Let's Get Retarded

Infobox Single
Name = Let's Get It Started


Artist = Black Eyed Peas
from Album = Elephunk "and"
Released = 2004
Format = CD single
Recorded = —
Genre = Hip hop
Length = 3:34 (Album Version)
3:39 (Radio Version)
Label = A&M
Producer =
Last single = "Hey Mama"
(2004)
This single = "Let's Get It Started"
(2004)
Next single = "Don't Phunk with My Heart"
(2005)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = single


Lower caption = Let's Get It Started The Urbz EditionAudiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file = LetsGetRetarded2Sample.ogg

"Let's Get Retarded" (also known by its radio-friendly version "Let's Get It Started") appears on the Black Eyed Peas 2003 album "Elephunk". It is the fourth single from their 2003 album, "Elephunk", and was also included on the "" and "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" soundtracks, as well as the soundtrack for the 2006 romantic comedy "It's a Boy/Girl Thing". The song was also STAR World's first SID. It gained popularity as the theme song for the 2004 NBA Playoffs on ABC and was performed live at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. It was also featured in the film "White Chicks". It was used in UK advertisements for the game .

Lyrical controversy

The phrase "Let's Get Retarded" is a slang term used in the United States that means to consume intoxicating alcohol or drugs to the point where you are incapable of verbally communicating past incoherent mumbles. [Urban Dictionary "Get Retarded" http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=get+retarded] The phrase is often used in everyday slang, however, "retard" is a pejorative term for people with mental illness. [cite web
last = BBC
first =
authorlink = BBC
coauthors =
title = Worst Word Vote
work = Ouch
publisher =
date = 2003
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/yourspace/worstwords/
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-08-17] , and "retarded" is sometimes considered offensive as well making the song unsuitable for play on some radio stations and at sports games. In 2004 the song's lyrics were edited because of this and "Let's Get It Started" found its way onto the airwaves, movie soundtracks, and video games.

Music video

The music video directed by Francis Lawrence consists of a nighttime setting, in an urban area. It features the Black Eyed Peas, particularly will.i.am, performing energetic dances while singing the song, while varying objects in the background (including a grand piano) smash against the ground in real-time, slow and fast motion, and in reverse. The choruses feature the band on stage singing to a large crowd.

The video went to #34 on "MuchMusic's 50 Most Controversial Videos" for its original song title.

Covers

* A cover by lounge act Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine appeared on the 2005 album "Aperitif for Destruction".
* The song is featured in one of "Weird Al" Yankovic's polkas, Polkarama, on his CD, "Straight Outta Lynwood".
* The song was played by the Francis Howell North High School marching band at the Bands of America grand national championships in 2005.
* A version of this song translated into Simlish is the theme song for the video game "", also recorded by the Black Eyed Peas themselves.
* The Detroit Pistons formerly played this song in the beginning of every home game to "pump up" the crowd.
* The introduction of the song is a homage to Alicia Keys' 2001 single "Fallin'".
* The Jocks theme in the video game Bully uses a similar bassline based from this song.

+ Let's Get It Started was a rap song originally done by M.C. Hammer (and performed with B Angie B) between 1986-1987 and released on the Let's Get It Started (album) in 1988-1989.

Track listing

;CD Single
#"Let's Get It Started" (Spike Mix)
#"Way U Make Me Feel" (Album Version Explicit)
#"Let's Get Retarded" (Album Version Explicit)
#"Let's Get It Started" Music Video; Edition – EP
#"Let's Get It Started" (Spike Mix) – 3:39
#"Ga Ra Ta Da" (Simlish Version) – 3:28
#"The Sticky" – 4:39
#"Friddy Dope" (Simlish Version) – 3:46

References