"I Get a Kick Out of You" is a song byCole Porter, which was first sung in the 1934Broadway musicalAnything Goes, and then in the1936 film version. Originally sung byEthel Merman, it has been covered by dozens of other performers, includingFrank Sinatra,Dolly Parton, andElla Fitzgerald. A cover byMel Tormé won the1996 Grammy Award forBest Instrumental Arrangement with Accompanying Vocal(s) for arrangerRob McConnell, while a duet version byTony Bennett andLady Gaga was nominated for three awards at the2022 ceremony, includingRecord of the Year.

The lyrics were first altered shortly after being written. The last verse originally went as follows:

I get no kick in a plane
I shouldn't care for those nights in the air
That the fairMrs. Lindbergh goes through
But I get a kick out of you.

After the 1932Lindbergh kidnapping,^[1] Porter changed the second and third lines to:

Flying too high with some guy in the sky
Is my idea of nothing to do

In the 1936 movie version, alternative lyrics in the second verse were provided to replace a reference to the drugcocaine, which was not allowed by Hollywood'sProduction Code of 1934.

The original verse goes as follows:

Some get a kick from cocaine
I'm sure that if
I took even one sniff
That would bore me terrif-
Ically, too
Yet, I get a kick out of you

Porter changed the first line to:

Some like the perfume from Spain

Frank Sinatra recorded bothpre-Code and post-Code versions (with and without the cocaine reference): the first in 1953^[2] and the second in 1962. On arecording live in Paris in 1962 (not released until 1994), Sinatra sings the altered version with the first line as "Some like the perfume from Spain". Other Porter-approved substitutions include "whiff ofGuerlain." There is also a version with the lines "Some like the bop-type refrain, I'm sure that if I heard even one riff..." onSinatra and Swingin' Brass.

All three of the above alternatives are mentioned in the liner notes toJoan Morris andWilliam Bolcom's CD,Night and Day; on the recording, Morris sings the original second verse.

Tony Bennett andLady Gaga recorded a version of the song for their second collaborative album,Love for Sale. It was released as the first single from the album on August 3, 2021, to digital retailers.^[3] The recording sessions for the song took place atElectric Lady Studios in downtownNew York City.^[4]AARP the Magazine revealed that Bennett was a "considerably more muted presence during the recording of the new album with Gaga", as he was diagnosed withAlzheimer's disease in 2016, before the sessions began.^[5] The duo's version is "acampy take" on "I Get a Kick Out of You".^[6] They are backed by "jaunty piano" at the beginning of the track,^[7] with Gaga slowly starting the song with the line "My story is much too sad to be told, but practically everything leads me totally cold." Bennett then picks up with "The only exception I know is the case..." line, and when he says “Then, I see your fabulous face", Gaga jokingly asks Bennett, "Are you talking about me?"^[4] The big band arrangement then commences, and accompanies the two for the rest of the song.^[4]

Rolling Stone's Jon Blistein described the song as "delightfully classic", and thought that "the two vocalists exude plenty of chemistry".^[8] Heran Mamo ofBillboard opined that while Gaga's "portion of the first verse does anything but leave us totally cold", Bennett's "beautifully raspy vocals leave his counterpart emotional", and thought that "the full band breathes new life into Cole Porter's classic tune".^[9] Helen Brown ofThe Independent thought the song revolves around "the mutual appreciation" of the pair for each other, "on which Bennett nails the dizzying internal rhyme scheme of lines such as: 'Flying too high with some girl in the sky is my idea of nothing to do...'"^[7]Neil McCormick ofThe Daily Telegraph found Gaga and Bennett sounding the happiest on the album when they are "diving into the witty wordplay" of "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "You're the Top".^[10]Alexis Petridis ofThe Guardian thought the song was evidence that Bennett's health condition didn't seem to affect the chemistry between the duo.^[11] Athena Serrano fromMTV noted that "Bennett doesn't fail to deliver his strong vocals even at 95."^[12] AtThe Arts Desk, Sebastian Scotney highlighted the track for its "genuinely touching moment" where "Bennett finds that authentically urgent and passionate vocal colour he had in tracks such as "A Child is Born" or "Make Someone Happy" on the classic albumTogether Again withBill Evans."^[13] While reviewing the album, Robin Murray ofClash wrote that "Love For Sale hinges on the neat chemistry between the two, their nimble performances fuelling a later turn on 'I Get A Kick Out Of You'."^[14]

The accompanying music video premiered on MTV on August 6, 2021.^[15] It begins with Bennett saying "All set", and Gaga laughing and stating that "Tony's always ready".^[4] It then shows Bennett and Gaga recording the song, while they smile at each other and hug several times emotionally.^[9][16] Gaga appears wearing a simple black dress, while Bennett wears a blue suit and tie.^[4][17] The video shows Bennett snapping his fingers, lending several thumbs up to the instrumental proceedings, and winking at Gaga.^[4] At one moment of the video, Gaga rests her head on Bennett's shoulder, while another part shows a closeup of Gaga, revealing tears in her eyes.^[17] The video had a positive reception, with critics calling it "heartwarming", "emotional" and "sweet".^[9][16][18]

The song was nominated forRecord of the Year andBest Pop Duo/Group Performance at the64th Annual Grammy Awards, while its music video received a nomination in theBest Music Video category.^[19]

• In 1954,Charlie Parker recorded the song in a quartet format.
• In 1968,schlager singerHildegard Knef released a version of the song with German lyrics by Mischa Mleinek titled "Nichts haut mich um, aber du" ("Nothing Knocks Me Over But You").^[21]

• In 1974, Australian singerGary Shearston released a 1920s/30s style version. Issued on the Charisma label, it entered the UK Singles Chart on October 5, 1974, and had an eight week run on the charts with a peak position of No. 7.

• On the children’s showSesame Street, Ethel Mermaid, a mermaid Ethel Merman spoof, sings “I Get a Kick Out of U”, explaining how no letter of the alphabet thrills her more than the letterU.^[22]

• In the filmBlazing Saddles, two railroad construction workers, Bart and Charlie, sing a portion of the pre-code rendition after being asked by the railroad overseer to sing him a work song.

• MF Doom referenced a portion of this song in intro of his 2004 hit "One Beer" off of theMm..Food album.

• 1934 songs
• Songs written by Cole Porter
• Songs from Anything Goes
• Ethel Merman songs
• Frank Sinatra songs
• Ella Fitzgerald songs
• Shirley Bassey songs
• Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals
• Pop standards
• Columbia Records singles
• Interscope Records singles

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