Give It Up (KC and the Sunshine Band song)

"Give It Up"
Single by KC and the Sunshine Band
from the album All in a Night's Work and KC Ten
Released	1983
Recorded	1982
Genre	Post-disco[1][2]
Length	4:13 4:00 (7") 5:18 (12" John Luongo Disco Remix)
Label	Epic
Writer(s)	Harry Wayne Casey, Deborah Carter
Producer(s)	KC and the Sunshine Band
KC and the Sunshine Band singles chronology
"Don't Run (Come Back To Me)" (1982) "Give It Up" (1983) "Are You Ready?" (1984)

"Give It Up" was a hit song for KC and the Sunshine Band,<ref name="Chart history of "Give It Up"">"Chart history of "Give It Up"". The Official Charts Company. Chartstats.com. 1983. Retrieved 2011-08-08.</ref> although it was simply credited as KC in many countries, including the US. Following the backlash against many disco artists on the charts at the beginning of the 1980s, the song was a comeback hit for the act in the US, where it peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1984. The song had been an even bigger hit in the UK several months earlier, where it had hit No. 1 for three weeks in August 1983.^[3] It went on to become the 18th best-selling single of the year in the UK. It was the last of the act's hits in the US and UK, and the most successful of its 10 UK hits.

Charts

Chart (1983-1984)	Peak position
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[4]	2
Germany (Official German Charts)[5]	23
Ireland (IRMA)[6]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7]	8
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[8]	4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9]	12
United Kingdom (The Official Charts Company)[10]	1
United States (Billboard Hot 100)	18

Cover versions

In 1993 it was covered by Danish dance group Cut 'N' Move, whose version went to number one on the Australian ARIA Chart in February 1994. Cut 'N' Move covered the song again in 1997 for Dancemania Covers.

In 1998, the song was covered by Québécois singer Jacynthe. Both as a solo cover version, one in French, and one as a collaboration with K.C himself.

The song was covered by Captain Jack in 2003 on their album Party Warriors.

It was covered by the German pop band beFour on their 2008 album We Stand United.

It was covered by Annie Lennox and Chrissie Hynde during a live performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

"Love You Long Time" by The Black Eyed Peas, from their 2010 album The Beginning, contains a sample of "Give It Up".^[11]

"Baby, It's OK" by Follow Your Instinct featuring Alexandra Stan contains a sample of "Give It Up".

In popular culture

• The song has been turned into a sporting chant in England and Scotland. The song was played after each goal scored by Hearts in their 5–1 victory against Hibernian in the 2012 Scottish Cup Final.^[12]
• The song is heard in Richmond Valentine's lair when Valentine activates the V-Day program in Kingsman: The Secret Service.^[13]
• Supporters of Manchester United Football Club often chant the chorus of this song, but replace the lyrics 'Give It Up', with 'Nicky Butt'.
• The song is the Walk-on music of professional darts player Vincent van der Voort
• Supporters of Harrow Hill F.C. often chant this song, but replace the lyrics 'Give It Up' with 'Harrow Hill'.

References

1. Graff, Gary (1996). Musichound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 978-0-7876-1037-1. the scope of KC's work into the 80s with post-disco singles such "Give It Up."
2. Hoffmann, Frank (2006). American Popular Music: Rhythm & Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop. Infobase Publishing. p. 149. ISBN 978-0-8160-6980-4.
3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 426. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
4. "Give It Up - KC & The Sunshine Band". VRT (in Dutch). Top30-2.radio2.be. Retrieved 25 July 2013. Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 1
5. "Offiziellecharts.de – KC & The Sunshine Band – Give It Up". GfK Entertainment Charts.
6. "Chart Track: Week 29, 1983". Irish Singles Chart.
7. "Nederlandse Top 40 – KC & The Sunshine Band search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
8. "Charts.org.nz – KC & The Sunshine Band – Give It Up". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
9. "Swedishcharts.com – KC & The Sunshine Band – Give It Up". Singles Top 100.
10. UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com \(Retrieved April 10, 2008)
11. "Black Eyed Peas's Love You Long Time sample of KC & the Sunshine Band's Give It Up". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
12. "Hearts give Hampden a high-five". Scottish Football Association. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
13. Review: Kingsman, The Secret Service