Classic Compilation – Get It On! (1974)

When I saw a well-worn copy of Get It On! while flipping through a crate of used vinyl I thought – aww yea, a compilation of ‘70s music to get it on to!

With a $1 price tag, I didn’t hesitate to pick it up.

After dropping the needle on Get It On!, however, the main mood I was in was confused.

The album kicks off with the Brownsville Station classic “Smokin’ In The Boys Room,” which is a great song, but what does it have to do with gettin’ it on?

That’s when I decided to take a closer look at the cover, and noticed the artwork featured a mix of music, rides, and action sports. This made me wonder – did the phrase “Get It On!” have a different connotation when this compilation was released in 1974? I never imagined someone in a canoe, or on a horse saying they were “getting it on.” In fact, I’d be downright disturbed if someone said they were about to “get it on” with a horse!

Flipping the album over I went through the tracklisting, and found some truly bizarre choices for an album titled Get It On! (click the image to enlarge).

“The Morning After,” “Playground in My Mind,” and “Also sprach Zarathustra,” are just a few of the songs that don’t give me bedroom vibes. Heck, the latter became famous thanks to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey!

All that said, there were also some really good song choices on the album, a few of which even had something to do with gettin’ it on!

Here are some of my favorites.

Side One 

Brownsville Station – Smokin’ In The Boys Room

 

As I mentioned earlier, the very first song on Get It On! was my first hint that maybe this album wasn’t titled correctly. Thankfully, in my lifetime I’ve never encountered anyone getting it on in the boys room. Smoking, however, well, we’ve all seen that plenty of times, which is why this Brownsville Station classic, that was later covered by Mötley Crüe, will always resonate.

Barry White – I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby

 

Just when I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to have any getting it on on Get It On!, a Barry White song enters the mix, and no artist represents getting it on more than Barry White. “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby” features his trademark bass vocals, and some very memorable production. It will have you in the mood before the first chorus, and I’m pretty sure that’s the point!

Jerry Lee Lewis – Drinkin’ Wine

 

I absolutely love the way Jerry Lee Lewis attacked the piano. It’s no wonder he scared an entire generation of parents. He represented danger to them, while representing a hell of good time to their kids.

The O’Jays – Love Train

 

Well before Quad City DJ’s implored us to c’mon ride the train, The O’Jays wanted to welcome everyone aboard the “Love Train.” I gotta say, THAT’S a ticket well worth the price!

Side Two 

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show – Cover of the “Rolling Stone”

 

With this compilation’s title in mind, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show weren’t necessarily looking to “get it on,” but they were definitely looking to “get on” something, that something being the “Cover of the ‘Rolling Stone.’”

Fun Fact – This song was written by Shel Silverstein, who longtime readers of this site know had quite the interesting history in music (ICYMI, see my Tales From The Crates feature on him)!

Four Tops – Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got)

 

Back in the day R&B songs used to about being in love, not being in the club. Listening to the Four Tops classic “Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got)” will make you wistful for those days, even if you weren’t alive for them when they happened.

Side Note – A lotta folks may recognize this song from Jay-Z’s interpolation of it for the Reasonable Doubt track “Ain’t No N*gga” featuring Foxy Brown. Not sure how the Four Tops felt about the finished product there.

Dobie Gray – Drift Away

 

I think “Drift Away” is a song that everybody knows. It’s an absolute classic that transcends generations, and eras. Plus, Dobie Gray’s voice gives it the perfect emotion. The song legitimately feels good. Perhaps that’s why when Uncle Kracker covered “Drift Away” in 2002 he made sure to feature Gray on it.

Ian Thomas – Painted Ladies

 

The final song on Get It On! is about a certain kind of getting it on … the kind that requires a downpayment. Ian Thomas’ ode to the strippers in an Ontario nightclub – a nightclub that had rooms to stay in on another floor – is a forgotten gem well worth revisiting. There’s no word on if Thomas felt similarly about the nightclub in the song.

Sadly, despite featuring these great tunes, I don’t think Get It On! will get repeat spins in my home. Not only is it a bit too all over the place, my $1 copy is a lesson in “sometimes you get what you pay for,” as the condition of the record is pretty poor.

Ah, well, back to the crates to find more compilation albums!