| "Get Ready for This" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Standard European and Australian artwork | ||||
| Single by2 Unlimited | ||||
| from the albumGet Ready! | ||||
| Released | 23 September 1991 (1991-09-23) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:46 | |||
| Label | Byte | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producers |
| |||
| 2 Unlimited singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Get Ready for This" onYouTube | ||||
"Get Ready for This" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch music group2 Unlimited as their debutsingle.[3] It was released on 23 September 1991, byByte Records, as the lead single from their debut album,Get Ready! (1992). Originally, the single was produced as an instrumental track in May 1991, titled the "Orchestral Mix". It became a hit and conscious of their popularity, Wilde & De Coster wanted a more accessible, formatted formula for their project to grow. Ray was then asked to write lyrics and add a rap to the track. OnRay Slijngaard's suggestion,Anita Doth joined as the female vocalist.
The single was an immediate success throughout Europe, Australia and the United States. In the US, the song appeared on variousBillboard charts between 1992 and 1995, peaking at number 14 on theDance Club Play chart, number 17 on theTop 40/Mainstream chart and number 38 on theBillboard Hot 100, making it the band's only top-40 hit in the US. In both Australia and the United Kingdom, the single reached number two.
The song is one of the most frequently played songs at sporting events around the world.[4] It earned one ofBMI's Pop Awards of 1996,[5] and in 2010,Pitchfork included it in their list of "Ten Actually Good 90sJock Jams".[6]
In 1990, producers Phil Wilde and Jean-Paul de Coster had previously gained success withAB Logic, and were looking for another vehicle for their songs. 2 Unlimited formed when Wilde and DeCoster were introduced to rapperRay Slijngaard and vocalistAnita Doth by Marvin D., who had featured both in his rap group in the past.[3] "Get Ready for This" originally was produced as an instrumental white label track intended for the clubs. At a meeting at a record store, Slijngaard by chance came over the instrumental and Wilde played it to get Slijngaard's opinion.[7] Slijngaard got goosebumps hearing it and told that he could write a rap for the track. Two weeks later he received a demo tape at his father's house and started writing the rap. While writing, he also came up with a chorus for a female part. The whole song was written in two hours, and it was also the first time Slijngaard wrote a song.[7]
The producers agreed with him on adding a female singer on the track and Doth joined as the female vocalist of 2 Unlimited. "Get Ready for This" was recorded in a small studio behind theAmsterdam central station.[7] The rap version was released with verses by Slijngaard and vocals by Doth. For the UK release of the single, an edit of the original "Orchestral Mix" was used, without vocals, except for the lineY'all ready for this? This was sampled fromThe D.O.C.'s hit single "It's Funky Enough".[4] This edit was done by record producerPete Waterman, who owned the record label which 2 Unlimited were licensed to for UK releases. Next the song was number two on theUK Singles Chart and the group performed onTop of the Pops for the first time.
Larry Flick fromBillboard magazine wrote, "Spirited and melodictechno/houser reaches these shores after massive pop and club success in the U.K. Although it has yet to be confirmed, rumor has it that famedhi-NRG producersMike Stock andPete Waterman are the creative force behind this peak-hour treat. Look for jocks to devour this one heartily."[8] Carolyn Chard fromThe Canberra Times described the song a "mammothrave hit". She added further, "An instantly recognisable, hands-in-the-air track it belongs to the same Belgium-Dutch school of techno house that producedQuadrophonia,T99 andTechnotronic."[2] Andy Kastanas fromThe Charlotte Observer stated that "the raving keyboards and hypnotic dance beat make for a super dance record."[9]
"Get Ready for This" was successful on the charts on several continents. In Europe, it was a top-10 hit in Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as on theEurochart Hot 100, where it reached number four.[10] In the UK, the single reached also number two during its fourth week on theUK Singles Chart, on 20 October 1991.[11] It spent a total of two weeks at that position. Additionally, "Get Ready for This" climbed into the top 30 in Finland and the top 40 in Sweden. Outside Europe, it peaked at number two in Australia, number five in Zimbabwe, number six on theRPM Dance chart in Canada and, in the United States, it reached numbers 14 and 38 on theBillboard Hot Dance Club Play andBillboard Hot 100 charts, respectively.
"Get Ready for This" was awarded one ofBMI's Pop Awards of 1996, honoring the songwriters, composers and music publishers of the song.[5] In 2010,Pitchfork included it in their list of "Ten Actually Good 90sJock Jams".[6] In February 2024,Billboard magazine ranked the song number ten in their list of "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time", writing, "A song that cast a greater shadow over ’90s sports culture than anything besidesShaquille O’Neal."[12]
"Get Ready for This" was the unofficial theme song of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, with the song being a staple at Spurs games (including starting lineups) until the 2006-07 season.
The song is heavily sampled inKylie Minogue’s track “I Guess I Like It Like That.”
|
|
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[40] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| Summaries | ||
| Worldwide | — | 540,000[41] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 23 September 1991 |
| PWL Continental | [42] |
| Japan | 25 January 1992 | Mini-CD | Mercury | [43] |
| Australia | 27 January 1992 |
|
| [44] |
| "Get Ready for This" (Yves Deruyter remix) | |
|---|---|
| Single by2 Unlimited | |
| Released | 2001 |
| Label | White Label |
| Songwriters |
|
After the moderate success of the 2 Unlimited compilation albumGreatest Hits Remixes in 2001, two white labels were released with remixes of "Get Ready for This". The first 12-inch was released in May 2001 inBelgium with a remix by DJ/producerYves Deruyter. Although just a single sided pressing featuring the full 12-inch remix, the radio edit was officially released later in the 2002 releaseTrance Remixes (Special Edition).
Following the May 2001 release of the Yves Deruyter remixes, August the same year saw the release of another "Get Ready for This" remix byPuerto Rican DJ/producerRobbie Rivera.
| "Get Ready for This" (Steve Aoki remix) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by2 Unlimited | ||||
| Released | 2013 | |||
| Label | Byte | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| 2 Unlimited singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 2013,American DJ/producerSteve Aoki released a remix of "Get Ready for This" onByte Records as part of a forthcoming 2 Unlimited greatest hits album.[45] The Rap and Orchestral mixes featured on the original "Get Ready for This" single were also included.
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Netherlands (Dutch Dance Top 30)[46] | 28 |
| |
| Franchise | |
| Arenas | |
| Personnel |
|
| G League affiliate | |
| Retired numbers | |
| NBA championships | |
| Rivalries | |
| Culture and lore | |
