We Got the Beat

"We Got the Beat"
Single by The Go-Go's
from the album Beauty and the Beat
B-side	"Can't Stop the World"
Released	US: July 27, 1980 UK: January 16, 1982
Format	7" single
Recorded	1980
Genre	New Wave
Length	2:32
Label	Stiff (1980), I.R.S. (1981, 1982), A&M (1982)
Writer(s)	Charlotte Caffey
Producer	Richard Gottehrer, Rob Freeman
Certification	Gold (CRIA, RIAA)
The Go-Go's singles chronology
"Our Lips Are Sealed" (1980) "We Got the Beat" (1980) "Vacation" (1982)
Alternative cover

"We Got the Beat" is a song recorded by the American rock band The Go-Go's. Written by the group's lead guitarist Charlotte Caffey, the band recorded the song in 1980 and it was released in July as a single in the UK on Stiff Records. The song's single release brought the Go-Go's underground credibility in the UK. The song climbed to number 35 on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart due to the popularity of the song in clubs as an import.

The following year the Go-Go's re-recorded the song for their debut album Beauty and the Beat. Released in January 1982 as the album's second single, "We Got the Beat" became the Go-Go's biggest hit, spending three weeks at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, behind Joan Jett & the Blackhearts' "I Love Rock 'n Roll". It was during the song's time in the U.S. top ten that Beauty and the Beat topped the U.S. Billboard 200.

Clocking in at only two-and-a-half-minutes, the song is instantly recognizable by its drumming intro. Lyrically, the song is a simple ode to dancing to a good beat, hanging out, and looking cool. In line with a trend of early 1960s revival also seen in bands like The B-52's, The Rezillos, and numerous powerpop and ska revival bands,"We Got the Beat" mentions various early 60s dances, such as the Pony, the Watusi, and Go-Go dancing (which could also be interpreted as a self-reference). The song's music video received heavy airplay on MTV at the time and consisted of a simple live concert performance of the song and gained further exposure by being used in the opening sequence of the Amy Heckerling-directed film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). The song is in chromatic-minor.

"We Got the Beat" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Cover versions

• Hardcore Punk band Poison Idea covered the song as the b-side of their 1989 Plastic Bomb single.
• Alternative rock band Chainsaw Kittens recorded a cover of the song for their 2000 album The All American.
• Donna Air in her pop duo, Crush covered this song on their first album.
• Girl group Girl Authority covered the song for their 2006 self-titled album.
• In St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold, the song is covered during a flash mob.
• Sharon Leal, Ashley Tisdale and Heather Hemmens from The CW's television series Hellcats covered this song in the episode "Back of a Car".
• The Glee Cast covered the song on the third season premiere "The Purple Piano Project" which aired on September 20th, 2011. The cover was also played in a season three teaser promo where the cast was being hit with dodgeballs.
• Industrial group Bile recorded a cover of the song for their 2002 album The Copy Machine.
• Alyson Stoner covered the song in the Disney Channel Original Movie Radio Rebel.

Parodies

• The song was parodied as "We Got the Bee" for the DreamWorks Animation film Bee Movie.
• The song was parodied as "We Got the Gifts" for Foley's 1999 Christmas ad campaign.
• The pilot episode of the 1980s Alvin and the Chipmunks television show featured this song parodied as "We Aim to Please".

Appearances in other media

• This song is playable in Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s.
• This song is playable in Rock Band 2 as a master track, but slightly altered for gameplay.
• This song is available to play on Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party
• This song plays during the credits to Romy & Michele's High School Reunion
• This song plays during the opening sequence to Fast Times at Ridgemont High
• This song plays in the 2001 film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
• This song also appears on the Brimstone & Treacle soundtrack.
• This song is in an episode of "Samantha Who?" called "The Restraining Order".
• This song is performed by the cast of Glee in the first episode of Season 3 of the Fox TV show.

Charts

Chart (1981)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	35
Chart (1982)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	2
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	7
Canadian Singles Chart	3

Legacy

The song was used in an episode title of the hit teen show Degrassi: The Next Generation. The episode focused on the character Manny's debutante ball. It was also a playable track on Rockband 2.

The song was covered in the third season of Glee during its premiere episode The Purple Piano Project.

Track listing

1. We Got the Beat
2. Can't Stop the World