So badass. I mean why wasn't this a giant single? It's so fucking brilliant. That bass line. And the extended version is killer too.

This song should have been on all his hits collections. i'm glad they included the extended version on Ultimate.

It's just... sooo damn good.

NoVideo said:

oh yeah it sounds massively great in a big club

One of his singles that doesn't get enough attention.This song is a straight up JAM! and the extended 12" version kicks ass...."work it!....work it!....work it!...work it!"

Big fan of live version (by NPG) of this song, but not the studio version...I feel like the production is too, minimal? It doesn't sound particularly exceptional compared to the other dancy songs from that era. Just my opinion =)

[Edited 5/17/14 20:56pm]

I think it is very underrated like most of the Controversy album. Should have been on The Hits/The B-Sides as well alongside Sexuality in my opinion.

One of my favorites but I also prefer the live version.. especially paired with COOL. (W2A)

I love the bassline to Lets Work. One of Prince's funkiest, yet its so simple. Some of the best basslines are really simple ~

It was at first called the rock. People say that this dance was big back in the day, but I never heard of it and never seen it done. Can somebody describe it or post a video of somebody doing it?

Angelsoncrack said:

I love the bassline to Lets Work. One of Prince's funkiest, yet its so simple. Some of the best basslines are really simple ~

lol for me calling it funk was too simple, it lascivious. It feels naughty

las·civ·i·ous

/ləˈsɪviəs/ Show Spelled [luh-siv-ee-uhs] Show IPA

One of the best dance songs to just lose it in2 the song.

i feel that "i've had my eyes on you ever since you walked in the room..." can be realized at a higher dimension by looking at this Earth as a big room...we are here for a while and then transform on by dissovling in2...whatever is the next step.

i feel that it is at times not trying to understand where specific love to a spirit in form comes from but to just celebrate and injoy that love because all Love is God's love and we only love with God's love. If we think that it is our love, then the ego is involved, and covers the true essence of the Love.

Hope that we all - who want to - can dance live to this with PRN and 3rd Eye Girl.

Love2All.

Nothing can stop Love 4 All is Love.

It was a top 10 hit on the "black" charts & on rnb radio. Eye guess that doesn't count huh???

The song is simple PERFECTION! Whenever Prince plays it to this day, which is a lot lately. I instantly get goosebumps! The long version in particular is an ORGASMIC work out... That sendS the listener into ECSTASY!!

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

It was a top 10 hit on the "black" charts & on rnb radio. Eye guess that doesn't count huh???

It counts for something, which is reaching a pretty small part of the total African American population and even less of the rest of America. It doesn't count as being much of a hit in traditional terms, i.e. reaching a large number of people of ANY race.

In 1980 African Americans made up about 10% of the population. They weren't the only ones listening to R&B or dancing, either.

Of that 10%, how many loved Let's Work? Hell, how many even knew it existed? I would bet money on the number being considerably less than 1%.

Michael Jackson's Thriller album sold something like 25 million copies. That less than half the African American population and a HUGE number of those albums were sold to folks that lacked much melanin. That's why it was called a crossover hit.

I'm sorry that the R&B and dance charts of 1981 didn't represent much of the population, African American or otherwise, which is what folks here are talking about when they wonder it wasn't a bigger hit than it was.

I hope I answered your question. Now can we please keep race out of this fairly unimportant discussion? Segregation is bad in music, too.

It maybe wasn't that bigger hit, because it was considered a bit of a copy of "Head"?, that's what i've always imagined anyway. Still, a great song!

steakfinger said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

It was a top 10 hit on the "black" charts & on rnb radio. Eye guess that doesn't count huh???

It counts for something, which is reaching a pretty small part of the total African American population and even less of the rest of America. It doesn't count as being much of a hit in traditional terms, i.e. reaching a large number of people of ANY race.

In 1980 African Americans made up about 10% of the population. They weren't the only ones listening to R&B or dancing, either.

Of that 10%, how many loved Let's Work? Hell, how many even knew it existed? I would bet money on the number being considerably less than 1%.

Michael Jackson's Thriller album sold something like 25 million copies. That less than half the African American population and a HUGE number of those albums were sold to folks that lacked much melanin. That's why it was called a crossover hit.

I'm sorry that the R&B and dance charts of 1981 didn't represent much of the population, African American or otherwise, which is what folks here are talking about when they wonder it wasn't a bigger hit than it was.

I hope I answered your question. Now can we please keep race out of this fairly unimportant discussion? Segregation is bad in music, too.

U are largely underestimating the power of the African American community. My question I was being sarcastic. "Let's Work" was a big hit in that community. Even though it didn't "crossover" . It set the blueprint of what was to come. Yes! It should have been bigger. But it was an important part of Prince's catalog of hits. Even Prince realizes it to this day! Since it is a constant add to his live playlist.

Prince had a big crossover album also "Purple Rain". That could have been used as an example instead of "Thriller". I believe what Prince says that "Purple Rain" sold more than what was estimated. So what I'm trying to say is I didn't need a history lesson. I'm already well informed of the history of the influence of Prince's song "Let's Work" in the African American community.

If Warners knew what they had in this song, it would've been the lead single with tons of promotion...but things don't always work out, do they? As far as the person saying the live NPG version is better...really? They sound about the same. Let's Work was one of the few ultra highlights of the somewhat bland somewhat awful Jam urrr uhhh Medley of the Year Tours of 1997 and beyond. I've hardly ever heard a bad live version of it, but the studio version is awesome.

khemseraph said:

Let's Work wasn't on The Hits/B-sides, which is a shame considering other non-Top 40 hits like Do Me, Baby, Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad and Head were all included. But I'm pleased the extended mix was included on Ultimate.

The difference between Top 10 on the R&B chart and Top 10 on the pop chart is simply huge -- that's just reality. It's a huge difference in exposure to the public.

For example, "Soft and Wet" hit #12 on the R&B chart. "1999" hit #12 on the Pop chart. "If I Was Your Girlfriend" hit #12 on the R&B chart, but #67 on the pop chart. By comparison, "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" hit #10 on the pop chart. Again, huge difference.

"Let's Work" did have an impact on the R&B and dance charts, and that should not be diminished. But it's a shame it didn't cross over and get a bigger mainstream audience because it's a song that deserves it.

Ah well. Hindsight 20/20. It's a great song and it's not like we can't enjoy it because it wasn't a pop hit

NoVideo said:

Let's Work wasn't on The Hits/B-sides, which is a shame considering other non-Top 40 hits like Do Me, Baby, Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad and Head were all included. But I'm pleased the extended mix was included on Ultimate.

The difference between Top 10 on the R&B chart and Top 10 on the pop chart is simply huge -- that's just reality. It's a huge difference in exposure to the public.

For example, "Soft and Wet" hit #12 on the R&B chart. "1999" hit #12 on the Pop chart. "If I Was Your Girlfriend" hit #12 on the R&B chart, but #67 on the pop chart. By comparison, "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" hit #10 on the pop chart. Again, huge difference.

"Let's Work" did have an impact on the R&B and dance charts, and that should not be diminished. But it's a shame it didn't cross over and get a bigger mainstream audience because it's a song that deserves it.

Ah well. Hindsight 20/20. It's a great song and it's not like we can't enjoy it because it wasn't a pop hit

What's funny is that "Pope" was on The Hits/The B Sides.

The real Pope should have asked Prince to apologize, or at least write a better song about him

Let's Work... Extended

steakfinger said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

It was a top 10 hit on the "black" charts & on rnb radio. Eye guess that doesn't count huh???

It counts for something, which is reaching a pretty small part of the total African American population and even less of the rest of America. It doesn't count as being much of a hit in traditional terms, i.e. reaching a large number of people of ANY race.

In 1980 African Americans made up about 10% of the population. They weren't the only ones listening to R&B or dancing, either.

Of that 10%, how many loved Let's Work? Hell, how many even knew it existed? I would bet money on the number being considerably less than 1%.

Michael Jackson's Thriller album sold something like 25 million copies. That less than half the African American population and a HUGE number of those albums were sold to folks that lacked much melanin. That's why it was called a crossover hit.

I'm sorry that the R&B and dance charts of 1981 didn't represent much of the population, African American or otherwise, which is what folks here are talking about when they wonder it wasn't a bigger hit than it was.

I hope I answered your question. Now can we please keep race out of this fairly unimportant discussion? Segregation is bad in music, too.

A side of me wants to educate you and another side would like to tell you to shut the fuck up.

I will be good and educate you.

The song was a top ten RnB hit which means 10% of the population liked the song. Since POP radio stations would not play any funk cuts back then due to plain old racism we are within our rights to bring race up. Trust me I am African-American I was around back then and the whole 10% jammed off of this song if you bet on 1% you would lose.

Oh and Thriller sold about 40 million copies so that is another topic you know nothing about.

Just because the other 90% of the population does not like something does not mean it is not good or well liked. We had a lot of great funk, RnB and even good Hip-Hop without the love of the other 90% and everything was all good without the 90% approval.

Only in America can you have segegation in music and then be told the music is not good enough when the system stopped 90% of the population from hearing it.

laurarichardson said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I love how you applaud people that can put their point across more eloquently than you can manage to. Give me a !

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In Andre Cymone's recent lengthy podcast interview didn't he reveal that this was one of the big early tunes that he wrote? Do Me Baby was another.

Happy to be corrected on that if wrong...still an amazing bass line (and diminishes nothing from Prince's singular talent), Victor Wooten loves it as well!

T