Gotta Get Up

File:Harry Nilsson (1974) (tall).png

"Gotta Get Up" is about the transition from carefree youth to adult responsibility. The song was originally attempted in March 1968 as a potential track for Nilsson's Aerial Ballet (1968) or Harry (1969). This earlier version of the song is cheerier and more uptempo than the recording that was released on Nilsson Schmilsson. The remake takes on a more serious tone and features an aleatoric glissando at the end. Producer Richard Perry said that the addition was inspired by the number of takes devoted to the song: "We had to do so many takes that we got cabin fever and started messing around, and Harry decided to incorporate the craziness in the song."

Nilsson biographer Alyn Shipton suggests that portions of the song are based on Nilsson's former dayjob as a computer programmer at a bank, while other portions are written from the point of view of his parents.{{cite book|last=Shipton|first=Alyn|title=Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kWImAAAAQBAJ|year=2013|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-933069-0|page=115}} Part of the lyrics mention a woman who knew a military sailor that "would pound her for a couple of days, and then he'd sail across the bubbly waves, and those were happier days." According to Pitchfork writer Mike Powell, the lyric demonstrate Nilsson's "intelligence as a writer ... The Nilsson-ness is in the phrase pound her – a contrast between sweet nostalgia and unsentimental truth."{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Mike |title=L.A. Weirdos |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/underscore/8786-nilsson-newman-and-some-other-la-weirdos/ |website=Pitchfork |date=April 11, 2012|accessdate=February 9, 2019 }}

AllMusic reviewer Matthew Greenwalk said that the lyrics illustrate a "dread of aging and facing responsibility" as Nilsson describes waking up after a wild party and "having to get on with reality – grudgingly." Aisha Harris of The New York Times wrote that the song's "bright, infectious instrumentation belies melancholy, wistful lyrics about growing older."{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Aisha |title=This Is That Song From 'Russian Doll' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/01/arts/television/russian-doll-netflix-harry-nilsson-gotta-get-up.html |accessdate=February 9, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=February 1, 2019}}

On October 11, 1971, "Gotta Get Up" was released as the B-side to Nilsson's single "Without You", a Badfinger cover that reached number one on the Billboard Pop and Adult Contemporary singles charts. Both songs were included on Nilsson Schmilsson, released in November 1971.

In 2019, "Gotta Get Up" was prominently featured as the "reset" song in the Netflix series Russian Doll. The song plays each time the series' protagonist Nadia (co-creator Natasha Lyonne) dies and returns to the same location – a bathroom at her 36th birthday party.{{cite news |last1=McCormick |first1=Neil |title=Gotta Get Up: why the Russian Doll song has everybody talking about Harry Nilsson |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/gotta-get-russian-doll-song-giving-harry-nilsson-second-life/ |access-date=February 9, 2019 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=February 6, 2019}} Its use is similar to that of Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" from the 1993 film Groundhog Day.{{cite web |last1=Zellner |first1=Xander |title=Harry Nilsson's 'Gotta Get Up' Surges 2,466% in Streams After 'Russian Doll' Premiere |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/harry-nilsson-gotta-get-up-russian-doll-streaming-surge/ |publisher=Billboard |access-date=June 12, 2022 |date=February 22, 2019|url-access=subscription}} Lyonne explained that in choosing the song she was struck by the "buoyant doomsday quality" of Nilsson's life. The cost of using the song so many times took up a significant portion of the music budget. His estate also limited how many times the song could be used.

"Gotta Get Up" experienced a surge in streams and searches after the series was released on February 1, 2019.{{cite news |title=What's the song in Russian Doll that keeps playing? |url=https://www.nme.com/news/tv/russian-doll-netflix-soundtrack-harry-nillson-gotta-get-up-2442969 |access-date=February 9, 2019 |work=NME |date=February 4, 2019}} Spotify saw a 3,300 percent increase in streams in the U.S. after the first week of the show's release.{{Cite web|url=https://newsroom.spotify.com/2019-02-21/nadia-dies-nadia-lives-gotta-get-up-plays-users-repeat/|title=Nadia Dies. Nadia Lives. 'Gotta Get Up' Plays. Users Repeat.|date=February 21, 2019|website=Spotify|access-date=21 February 2019}} Nielsen SoundScan reported a 2,466 percent increase from 8,000 plays (with few downloads sold) to 216,000 plays (with 1,000 downloads sold).

According to the 1971 LP credits:{{Cite AV media notes |title=Nilsson Schmilsson|others=Harry Nilsson|year=2000 |type=CD booklet: reproduced 1971 LP sleeve |publisher=BMG Entertainment}}

• Harry Nilsson – vocals, piano
• Klaus Voormann – bass
• Jim Gordon – drums
• Chris Spedding – guitar
• Richard Perry – percussion
• Henry Krein – accordion
• Jim Price – trombone, trumpet

• 1977: Sung by Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz in their 1977 stage production of Nilsson's The Point! in London at the Mermaid Theatre. An original cast recording featuring their cover of the song was also released.
• 1989: Featured in the first episode of season 1 of the dramedy Hooperman, starting John Ritter
• 2006: Featured in the romantic comedy A Good Year, starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard.
• 2011: Featured as the intro song for TV show Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• 2019: Featured in the Netflix series Russian Doll.
• 2020: Featured in the 4th episode of the 32nd season of The Simpsons: "Treehouse of Horror XXXI", during Lisa's birthday time loop.
• 2022: Featured in Episode 2 “Co-Pilot” of the CBS series So Help Me Todd.
• 2023: American Express ad

• 1977: Davy Jones & Micky Dolenz, The Point – Original Cast Recording
• 2009: Marty Finkel, The Good Life
• 2014: Annie Nilsson, This Is the Town – A Tribute to Nilsson Volume 1
• 2016: Ty Segall

{{reflist}}

• {{YouTube|id=5NhJhuAnznM|title="Gotta Get Up" (1968 version) from Sessions 1967–1975 – Rarities from The RCA Albums Collection}}
• {{YouTube|id=B1so16tPJcg|title="Gotta Get Up" (1970 demo) from Nilsson Sessions 1968–1971}}
• {{YouTube|id=azSneeB_bv8|title="Gotta Get Up" (1971 demo) from Nilsson Sessions 1971–1974}}

Further reading

• {{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Steve |title='Russian Doll': The Story Behind the Song That's Probably Stuck in Your Head Right Now |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/02/russian-doll-soundtrack-songs-netflix-1202040551/ |accessdate=February 9, 2019 |publisher=IndieWire |date=February 4, 2019 }}

{{Harry Nilsson}}

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Category:1971 songs

Category:Harry Nilsson songs

Category:Songs written by Harry Nilsson

Category:Song recordings produced by Richard Perry

Category:Music hall songs