Let's Get It On

Album

Sugar Honey Iced Tea

Label

Tamla

Genre

Deep funk

Composer(s)

Marvin Gaye, Edward Townsend

Entered Chart

Jul 14, 1973

Peak Date

Sep 8, 1973

Released

UnknownJune 15, 1973

Recorded

March 22, 1973 Studio Hitsville West, Los Angeles

Catalog #

Tamla 54234

B-Side

I Wish It Would Rain

Album: Let's Get It On (1973) Charted: 31 1 License This Song  Play Video Songfacts®: Originally written by 1950s one-hit-wonder Ed Townsend ("For Your Love" in 1958), the song originally addressed the author's desire to get on with life after beating alcoholism. Marvin Gaye completely changed the lyrics (and meaning) to the song after meeting Janis Hunter, the woman who would become his second wife. The song helped cement Gaye's reputation as one of the greatest singers of baby-making music. Song writing credits on the song went to both Gaye and Townsend. >> "Let's Get It On" was the title track of Gaye's 1973 album. It topped the Billboard Pop Singles chart for two weeks and the Billboard Soul Singles chart for eight weeks. It also made history as Motown's most successful release in the United States to that date and the second most successful song of 1973 (behind Tony Orlando & Dawn's "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree"). This song's co-writer Ed Townsend also produced the album with Marvin and co-wrote the three other songs on the first side of the disc, including "Keep Gettin' It On." He wrote with Gaye again on songs for Marvin's 1978 album Here, My Dear. This song has appeared in a variety of TV shows, movies and commercials, often for comic effect to imply an imminent romantic encounter. Some of the media uses include the TV shows The Simpsons, The Sopranos, Scrubs, House, Ugly Betty, Charmed, Spin City and The King of Queens. Movie uses include Into the Night (1985), Queens Logic (1991), The Inkwell (1994), Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), High Fidelity (2000), Crossroads (2002), Something's Gotta Give (2003), Mr. 3000 (2004), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), The Change-Up (2011), and The Dictator (2012).

I've been really tryin', baby
Tryin' to hold back this feeling for so long
And if you feel like I feel, baby
Then, c'mon, oh, c'mon, whoa

Let's get it on
Ah, baby, let's get it on
Let's love, baby
Let's get it on, sugar
Let's get it on, woo hoo

We're all sensitive people
With so much to give
Understand me, sugar (ooh ooh)
Since we've got to be here
Let's live
I love you

There's nothing wrong with me
Loving you, baby no no
And giving yourself to me can never be wrong
If the love is true, oh baby

Ooh don't you know how sweet and wonderful life can be ooh (let me love you)
I'm asking you baby to get it on with me ooh ooh (let me love you)
I ain't gonna worry (let me love you)
I ain't gonna push, won't push you baby (let me love you)
So c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby
Stop beatin' 'round the bush, hey

Let's get it on (ooh ooh)
Let's get it on (ooh ooh)
You know what I'm talkin' 'bout
C'mon, baby, hey, hey
Let your love come out
If you believe in love
Let's get it on, ooh
Let's get it on, baby
This minute, oh yeah
Let's get it on
Please, please get it on

I know and you know what I've been dreaming of, don't you baby? (ah, ah, ah, ah)
My whole body makes that feelin' of love, I'm happy (my body wants ya, my body wants ya)
I ain't gonna worry, no I ain't gonna push (ah)
I won't push you baby, woo (ah ah)

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, darlin'
Stop beatin' 'round the bush
Oh, gonna get it on (ooh, ooh)
Threatenin' you, baby (ooh, ooh)
I wanna get it on (ooh, ooh)
You don't have to worry that it's wrong (ooh, ooh)
If the spirit moves ya (ooh, ooh)
Let me groove ya good (ooh, ooh)
Let your love come down (ooh, ooh)
Oh, get it on

C'mon, baby (ooh, ooh)
Do you know the meaning? (ooh, ooh)
I've been sanctified (ooh, ooh), hey hey
Girl, you give me good feeling (ooh, ooh) (so good)
So good, somethin' like sanctified (ooh, ooh)

Oh dear I, baby (ooh, ooh)
Nothing wrong with love (ooh, ooh)
If you want to love me just let your self go (ooh, ooh)
Oh baby, let's get it on (ooh, ooh)