Got to Get It (Culture Beat song)

"Got to Get It" is a song by German group Culture Beat from their second studio album, Serenity (1993). The song was written by Nosie Katzmann, Jay Supreme, Torsten Fenslau and Peter Zweier, and produced by Fenslau. The lyrics describes the feeling of not getting over someone you once were in love with, hence the refrain Got to get it, got to get it out of my head. It was released as the second single from the album on 13 September 1993 by German label Dance Pool and was a hit in most European countries, peaking at number-one in both Belgium and Finland. The single was also a top-five hit in Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK. In the UK, the US and Canada, the song peaked at number one on the dance music charts. Its music video was directed by Martin Person and filmed in Denmark and Portugal, telling the story of two lovers breaking up.

Critical reception
AllMusic editor William Cooper viewed "Got to Get It" as a "virtual rewrite" of "Mr. Vain". Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a "wickedly catchy twirler that appears poised to follow the trend-setting "Mr. Vain" to the top of club playlists and on to top 40 formats". He added, "The song's hook will instantly stick to the brain, while the plethora of pop/rave beats will sneak up the spine." He also felt that it sports a better chorus than its predecessor and "aggressive, synth-soaked beats", and said the "blend of party-down male rapping and cute female-belting is familiar and fun." Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five and named it Pick of the Week, commenting, "Got to get it out of my head they sing, and you'll be thinking the same when you hear this surefire hit follow-up", where "throbbing Hi-NRG, though with a light vocal touch, and a typical Snap!-style rap all come together to create an instant and likeable smash."

Iestyn George from NME felt the song is not as catchy as "Mr. Vain". James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update declared it as "another overly similar bland synth buzzed chugger". Mike Soutar from Smash Hits also gave the song four out of five. He felt it was better than "Mr. Vain", saying, "So it is with great surprise that I actually find myself liking "Got to Get It". Buzzy, fast, with a smashing whiplash sample, it's a corking dance tune that's approximately 50 times better than 2 Unlimited's "Faces"." Sunday Mirror wrote, "After a day spent humming Culture Beat's incredibly catchy follow up to their chart-topper "Mr Vain", you'll agree with the lyric, Got to get it out of my head." The reviewer concluded with that the song is "high-energy pop" and "a surefire smash both on the dance floor and in the charts."

Chart performance
In Europe, "Got to Get It" was successful on the singles charts, peaking at number one in both Belgium and Finland. In Belgium, it peaked at number one for two weeks, staying within the Ultratop Flanders singles chart for a total of 17 weeks. In Finland, it peaked at the top for four weeks in October, November and December 1993. The song was also a top-5 hit in Denmark (4), Germany (4), Ireland (3), Italy (5), Lithuania (5), the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden (5), and the UK. In the Netherlands and Spain, it peaked at number two. On Holland's Dutch Top 40 and Single Top 100, it was held off reaching the top spot by Bitty McLean's "It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)", staying on both charts for ten weeks. Additionally, the single was a top-10 hit in Austria, France, Norway and Switzerland.

In the United Kingdom, "Got to Get It" peaked at number four in its second week on the UK Singles Chart on 13 November 1993, after debuting at number seven the week before. It stayed inside the UK Top 100 for eleven consecutive weeks. On the Music Week Dance Singles chart, it debuted and peaked at number one in the same week. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the single reached number three on 27 November, after debuting on the chart at number 38 on 25 September, when it charted in Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden. On the Music & Media European Dance Radio Chart, it reached number one in the same period. In North America, "Got to Get It" peaked at number one on both the Canadian RPM Dance/Urban chart (1 week) and the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart. In Oceania, the song reached numbers seven and 13 in Australia and New Zealand, respectively.

"Got to Get It" was awarded with a gold record in both Germany (250,000) and Australia (35,000).

Airplay
"Got to Get It" was positioned at number six when the first European airplay chart Border Breaker was compiled due to crossover airplay in West Central-, West-, North West-, North- and South-Europe. The single hit number-one on 21 November 1993, where it stayed for four weeks. It peaked at number-one also on Music & Media European Dance Radio Top 25 on 20 November 1993, holding the top position for a total of six consecutive weeks. In the UK, the song reached number five on the Music Week Airplay chart in the beginning of December same year.

Music video
A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Martin Person. It tells the story of two lovers ending their relationship, intertwined with flashbacks to the days when they were in love. Other scenes show them by themselves after the breakup, as they're reminiscing on the past. The video was filmed in Algarve, Portugal, and in Denmark, and received heavy rotation on MTV Europe in November 1993.

Track listing and formats

 * 7-inch vinyl single (Netherlands, 1993)
 * 1) "Got to Get It" (radio mix) – 3:39
 * 2) "Got to Get It" (video Edit) – 3:52


 * 12-inch vinyl single (United States, 1994)
 * 1) "Got to Get It" (Raw Deal mix) – 5:34
 * 2) "Got to Get It" (Club to House mix) – 5:52
 * 3) "Got to Get It" (Hypnotic mix) – 7:17
 * 4) "Got to Get It" (Resolution mix) – 7:35


 * CD maxi single (Europe, 1993)
 * 1) "Got to Get It" (Raw Deal mix) – 5:34
 * 2) "Got to Get It" (club mix) – 6:01
 * 3) "Got to Get It" (extended album mix) – 6:39
 * 4) "Got to Get It" (Hypnotic mix) – 7:17
 * 5) "Got to Get It" (radio mix) – 3:39


 * CD maxi single – Remix (Europe, 1993)
 * 1) "Got to Get It" (Funlab mix) – 6:36
 * 2) "Got to Get It" (Club to House mix) – 5:52
 * 3) "Got to Get It" (TNT Party Zone mix) – 5:41
 * 4) "Got to Get It" (Basic House mix) – 6:22
 * 5) "Got to Get It" (Last Minute mix) – 6:56
 * 6) "Got to Get It" (radio remix) – 4:09