In the late 1960s he led a blues-rock trio called Love Sculpture, who scored a quasi-novelty hit by reworking Khachaturian's classical piece "Sabre Dance" as a speed-crazed rock number. "Sabre Dance" became a hit after garnering the enthusiastic attention of British DJ John Peel.
After Love Sculpture split, Edmunds had a number one single with "I Hear You Knocking", a Smiley Lewis cover. His only acting role followed, as a band member in the David Essex movie Stardust (1974 movie). After learning the trade of producer, culminating in a couple of singles in the style of Phil Spector, "Baby I Love You" and "Born To Be With You", he became linked with the pub rock movement of the early 1970s, producing Brinsley Schwarz, Ducks Deluxe, and also The Flamin' Groovies, using a stripped down, grittier sound.
His own solo LP from that era, Subtle As A Flying Mallet, was similar in style. In 1977, the Brinsley Schwarz connection brought about a collaboration with Nick Lowe under the name Rockpile, with Billy Bremner and Terry Williams. For contractual reasons they could not record as Rockpile until 1980, but contemporary solo LPs (such as Nick Lowe's Labour of Lust and Edmunds' own Repeat When Necessary) were in fact group recordings. Dave Edmunds had more hits during this time, including Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk", Nick Lowe's "I Knew The Bride", Hank DeVito's "Queen of Hearts" ), Graham Parker's "Crawling From The Wreckage", and Melvin Endsley's "Singing The Blues" (originally a hit for Guy Mitchell).
Unexpectedly, after Rockpile relased their first LP under their own name (1980's Seconds Of Pleasure), the band split, generally attributed to tensions between Edmunds and Lowe. Edmunds spent the 1980s collaborating with and producing an assortment of artists, from Paul McCartney to King Kurt, and from The Stray Cats to Status Quo. He recorded the soundtrack for Porky's Revenge, supplying the main theme, "High School Nights", and was the musical director for a television special starring Carl Perkins, with assorted guests including George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Rosanne Cash.
On his 1983 and 1984 releases, Information and Riff Raff, Edmunds collaborated on two songs with Jeff Lynne, the lead musician of Electric Light Orchestra. He recorded less frequently after the mid 1980s.
Edmunds now lives in Wales in semi-retirement, touring Scandinavia infrequently, after surviving a quadruple bypass several years ago.
Git It
Dave Edmunds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Well-oh, well-oh, well-oh, well-oh
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Woo-who-who, woo-who-who
Woo-who-who, woo-who-who
Woo-who-who-who, woo-who-who, woo who-who-oh-who
Once there was a girl, oh she was so sweet
She said to me, where can it be? where's your Cadillac car?
A Cadillac car (Cadillac car)
Where can I get me a Cadillac car?
I don't have it now but I can git it (git it)
I don't have it now but I can git it (git it)
I don't have it now but I can git it (git it)
Well I'll do the best I can
Well she said, git it, git it, git it, git it, git it
Once there was a girl, oh oh what a girl
She said to me where can it be? where's your diamond ring?
A diamond ring (diamond ring)
Where can I get me a diamond ring?
I don't have it now but I can git it (git it)
I don't have it now but I can git it (git it)
I don't have it now but I can git it (git it)
Well I'm gonna do the best I can
Well say, git it, git it, git it, git it, git it
Well-oh, well-oh, ...
Woo-who-who, woo-who-who
Woo-who-who, woo-who-who...
The lyrics to Dave Edmunds's song "Git It" are a simple call-and-response structure. The first part of the song showcases a repeated pattern of "well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip" followed by "woo-who-who" which the audience repeats back. The second part of the song talks about a girl who desires a Cadillac car and a diamond ring, which the singer doesn't have, but can "git it". The demand of "git it" is also repeated by the audience.
The song can be interpreted variously as a simple song about a girl who desires expensive things, and a man who will do his best to get it for her, or as an allegory for something more meaningful - the need for material possessions, and the role money and desire have in our lives.
The repetitive nature of the lyrics builds up to a crescendo, and the catchy melody and rhythm make it an enjoyable song to dance to.
Line by Line Meaning
Well-oh, well-oh wop, whip-whip-whip
Repeating sounds intended to add rhythm and energy to the song
Woo-who-who, woo-who-who
Vocal sounds used also to add energy and excitement to the song
Once there was a girl, oh she was so sweet
Narrating a story about a girl who caught the singer's interest and attention
She said to me, where can it be? where's your Cadillac car?
The girl asked the singer where he parked his Cadillac car
A Cadillac car (Cadillac car)
Repeating the phrase 'Cadillac car' for emphasis
Where can I get me a Cadillac car?
The girl expressed her desire to know where she can buy herself a Cadillac car
I don't have it now but I can git it (git it)
The singer doesn't have a Cadillac car at the moment but he can get it for her
Well I'll do the best I can
The singer expressed his commitment to try his best to get her a Cadillac car
Well she said, git it, git it, git it, git it, git it
The girl encouraged the singer to 'get it' or get her the Cadillac car she wants
Once there was a girl, oh oh what a girl
Continuing the narration of the girl who caught the singer's interest
She said to me where can it be? where's your diamond ring?
The girl asked the singer where he kept his diamond ring
A diamond ring (diamond ring)
Repeating the phrase 'diamond ring' for emphasis
Where can I get me a diamond ring?
The girl expressed her desire to know where to buy a diamond ring for herself
I don't have it now but I can git it (git it)
The singer doesn't have a diamond ring at the moment but he can get it for her
Well I'm gonna do the best I can
The singer is committed to trying his best to get her a diamond ring
Well say, git it, git it, git it, git it, git it
The girl encourages the singer to 'git it' or get her the diamond ring she wants
Well-oh, well-oh, ...
Repeating the sounds used earlier to maintain the song's rhythm and energy
Woo-who-who, woo-who-who
Continuing the use of vocal sounds to add energy to the song
Woo-who-who-who, woo-who-who, woo who-who-oh-who
More vocal sounds used to add energy and excitement to the song
Contributed by Jeremiah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tommy Wells
on Sabre Dance (Love Sculpture)
Could you please put this song on Amazon Music?