Get It Together

TitleGet It Together
ArtistBeastie Boys
AlbumIll Communication
Release Date1994-03-17
DescriptionEvery Jewish mother’s favorite rap trio teams up with Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest for a playful flow in the style of the Golden Age. The track was recorded and mixed at G-Son Studios, Atwater Village, CA & Tin Pan Alley, New York, NY. It was produced and engineered by Mario Caldato, Jr. and assistant engineer, Settly. “Get it Together” was sequenced at Bundy’s Playhouse, mastered by Tom Baker at Futuredisc, and released as a single on 3.17.1994.



source: thecitrusreport

Samples include:


“Headless Heroes” by Eugene McDaniels from the album, Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse (1971)
“Inside Looking Out“ by Grand Funk Railroad from the album, Grand Funk (1969)
“Nothing Is the Same“ by Grand Funk Railroad from the album, Closer to Home (1970)





source: grooveonfire

B-Boys released several “official” remixes, including:


“Get It Together (A.B.A. Remix/Instumental)"
“Get It Together (Buck-Wild Remix)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Sx1A9aUnTX8




Beastiemania reports that “Get it Together” has been performed in 16 known concerts.


1st Known Performance: 5.17.1995 — Convocation Center, Cleveland, OH, US
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taI90nv2_Jw&feature=player_detailpage

Last Known Performance: 8.21.1998 — Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, US
Lyrics[Intro: Q-Tip]
Heh heh heh
Uh uh uh uh uh uh-ah
Uh eh eh uh (Woo!)
(Aah) Ooh (Oh) ee (Ah) ah (Eh) ooh (Eh, eh)

[Verse 1]

[Q-Tip]
One-two, one-two, keep it on
Listen to the shit because we keep it 'til dawn
Listen to the Abstract, got it going on
Listen to the ladies, come on and let me spawn
On your eggs, then you go up the river
Listen to the Abstract, that freaky nigga
[Ad Rock]
Now I'm Ad Rock and I shock and I tick and I tock
And I can't stop with the body rock

[Mike D]
See, I've got heart like John Starks
Hitting mad sparks
Pass me the mic and I'll be rockin' the whole park

[MCA]
Well, I'm the M to the C to the A and it's a must
The rhymes that we bust on the topic of lust

[Q-Tip]
And my Moms is not butt, but fuck it
Let me get down to the rhythm
Yes, I get funky and I'm shooting all my jism
Like John Holmes, the X-rated nigga
Listen to the shit cause I am the ill figure
Nobody's getting any bigger than this

[Chorus: Q-Tip]
Get it together
Get-get it together
Get...
Phone is ringing, oh my God
Get it together, see what's happening
You might also like[Verse 2]

[Q-Tip]
Ad Rock's down with the Ione
Listen to the shit cause both of them is bony
Gotta do it like this, like Chachi and Joanie

[Ad Rock]
'Cause she's the cheese and I'm the macaroni
So why all the fight and why all the fuss?
'Cause ha, I ain't got no dust
Yeah, you know I'm getting silly
Got a Grandma Hazel and a Grandma Tilly

[Mike D]
Well, I'm the Grand Royal prez and I'm also a member
Born on the cusp in the month of November
I do the Patty Duke, in case you don't remember
Well, I freak a funky beat like the shit was in a blender

[MCA]
Well, I'm long gone, word is bond
Don't need a motherfuckin' fool tellin' me right from wrong
I don't think I'm slick nor do I play like I'm hard
But I'ma drive the lane like I was Evan Bernard
[Ad Rock]
And I be working on my game

[Mike D]
Because life is taxing

[MCA]
Gotta get it together

[All 3]
And see what's happening

[Chorus: Q-Tip]
Get it together
Wait a minute, wait a minute (Get)
Wait a minute, (Get it) wait a minute
Get it together
Wait a minute, (Get) wait a minute (Get-get)
Wait a minute, wait a minute
Get it together
Wait a minute, wait a minute
S-see what's happening

[Verse 3]

[Q-Tip]
I go One-Two like my name was Biz Mark
But I had to do the shit, just let me embark
On the lyric and the noun and the verb
Let me kick the shit off cause, yo, I'm not the herb

[Mike D]
Well, it's not the herb but the spice with the flavor to spare
The Moog with the funk for your derriere
While we're on that topic, yes, I like to mention
When it comes to bonin' - woo! - I'm representing

[MCA]
Spacin', zonin', talkin' on the phone and
My brain is roamin' and I don't know where it's goin'
Talking lots of shit, a little tweaking on the weekend (what?)
I gotta to get him by the reins because I know that I'm freaking (yeah)

[Ad Rock]
Well, I'm a funky soul and I'm a Scorpio
And when I get my flow I'm Dr. On-the-Go
So, Q-Tip, what you on the mic for?

[Q-Tip]
Because I had to talk about the times when I rhyme
And when the MC's come in my face, I'm like mace
Because I back them off with the quills
'Cause I have to tell you, nigga, 'cause I'll keep you under prills
Resting on Nine-One-One Sixteenth Ave., off the Farmers Boulevard (yeah)

[Ad-Rock]
Well I'm from Manhattan, MCA's from Brooklyn
Yeah, MCA, your shit be cookin'

[MCA]
(Yeah)
Praying mantis on the court and I can't be beat
But, yo, Tip, what's up with the boots on your feet?

[Q-Tip]
Got the Timbos on the toes and this is how it goes
Oh, one-two, oh my god
One-two, oh my god

[Mike D]
I got some shit
I've got the kung fu grip behind my green trap kit
Never, ever, ever smoking crack

[Q-Tip]
Never, ever, ever fucking wack
I eat the fuckin' pineapple Now & Laters
Listen to me now, don't listen to me later
Fuck it, 'cause I know I didn't make it fuckin' rhyme for real
But, yo, technically I'm as hard as steel

[Outro]
Gonna get it together, watch it
Gonna get it together, Ma Bell
I'm like Ma Bell, I got the ill communication
Ma Bell, Got the ill communication
Ma Bell, Got the ill communications (Who's that?)
Ma Bell, Got the ill communication (word 'em up, word-word 'em up)
Ma Bell
Eh-eh
Ah-ah-ha-ha
Keep it on and on