Get Back (Demi Lovato song)

"Get Back"
Single by Demi Lovato
from the album Don't Forget
Released August 12, 2008 (2008-08-12)
Format Digital download
Genre Pop rock, power pop
Length 3:19
Label Hollywood
Writer(s) Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas II, Nick Jonas
Producer John Fields, Jonas Brothers
Demi Lovato singles chronology
"This Is Me"
(2008)
"Get Back"
(2008)
"La La Land"
(2008)

"Get Back" is a song performed by American singer–songwriter Demi Lovato. It was written by Lovato, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas II and Nick Jonas, and produced by the Jonas Brothers alongside John Fields, for Lovato's debut studio album, Don't Forget (2008). The song features Jack Lawless on drums and John Taylor and the Jonas Brothers on guitars. The initial writing of the song took place when Lovato wanted to write a song about getting back together with an old boyfriend, as opposed to writing mean or heartbroken songs. "Get Back" was released as the album's lead single on August 12, 2008, by Hollywood Records. Musically, the song is an upbeat pop rock and power pop song with a guitar-driven sound.

The song was met with generally positive reviews from critics and performed average commercially, peaking at number forty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and ninety-three on the Canadian Hot 100. In Australia, the song peaked at number ten on the ARIA Hitseekers chart. The accompanying music video, directed by Philip Andelman, shows Lovato and her band performing the song on top of an abandoned building with Manhattan Bridge in the background. Lovato has performed the song on several occasions, including the opening of the 2008 Disney Channel Games and the The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Contents

Background

"Get Back" was written by Lovato, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas II and Nick Jonas, and produced by the Jonas Brothers alongside John Fields.[1] Lovato wanted to write a song about getting back together with someone, as she believed enough mean and heartbroken songs had already been made.[2] She said, "It's kind of a fun, upbeat song and it's kind of just fun to sing to the person that I wrote it about."[2] The Jonas Brothers provided backing vocals and guitars on the track.[1] In addition to co-producing the song, Fields also provided bass, guitars and keyboards.[1] Jack Lawless played the drums, and John Taylor contributed backing vocals and played the guitar.[1] The song was released as the lead single for Don't Forget (2008) on August 12, 2008, in the United States and Canada via digital download.[3][4] The edited Radio Disney version was released on the same day.[5]

Composition

"Get Back" is a guitar-driven upbeat pop rock and power pop song.[6][7] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is set in common time with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. It is performed in the key of C major and Lovato's vocals span from the note of B3 to the note of G5.[8] Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic compared the song's sound to works by Tommy Tutone.[6] Lyrically, the song is about a desire to get back together with an old boyfriend, demonstrated in the lines "I want to get back to the old days", and "Kiss me like you mean it".[6][9]

Reception

Judy Coleman of The Boston Globe called "Get Back" a "welcome girl-rock hit".[10] Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic included the song at number eight on his "Top 10 from the Disney girls" list, and said, "She wrote this with the Jonas Brothers, but it sounds more like a Tommy Tutone B-side from the early '80s or the sort of thing Greg Kihn was pining for when he sang, 'They don't write 'em like that anymore'".[6] Masley noted that the song sounds better live, as does "nearly everything Lovato touches". Masley concluded, writing, "When she sings 'I want to get back to the old days,' what she means is when she and her boyfriend were happy, but power-pop fans will hear it as a call to get back to much older days than that."[6] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic noted it as one of the best tracks on Don't Forget.[11] Joey Guerra of The Houston Chronicle called it "undeniably kicky, and Lovato manages some surprisingly credible rock wails."[12] Ken Barnes of USA Today called it an "insidious, Go-Go's-like single".[13]

On the issue dated August 30, 2008, "Get Back" debuted at its peak position of number at number forty-three on the Billboard Hot 100.[14] The following week, it fell fifty places to number ninety-three.[15] The song spent a total of six weeks on the chart.[14] In Canada, it charted at number ninety-three on the Canadian Hot 100 on the issue dated August 30, 2008, which was its only appearance on that chart.[16] In Australia, the song peaked at number ten on the ARIA Hitseekers chart on the issue dated May 11, 2009.[17]

Promotion

The music video for "Get Back" was directed by Philip Andelman,[18] and shot in one day.[19] The clip premiered on Disney Channel on August 22, 2008, following the premiere of The Cheetah Girls: One World.[20] It was later made available for digital download on iTunes Store on September 16, 2008.[21] The video begins with a shot of the Manhattan Bridge, and Lovato and her band are then seen on a small stage on top of a building. Lovato sports black clothing, a beaded scarf and red gloves. Throughout the first verse and chorus, Lovato dances around on stage with Manhattan Bridge visible in the background. Following the first chorus, the sun goes down and an aerial shot of the city's nightlife is shown. The second verse and chorus are performed during night. During the song's bridge, a daytime shot is shown of Lovato while sitting alone on the rooftop and looking away from the camera. After this, she is back on stage and performing the last chorus during nighttime with bright lights in the background. The video ends with the performance being finished, with Lovato turning around and walking towards her band.

Lovato performed "Get Back" for the first time at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Disney Channel Games on May 4, 2008.[22] On October 1, 2008, she performed it on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.[23] On January 19, 2009, Lovato performed the song alongside "La La Land" at the Kids' Inaugural: "We Are the Future" event in Washington, D.C., at the Verizon Center. The event was held to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States.[24] On April 24, 2009, Lovato performed an acoustic version of "Get Back" in Radio Disney's network studio.[25] Also in April 2009, the song was performed as part of the iTunes Live from London series. The full performances were released as an iTunes Store-exclusive extended play featuring recorded live versions on May 17, 2009.[26] In May 2009, Lovato performed the song at a Walmart concert, which was released as Demi Lovato: Live: Walmart Soundcheck, featuring recorded live versions on a CD, and the full performances on a DVD.[27]

Lovato performed "Get Back" on the Jonas Brothers' Burnin' Up Tour, for which she served as the opening act, during the summer of 2008.[28] Later in 2009, the song was performed during her first headlining tour, Summer Tour 2009.[29] The song was performed last, and Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic called it "super-charged".[29] In 2010, she performed the song during her South American tour as the show's finale.[30] Lovato also performed the song as the opening number for her set during the Jonas Brothers Live in Concert World Tour 2010.[31] In September 2011, Lovato performed the song during the revue concert An Evening with Demi Lovato.[32]

Track listings

  1. "Get Back" – 3:19
  1. "Get Back" (Radio Disney Version) – 3:19

Credits and personnel

Source:[1]

Charts

Chart (2008) Peak
position
Australia Hitseekers (ARIA)[17] 10
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 93
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 43

References

  1. ^ a b c d e (2008) Album notes for Don't Forget by Demi Lovato [CD]. United States: Hollywood.
  2. ^ a b Demi Lovato (September 2008). In Tune with Demi Lovato (TV). Disney Channel. 
  3. ^ a b "Get Back: Demi Lovato". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DE0GXS. Retrieved July 18, 2011. 
  4. ^ "Get Back (Radio Disney Version) – Single by Demi Lovato". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/get-back-radio-disney-version/id286626799. Retrieved July 18, 2011. 
  5. ^ a b "Get Back (Radio Disney Version) – Single by Demi Lovato". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/get-back-radio-disney-version/id286626799. Retrieved July 18, 2011. 
  6. ^ a b c d e Masley, Ed (September 21, 2009). "Top 10 from the Disney girls". The Arizona Republic (Gannett Company). http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/music/articles/2009/09/21/20090921disneyhotlist.html. Retrieved April 24, 2011. 
  7. ^ Slezak, Michael (September 17, 2008). "Don't Forget". Entertainment Weekly (Time, Inc). http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20226319,00.html. Retrieved April 25, 2011. 
  8. ^ "Demi Lovato – Get Back Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. 
  9. ^ Asay, Paul; Smithouser, Bob. "Don't Forget". Plugged In (Focus on the Family). http://www.pluggedin.com/music/albums/2008/demilovato-dontforget.aspx. Retrieved April 29, 2011. 
  10. ^ Coleman, Judy (September 23, 2008). "At sweet 16, Lovato's ready for her close-up". The Boston Globe (The New York Times Company). http://articles.boston.com/2008-09-23/ae/29273926_1_demi-lovato-pop-newcomer-song. Retrieved April 25, 2011. 
  11. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Don't Forget – Demi Lovato". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-forget-r1422565/review. Retrieved July 18, 2011. 
  12. ^ Guerra, Joey (September 22, 2008). "Fall brings fresh crop of music from female acts". The Houston Chronicle (Hearst Corporation). http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/features/6016442.html. Retrieved July 19, 2011. 
  13. ^ Barnes, Ken (September 23, 2008). "Listen Up ; Music reviews by USA TODAY critics". USA Today (Gannett Company). 
  14. ^ a b c "Demi Lovato Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Demi Lovato. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  15. ^ "Hot 100 – Week of September 06, 2008". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/hot-100?chartDate=2008-09-06&order=drop. Retrieved July 18, 2011. 
  16. ^ a b "Canadian Hot 100 – 2008-08-30". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/607z5LgtZ. Retrieved July 18, 2011. 
  17. ^ a b "The ARIA Report – Chartifacts – 11th May 2009" (PDF). ARIA Charts. Pandora Archive. http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20090520-0000/issue1002.pdf. Retrieved July 24, 2011. 
  18. ^ "Demi Lovato – Get Back Music Video". MuchMusic. Bell Media. http://watch.muchmusic.com/artists-a-z/d/demi-lovato/clip96412#clip96412. Retrieved April 24, 2011. 
  19. ^ Lovato, Demi (video). Making the Video: Get Back (DVD). Don't Forget (Deluxe Edition). 
  20. ^ "Disney Channel to Debut Demi Lovato's New Music Video Friday, August 22" (DOC) (Press release). Disney Channel Medianet. http://www.disneychannelmedianet.com/DNR/2008/doc/DemiLovato_music_video_short_take.doc. Retrieved August 14, 2011. 
  21. ^ "Get Back by Demi Lovato (Music video)". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. http://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/get-back/id2897413564. Retrieved July 19, 2011. 
  22. ^ Shapiro, Ellen (April 30, 2008). "Miley to Perform at Disney Channel Games". People (Time, Inc). http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20196675,00.html. Retrieved July 29, 2011. 
  23. ^ "Episode dated October 1, 2008". The Ellen DeGeneres Show. NBC. October 1, 2008. No. 801.
  24. ^ Mitovich, Matt (January 16, 2009). ""Ridiculously Nervous" Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers Honored to Perform at Inauguration Eve Concert". TV Guide. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Lovato-Jonas-Inauguration-1001722.aspx. Retrieved July 27, 2011. 
  25. ^ "Demi Lovato's In-studio Acoustic Performance to be Presented Exclusively on Radio Disney, Friday, April 24" (Press release). Disney Channel Medianet. April 21, 2009. http://www.disneychannelmedianet.com/DNR/2009/doc/RadioDisney_DemiAcoustic.doc. Retrieved August 15, 2011. 
  26. ^ "iTunes Live from London – EP by Demi Lovato". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/itunes-live-from-london-ep/id317435961. Retrieved July 13, 2011. 
  27. ^ "Live-Walmart Soundcheck: Demi Lovato". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002WDEZN6. Retrieved August 14, 2011. 
  28. ^ Willmott, Tracey (August 20, 2008). "Jonas Brothers make it a night to remember". The Buffalo News (Berkshire Hathaway). 
  29. ^ a b Masley, Ed (July 10, 2009). "Demi Lovato works magic in Glendale". The Arizona Republic (Gannett Company). http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/music/articles/2009/07/10/20090710demilovato.html. Retrieved August 14, 2011. 
  30. ^ Porto, Henrique (May 28, 2010). "Demi Lovato faz show 'interativo' em primeira apresentação solo no Rio" (in Portuguese). G1 (Organizações Globo). http://g1.globo.com/pop-arte/noticia/2010/05/demi-lovato-faz-show-interativo-em-primeira-apresentacao-solo-no-rio.html. Retrieved August 14, 2011. 
  31. ^ Ruff, Julie (September 11, 2010). "Overnight review: Jonas Brothers". San Antonio Express-News (Hearst Communications). http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/Overnight-review-Jonas-Brothers-653985.php. Retrieved August 14, 2011. 
  32. ^ Caramanica, Jon (September 18, 2011). "After Disney, After Rehab, a Singer Tries Growing Up". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/arts/music/demi-lovatos-unbroken-review.html. Retrieved October 8, 2011. 

External links