "All Roads" into sub-"American Idol." I love how her voice starts to crack in the last third.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 30 November 2007 17:15 (5 years ago) Permalink

"All Roads" is kind of painful to listen to. :/

― jaymc, Friday, 30 November 2007 17:36 (5 years ago) Permalink

can someone link to the rolling r'n'b thread?
i cant find it

― robin l, Wednesday, 5 December 2007 10:40 (5 years ago) Permalink

here

― r|t|c, Wednesday, 5 December 2007 13:30 (5 years ago) Permalink

4 years pass...

^knew about the curtis og, but never knew about this version

― hologram ned raggett (The Reverend), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 08:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

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