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Get on Your Feet

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This article is about the song. For the Adam Brand album, see Get on Your Feet (album).
"Get on Your Feet"
US CD promotional single cover
Single by Gloria Estefan
from the album Cuts Both Ways
B-side
ReleasedSeptember 19, 1989 (1989-09-19)[1]
Genre
Length3:39
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
  • John DeFaria
  • Jorge Casas
  • Clay Ostwald
Producer(s)
Gloria Estefan singles chronology
"Don't Wanna Lose You"
(1989) 		"Get on Your Feet"
(1989) 		"Here We Are"
(1990)
Music video
"Get on Your Feet" on YouTube

"Get on Your Feet" is a song by the Cuban-American singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan, taken from her solo debut studio album Cuts Both Ways (1989). Written by John DeFaria, Jorge Casas, and Clay Ostwald, and produced by the later two along with Emilio Estefan, Jr., it was released on September 19, 1989, as the second single taken from the record by Epic Records. A song of encouragement, the dance-pop and synthfunk tune shows Estefan helping someone that has fallen on hard times and letting them know they'll make it through once they get on their feet.

Critics reviewed the song positively, praising its upbeat nature and Estefan's vocals. In the United States, "Get on Your Feet" just missed out on the top ten, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was a better success on the Adult Contemporary chart, where it hit number five, and also reached the top ten of the Cash Box Top 100. Internationally, it proved less successful, hitting the top ten only in Ireland. Estefan rerecorded the song for her 2020 album Brazil305.[2] Despite its subpar success, the track has gained longevity over the years, being named Estefan's signature song and is also the name of her Broadway musical about her life.[3]

Background

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When asked about the making of the song in a Songfacts interview, co-writer John DeFaria, part of Estefan's touring band at the time, said that it was written on the tour bus between concerts with Estefan and her band. DeFaria stated he really wanted something positive and a great song to perform live.[4] Estefan herself also spoke of the song in regards to the Cuts Both Ways album saying, "We felt freer on this record. The Latin music is interwoven into our songs a lot more. One song, 'Get on Your Feet', is not Latin at all but has a Latin break in the middle."[5]

Composition

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"Get on Your Feet" is written in the key of D major, according to the sheet music published by Universal Music Publishing Group on Musicnotes.com. It runs at a tempo of 116 beats per minute.[6]

Critical reception

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"Get on Your Feet" received positive reception from music critics. AllMusic editor Jason Birchmeier said the song is "club-ready" with its "big late-'80s synth-drum patterns", declaring it as a "super" song.[7] Maryann Scheufele from AXS wrote, "The words, "get up and make it happen...stand up and take some action ..." is a song for the ages, ...and the song inspires the spirit that lives on when you do something about your life. Gloria Estefan convinces you that the weight of inaction is lifted off your shoulders when you "get on your feet". Gloria Estefan sings and Miami Sound Machine plays we all can dance our way through life to this one."[8] Bill Coleman from Billboard called it "an unassuming up-tempo pop/dance track harking back to the singer's "Conga" days."[9] A reviewer from Entertainment Weekly noted that the song has "surge and hustle".[10] Pan-European magazine Music & Media called it "another lightweight up-tempo tune. As Latin as ever and a guaranteed hit."[11] Pop Rescue opined that the track "ups the tempo somewhat, as the title suggests, with a plodding bass and beat, with acoustic guitars strumming. Gloria bursts in with her confident pop vocals. The song is up-lifting, telling you to ‘Get on your feet. get up and make it happen‘ and ‘Stand up and take some action‘."[12] Dave Sholin from Gavin Report wrote favorably for the single saying Gloria and husband Emilio "have demonstrated perfection in the art of turning out the very best in pop/dance music infused with Latin rhythms."[13]

Official versions

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Original Versions

  1. Album Version — (3:38)
  2. 2020 version (on Brazil305) – 3:25

John Haag Remixes

  1. Special Mix — (5:38)

Justin Strauss & Daniel Abraham Remixes

  1. Pop Vocal — (6:07)
  2. House Vocal — (6:50)
  3. House Techno Dub — (5:30)
  4. Deep Bass Vocal — (5:29)

Track listings and formats

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Charts

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Usage in media

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The song was covered in Dora the Explorer Live!: Search for the City of Lost Toys and Dora the Explorer Live!: Dora's Pirate Adventure. This cover would be reused in the Dance Fiesta album.

In a widely circulated viral video "Steve Ballmer Going Crazy", former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer danced and screamed wildly to this song at the company's 25th anniversary event in 2000.

The song was covered by Fantasia Barrino on the third season of American Idol, during a Gloria Estefan-themed episode.

The song was included in several episodes in the fourth season of the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation.

The song was referenced in the sixth book of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, as the System AI's favorite song on the album.

Release history

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Region Date
US September 19, 1989 (1989-09-19)
Japan October 19, 1989 (1989-10-19)
UK November 13, 1989 (1989-11-13)
Netherlands May 1990 (1990-05)
Belgium June 1990 (1990-06)

References

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  1. ^ "Gloria Estefan singles".
  2. ^ Brazil305 - Gloria Estefan, AllMusic, retrieved 2021-05-13
  3. ^ "Get on Your Feet by Gloria Estefan - Songfacts". Songfacts. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  4. ^ Wiser, Carl (November 10, 2015). ""Get On Your Feet" writer John DeFaria : Song Writing". Songfacts. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  5. ^ "Sound Machine hot with new recording". Portsmouth Daily Times. Portsmouth, OH: Associated Press. August 26, 1989. p. TV12.
  6. ^ Estefan, Gloria (February 16, 2015). "Gloria Estefan "Get On Your Feet" Sheet Music in D Major — Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Universal Music Publishing Group. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  7. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Gloria Estefan - Cuts Both Ways". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  8. ^ Scheufele, Maryann (29 November 2014). "10 of Gloria Estefan's best songs". AXS. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  9. ^ Coleman, Bill (23 September 1989). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 85. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Cuts Both Ways". Entertainment Weekly. 21 August 1989. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 25 November 1989. p. 26. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  12. ^ "REVIEW: "CUTS BOTH WAYS" BY GLORIA ESTEFAN (CD, 1989)". Pop Rescue. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  13. ^ Sholin, Dave (September 15, 1989). "Personal Picks: Singles". Gavin Report. No. 1774. p. 52.
  14. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  15. ^ "Gloria Estefan – Get On Your Feet" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  16. ^ "Gloria Estefan – Get On Your Feet" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  17. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5030." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  18. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8228." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  19. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 8213." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  20. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 9 December 1989. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  21. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Get On Your Feet". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  22. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 25, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  23. ^ "Gloria Estefan – Get On Your Feet" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  24. ^ "Gloria Estefan – Get on Your Feet". Top 40 Singles.
  25. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  26. ^ "Gloria Estefan Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  27. ^ "Gloria Estefan Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  28. ^ "Gloria Estefan Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  29. ^ "Gloria Estefan Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  30. ^ "Cash Box Charts – Top 100 Singles". Cash Box. Vol. LIII, no. 20. New York, NY. November 25, 1989. p. 35. ISSN 0008-7289.
  31. ^ a b "R&R The Back Page – National Airplay Overview: November 10, 1989". Radio & Records. No. 81. Los Angeles, CA. November 10, 1989. p. 104. ISSN 0277-4860.
  32. ^ "the Gavin Report – Adult Contemporary". Gavin Report. No. 1783. November 17, 1989. p. 22. See LW column.
  33. ^ "the Gavin Report – Top 40". Gavin Report. No. 1783. November 17, 1989. p. 6. See LW column.
  34. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Gloria Estefan – Get On Your Feet" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  35. ^ "Top 89 of '89 – AC". Radio & Records. No. 819. Los Angeles, CA. December 15, 1989. p. 91. ISSN 0277-4860.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary 1989 – Top 100". Gavin Report. No. 1787. December 15, 1989. p. 21.
  37. ^ "Top 40 1989 – Top 100". Gavin Report. No. 1787. December 15, 1989. p. 19.
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