"Gotta Work" is a song by American R&B singer-songwriter Amerie, and is the second international single from her third studio album, Because I Love It (2007). It samples Sam & Dave's 1966 song "Hold On, I'm Comin'", written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter and originally recorded by Reuben Wilson. The sample used is from a cover version by Erma Franklin, from her album 'Soul Sister' (1969). Amerie called the sound of the song "'go-go soul'", saying go-go "[is] like really strong black coffee, some people can't ingest it in its purest form."Chick, Stevie. "Dancefloor dynamite". The Guardian. May 11, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
This song is featured at the end of the 2009 action film Fighting.
The music video was premiered on June 30, 2007."Video: Amerie - Gotta Work" . ConcreteLoop.com. June 30, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2007. The video was directed by Scott Franklin.
Critical reception Blues and Soul Magazine said the song "sounds like it's come from the same factory of hits as most of B's output ... 'Crazy in Love' meets 'One Thing'", but that it "treads that rare fine ground between club-friendly sing-a-long anthem and credible soulful territory; its bold and brassy orchestral instrumentation and clattering percussion pushing it along nicely. The first single from the new album, Because I Love It, and we're loving it."Devlin, Mark. "Review - Amerie: Gotta Work" . Blues and Soul Magazine. Retrieved July 31, 2007. The Village Voice named it the sixth best single of summer 2007.Breihan, Tom. "Status Ain't Hood's Quarterly Report: The Summer's Best Singles" . The Village Voice. July 3, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2007. The Daily Mirror wrote, "An old superpowered Stax riff will never let you down and there's a particularly supercharged one at the centre of ["Gotta Work"] ... Amerie sweats and grinds in the funk engine room, whipping up a lather and doing the song she has sampled a service. Get your back into it, just like she does, and the benefits can be instantly felt.". Daily Mirror. July 27, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
"Gotta Work" was ranked number seventy-one on MTV Asia's list of Top 100 Hits of 2007.MTV Asia. "Top 100 Hits List" . Retrieved 2007-12-27
"Gotta Work was used as the closing credits for ITV F1's 2007 Formula One montage.
Track listings and formats UK CD single "Gotta Work" "Gotta Work" (Remix featuring Collie Buddz) CD single (Premium) "Gotta Work" "Gotta Work" (Remix featuring Collie Buddz) "1 Thing" (Remix featuring Eve) "Gotta Work" (Video) UK 12" single. Juno Records. Retrieved July 31, 2007. "Gotta Work" (Album Version) "Gotta Work" (Instrumental Version)
Charts Chart (2007) Peakposition Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) 69 Germany (Deutsche Black Charts) 6
References
External links The Singles Jukebox - Stylus Magazine Exclaim.ca