The Go-Go’s – We Got The Beat

Official video of The Go-Go’s performing We’ve Got The Beat from the album Beauty And The Beat.
“We Got the Beat” – Single by the Go-Go’s from the album Beauty and the Beat
B-side: “Can’t Stop the World”
Released: 1981
Recorded: 1980–1981
Label: Stiff (1980), I.R.S. (1981, 1982), A&M (1982)
Songwriters: harlotte Caffey
Producers: Paul L. Wexler (original version) and Richard Gottehrer, Rob Freeman (re-recorded version.
Charted No.2 in US, No.3 in Canada

“We Got the Beat” became the Go-Go’s biggest hit, spending three weeks at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, behind Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock ‘n Roll”. It was during the song’s time in the U.S. top 10 that Beauty and the Beat topped the U.S. Billboard 200.

When The Go-Go’s formed in 1978, they had little experience but figured they could learn on the fly in the LA punk scene, where enthusiasm could make up for shortfalls in musicianship. The only seasoned member was guitarist Charlotte Caffey, who was a few years older and knew how to play when lead singer Belinda Carlisle asked her to join this new all-girl band. Charlotte took the offer, leaving her band The Eyes and becoming a key songwriter in the group along with Jane Wiedlin, the group’s other guitarist, who quickly developed into an excellent musician as well. In 1979, they replaced original drummer Elissa Bello with the more experienced Gina Schock; in early 1981 they swapped out bass player Margot Olavarria for Kathy Valentine, who had been in a group called The Textones and also wrote songs.

The narrative of the band having no idea how to play when they started stuck with them, but by the time they released their first album, Wiedlin and Carlisle were the only members without much previous experience. Those two became the most visible members and each launched successful solo careers after the band folded in 1985. Carlisle got a lot of help from Charlotte Caffey, who worked on much of her solo material.

#TheGoGos #WeGotTheBeat