"Let's Work" is a song by Prince, released as the second single from his 1981 album Controversy.[1] The song originates from a dance called "the Rock" that local kids were doing at the time in Minneapolis. Prince responded quickly with a track called "Let's Rock", and wished to quickly release it as a single. Warner Bros. refused, and a disappointed Prince did not include the song on Controversy, saying the phase had passed. Instead, the song was updated with new lyrics and possibly new music and became "Let's Work"—one of his most popular dance numbers.
| "Let's Work" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US 7" single | ||||
| Single by Prince | ||||
| from the album Controversy | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | January 6, 1982 | |||
| Recorded | Uptown, Sunset Sound, Hollywood Sound, 1981 | |||
| Genre | Funk, post-disco | |||
| Length | 2:56 (7" edit) 3:57 (album version) 8:02 (12" version) | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Prince | |||
| Producer(s) | Prince | |||
| Prince singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background edit
The song is based on a funky bass line and features a shouted title throughout the song and relies heavily on keyboards to create a sexy groove in the verses and quick solos for the choruses. The lyrics are a tease, equating "working" with having sex. The song was backed with "Ronnie, Talk to Russia", which precedes it on the Controversy album.
The extended remix features instrumental solos; Morris Day on drums; samples from "Controversy" and "Annie Christian", two other songs from the same album; and additional, more insistent lyrics. Prince performed the extended version in concert during the Controversy and 1999 tours. This is the first US Prince single to include a non-album B-side (although it was previously released as a single in the UK). "Gotta Stop (Messin' About)" was written on the Dirty Mind tour, and is consistent with the minimalist demo-like quality of that album.
Critical reception edit
Daphne A. Brooks of Pitchfork called the song "an exquisite, mid-tempo dance track with a sinuously insistent bass line that fuels the electric slide togetherness of the party."[2] Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone also described "Let's Work" as "a bright and squeaky dance song".[3]
Cashbox said "Undoubtedly, this will get a good workout in the clubs and on B/C lists, and crossover is a strong possibility."[4]
Personnel edit
Credits sourced from Benoît Clerc, Guitarcloud, Morris Day and David Ritz.[5][6][7]
- Prince – lead and backing vocals, ARP Omni, Oberheim OB-X, electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, handclaps
- Morris Day – drums (extended version)
Charts edit
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles[8] | 4 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B Singles[9] | 9 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs[10] | 1 |
References edit
- ^ Prince – "Let's Work" single. discogs.com.
- ^ A. Brooks, Daphne (April 29, 2016). "Prince: Controversy". pitchfork.com.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (January 21, 1982). "Controversy". rollingstone.com.
- ^ "Single Review" (PDF). Cash Box. January 23, 1981. p. 9. Retrieved December 5, 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ Clerc, Benoît (October 2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus. ISBN 9781784728816.
- ^ "Controversy". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
- ^ Day, Morris; Ritz, David (2019). On Time: A Princely Life in Funk. Hachette Books. ISBN 9780306922206.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1992). Bubbling Under The Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004 (1st ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 148. ISBN 0-89820-082-2.
- ^ "Prince Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
- ^ "Prince Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2023.