Got To Give It Up
Aaliyah feat. Slick Rick Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I used to go out to parties and stand around;
'cause I was too nervous to really get down.
But my body yearned to be free.
I got up on the floor, boy,
so somebody could choose me.
No more standin' upside the wall.
I have got myself together, baby,
now I'm havin' a ball.
Long as you're groovin' theres' always a chance
somebody watchin' might wanna make romance.

Move your body, move baby, and dance all night,
To the groovin', I feel all right.
Havin' a party, ooh, invite all your friends;
But if you see me stop by, let me in.
Baby, just party all night long.
Let me slip into your erotic zone.
(We heard that!)

Move it up,
Turn it around, ooh, shake it down
Ooh, you can bump me when you want to, babe.
This is such a groovy party, baby.
Dancin' face to face and everybody's screamin'
this is such a groovy place.
All the young ladies are so fine.
You're movin' your body leaves me no doubt;
know what you're thinkin', baby, you want to turn me out.
Think I'm gonna let you do it?

Keep on dancin' oh, Keep on dancin' oh.
Ooh, look so good, yeah, keep on dancin'
Oh, now sugar, got to give it up.




Keep on dancin', gotta give it up.
Keep on dancin' . . . . .

Overall Meaning

In Aaliyah feat. Slick Rick's song Got To Give It Up, the lyrics describe the transformation of a shy and self-conscious person who becomes more confident and goes on the dance floor. The song inspires listeners to let go of their inhibitions and enjoy the moment by dancing and having fun. The chorus repeats the phrase "Keep on dancin', gotta give it up" which encourages people to keep moving and not give up on themselves. The lyrics also suggest that dancing can lead to romance and intimacy, as expressed in the lines "Long as you're groovin' there's always a chance somebody watchin' might wanna make romance" and "Let me slip into your erotic zone."


The song's upbeat and catchy rhythm, infused with funk and disco elements, contributes to its positive vibe and encourages listeners to dance along. Aaliyah's soulful and dynamic vocals, combined with Slick Rick's laid-back and playful rap, also add to the song's charm and appeal. The lyrics' message of letting go of one's fears and insecurities and embracing the moment is still relevant today and can inspire people to dance and have fun.


Line by Line Meaning

I used to go out to parties and stand around;
In the past, I used to attend parties and just stand around because I was too nervous to dance.


'cause I was too nervous to really get down.
I lacked the confidence to truly let loose and enjoy dancing.


But my body yearned to be free.
Despite my reservations, my body desired to experience the freedom and joy of dancing.


I got up on the floor, boy, so somebody could choose me.
To remedy this, I got on the dance floor hoping that someone would pick me as a dance partner.


No more standin' upside the wall.
I'm no longer standing awkwardly against the wall, I'm dancing and having fun.


I have got myself together, baby, now I'm havin' a ball.
I've overcome my shyness, and now I'm really enjoying myself.


Long as you're groovin' theres' always a chance somebody watchin' might wanna make romance.
As long as we're dancing, there's a possibility that someone might be attracted to us and want to take things further.


Move your body, move baby, and dance all night, To the groovin', I feel all right.
Let your body loose and dance all night. The beat is infectious and makes me feel good.


Havin' a party, ooh, invite all your friends;
Let's have a party and invite all our friends to join in the fun.


But if you see me stop by, let me in.
If you happen to see me, please let me join the party.


Baby, just party all night long.
Let's continue to dance and have fun for the entire night.


Let me slip into your erotic zone. (We heard that!)
I want to move closer to you and maybe even become more intimate. (We heard that!)


Move it up, Turn it around, ooh, shake it down
Let's keep the energy going and dance with different moves and rhythms.


Ooh, you can bump me when you want to, babe.
I'm open to being bumped into and dancing together whenever you want to, baby.


This is such a groovy party, baby.
The party is amazing and I'm having a great time.


Dancin' face to face and everybody's screamin' this is such a groovy place.
We're dancing close together and everyone is saying how fantastic this party is.


All the young ladies are so fine.
All the young ladies here are beautiful and attractive.


You're movin' your body leaves me no doubt; know what you're thinkin', baby, you want to turn me out.
The way you're dancing indicates that you want to seduce me and turn me on.


Think I'm gonna let you do it?
Do you think I'll let you seduce me and take advantage of me like that?


Keep on dancin' oh, Keep on dancin' oh.
Let's keep on dancing all night long.


Ooh, look so good, yeah, keep on dancin'.
You look amazing, keep dancing like that.


Oh, now sugar, got to give it up.
Come on, now, my love, let's give in to the moment.


Keep on dancin', gotta give it up. Keep on dancin' . . . . .
We should keep dancing to the music and just give in to the moment.




Lyrics ยฉ OBO APRA/AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

@markmenez4097

Another hidden gem from the album.

@cjturner370

I Love this Version
Marvin's Rules Of course
But with the Michael Jackson Beat At The Beginning
Makes This Awesome

@markfortino6929

They're all gems but this one's a banger. Lol

@DavidRichardson95

I love this version. MJ's music, Marvin's lyrics and Baby Girl's vocals.

#RIPAaliyah
#RIPMarvinGaye
#RIPMJ

@antoniotassi253

MJ borrowed this from Marvin, so basically it's a remake of Marvin Gayes original song.. it's good though!

@ahleeyahvideos

@@antoniotassi253 Michael didnโ€™t, though.

@antoniotassi253

@@ahleeyahvideos Michael sampled from his music most definitely!

@Pax2sitoh

@@antoniotassi253 I don't believe the bass line used in the beginning of billie jean was sampled from Marvin Gaye which is what Aaliyah sampled here along with a mix of Got to Give it up by Marvin. What a great mix with her great vocals.

@Kadddddddd

@@antoniotassi253 bro the beat samples the drums from Billie Jeanโ€ฆ The melody and lyrics is got to give it up๐Ÿคก๐Ÿคก๐Ÿคก๐Ÿคก

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@angelamarie1610

She is literally the most beautiful woman I have ever seen โค๏ธ

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