Gett Off [video maxi single] Prince video

Warner Music Vision

video

Pump it like you want somebody

The promotional video for Gett Off was released as a VHS maxi-video companion to the EP lead single promoting Prince and the New Power Generation’s debut album Diamonds And Pearls.

The Gett Off promo is accompanied by four other video versions of the main song. The Gett Off video is directed by Randee St. Nicholas and shot in the soundstage at Paisley Park Studios during July 1991. Its set comprised a bed, human chair and Romanesque columns spouting fire. The cast included 50 dancers, recreating a Roman-style orgy in a storyline inspired by the 1979 movie Caligula. Its lavish production ran to a cost of £1.3m and employed 200 people on set, a daunting feat for the directional debut of St. Nicholas – a stills photographer by trade. Its spiralling expense later caused the collapse of the hired production company Point Of View Films. 

Gett Off home video features lead dancers Lori Werner and Robia LaMorte in their roles as Diamond and Pearl. They start the video by turning up to the Paisley Park soundstage for an audition, and in they walk into Prince’s clutches. The other versions accompanying it are the promo videos for the single’s B-side tracks, completely reworked versions of Gett Off lyrically and thematically, all are in every essence individual songs: Gett Off (Houstyle), Gangster Glam and Clockin’ The Jizz are noted for featuring scenes capturing the inside Prince’s home on Galpin Blvd and exteriors of Paisley Park Studios; and Violet The Organ Grinder shot in its soundstage. The videos were filmed throughout late July to early August 1992 immediately following the Diamonds And Pearls Tour. Clockin’ The Jizz sees the first appearance of Prince’s future wife Mayte, featured in the footage she sent him in 1990 that led to them dating.

Gett Off video single was released on VHS home video on 10 September 1992, five days after Prince performed the track at the MTV Music Awards while wearing buttless trousers in a live recreation of the video. Gett Off home video held the number 1 slot on Billboard’s videos chart for ten weeks. Its sales was certified Gold by RIAA on 13 November 1991.

The Videos

Gett Off

• Location: Paisley Park Studios
• Director: Randee St. Nicholas

Gett Off [Houstyle]

• Locations: Paisley Park Studios and Galpin Blvd
• Director: Scott McCullough

Violet The Organ Grinder

• Location: Paisley Park Studios
• Director: Randee St. Nicholas

Gangster Glam

• Locations: Paisley Park Studios and Galpin Blvd
• Director: Prince

Clockin’ The Jizz

• Locations: Paisley Park Studios and Galpin Blvd
• Director: Prince

Performers

Vocals/Guitar

Prince

Drums

Michael Bland

Rhythm Guitar

Levi Seacer Jr.

Keyboards

Tommy Barbarella

Bass Guitar

Sonny Thompson

Vox/Purpleaxxe

Rosie Gaines

Vox/Dance

Tony Mosley

Dance

Damon Dickson

Kirk Johnson

Lori Werner "Diamond"

Robia LaMorte "Pearl"

Tracklist

1. Gett Off (5:32)
2. Gett Off [Houstyle] (8:36)
3. Violet The Organ Grinder (4:59)
4. Gangster Glam (6:04)
5. Clockin' The Jizz [End credits] (4:51)

Data

Director

Randee St. Nicholas

Released

10 September 1991

Running Time

30 minutes

Orig. Format

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