36:
253:, saying the phase had passed. Instead, the song was updated with new lyrics and possibly new music and became "Let's Work"—one of his most popular dance numbers.
292:" and "Annie Christian", two other songs from the same album; and additional, more insistent lyrics. Prince performed the extended version in concert during the
1794:
1184:
261:
The song is based on a funky bass line and features a shouted title throughout the song and relies heavily on keyboards to create a sexy groove in the
337:
called the song "an exquisite, mid-tempo dance track with a sinuously insistent bass line that fuels the electric slide togetherness of the party."
269:. The lyrics are a tease, equating "working" with having sex. The song was backed with "Ronnie, Talk to Russia", which precedes it on the
1784:
998:
729:
1548:
1541:
1626:
353:
said "Undoubtedly, this will get a good workout in the clubs and on B/C lists, and crossover is a strong possibility."
520:
879:
763:
641:
616:
560:
1779:
1668:
1445:
17:
1789:
788:
1254:
411:
1724:
1107:
970:
830:
823:
502:
307:
81:
1682:
722:
245:. Prince responded quickly with a track called "Let's Rock", and wished to quickly release it as a single.
1710:
1675:
1325:
1079:
977:
795:
1731:
1689:
1491:
1100:
741:
237:
59:
1311:
1703:
1717:
1566:
1374:
1114:
984:
816:
425:
1484:
1413:
1247:
963:
956:
872:
715:
1477:
1212:
935:
241:. The song originates from a dance called "the Rock" that local kids were doing at the time in
1774:
1498:
1121:
1072:
942:
770:
684:
657:
262:
1738:
1580:
1459:
1392:
1233:
1170:
809:
689:
662:
439:
333:
150:
480:
8:
1799:
1696:
1619:
1283:
1272:
1226:
1198:
1177:
1093:
921:
865:
298:
463:
1745:
1654:
1633:
1399:
1219:
1156:
949:
900:
858:
837:
349:
289:
194:
1318:
1135:
1065:
1040:
893:
738:
637:
612:
556:
528:
365:
303:
232:
181:
68:
50:
1339:
1752:
1573:
1420:
1406:
1297:
1142:
1019:
928:
907:
170:
1661:
1598:
1240:
991:
914:
886:
498:
338:
285:
46:
636:(1st ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 148.
1768:
1647:
1640:
1516:
1360:
1332:
1205:
1163:
625:
476:
373:
342:
328:
1304:
1005:
756:
361:
Credits sourced from Benoît Clerc, Guitarcloud, Morris Day and David Ritz.
246:
145:
1612:
1452:
1427:
1353:
1346:
1276:
1047:
851:
802:
576:
242:
212:
108:
604:
600:
379:
317:
312:
281:
158:
117:
1470:
1466:
1290:
1012:
1534:
1367:
1086:
1033:
1026:
369:
345:
also described "Let's Work" as "a bright and squeaky dance song".
35:
1605:
1191:
1128:
707:
302:
tours. This is the first US Prince single to include a non-album
266:
1149:
249:
refused, and a disappointed Prince did not include the song on
306:(although it was previously released as a single in the UK). "
277:
113:
235:, released as the second single from his 1981 album
658:"Prince Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs"
475:
1766:
376:, electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, handclaps
634:Bubbling Under The Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004
1795:Song recordings produced by Prince (musician)
723:
103:Uptown, Sunset Sound, Hollywood Sound, 1981
730:
716:
34:
999:I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
685:"Prince Chart History: Dance Club Songs"
631:
599:
1767:
497:
711:
550:
323:
1185:The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
392:Chart performance for "Let's Work"
13:
1785:Songs written by Prince (musician)
737:
14:
1811:
1627:How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
320:demo-like quality of that album.
316:tour, and is consistent with the
1517:Guitar (original "demo" version)
609:On Time: A Princely Life in Funk
540:– via World Radio History.
677:
1255:The Greatest Romance Ever Sold
789:Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?
764:Just as Long as We're Together
650:
593:
569:
551:Clerc, Benoît (October 2022).
544:
513:
491:
469:
457:
412:Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
1:
532:. January 23, 1981. p. 9
450:
280:features instrumental solos;
256:
18:Let's Work (Mick Jagger song)
1683:The Ballad of Dorothy Parker
1312:Controversy (Live in Hawaii)
464:Prince – "Let's Work" single
443:
429:
356:
7:
1676:Sometimes It Snows in April
880:Let's Pretend We're Married
368:– lead and backing vocals,
10:
1816:
1732:Everyday Is a Winding Road
1108:Money Don't Matter 2 Night
831:Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
382:– drums (extended version)
308:Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
82:Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
15:
1718:La, La, La Means I Love U
1669:Around the World in a Day
1590:
1558:
1526:
1508:
1437:
1384:
1264:
1057:
780:
748:
434:
420:
406:
399:
396:
386:
188:
180:
168:
156:
144:
123:
107:
99:
91:
66:
56:
45:
33:
28:
1567:The Beautiful Experience
1286:" (with Audio Stepchild)
985:If I Was Your Girlfriend
265:and quick solos for the
77:"Ronnie, Talk to Russia"
16:Not to be confused with
1780:Prince (musician) songs
964:Anotherloverholenyohead
632:Whitburn, Joel (1992).
1790:Warner Records singles
1711:I Can't Make U Love Me
1704:Don't Talk 2 Strangers
1499:The Song of the Heart
1073:Thieves in the Temple
771:I Wanna Be Your Lover
553:Prince: All the Songs
481:"Prince: Controversy"
310:" was written on the
23:1982 single by Prince
1581:1999: The New Master
1527:New Power Generation
1485:It's About That Walk
1460:Nothing Compares 2 U
1393:Rocknroll Loveaffair
1284:When Will We B Paid?
1234:Betcha by Golly Wow!
1171:Nothing Compares 2 U
1080:New Power Generation
501:(January 21, 1982).
440:Hot Dance Club Songs
138:3:57 (album version)
1690:Starfish and Coffee
1620:International Lover
1478:Somebody's Somebody
1438:Promotional singles
1273:U Make My Sun Shine
1227:Dinner with Delores
1101:Diamonds and Pearls
866:Little Red Corvette
426:Hot R&B Singles
393:
1746:Crimson and Clover
1634:The Beautiful Ones
1509:Internet downloads
1446:When You Were Mine
1400:Breakfast Can Wait
1157:The Morning Papers
978:Sign "O" the Times
611:. Hachette Books.
479:(April 29, 2016).
391:
324:Critical reception
184:singles chronology
140:8:02 (12" version)
1762:
1761:
1136:My Name Is Prince
1041:The Arms of Orion
477:A. Brooks, Daphne
448:
447:
225:
224:
221:
220:
1807:
971:Girls & Boys
732:
725:
718:
709:
708:
702:
701:
699:
697:
681:
675:
674:
672:
670:
654:
648:
647:
629:
623:
622:
597:
591:
590:
588:
587:
573:
567:
566:
548:
542:
541:
539:
537:
525:
517:
511:
510:
507:rollingstone.com
495:
489:
488:
473:
467:
461:
394:
390:
329:Daphne A. Brooks
190:
189:
173:
161:
135:
134:
130:
71:
38:
26:
25:
1815:
1814:
1810:
1809:
1808:
1806:
1805:
1804:
1765:
1764:
1763:
1758:
1753:Moonbeam Levels
1655:Baby I'm a Star
1586:
1554:
1522:
1504:
1433:
1421:This Could B Us
1407:Fallinlove2nite
1380:
1298:The Work, pt. 1
1260:
1053:
1020:I Wish U Heaven
929:Raspberry Beret
908:I Would Die 4 U
824:Do It All Night
776:
744:
736:
706:
705:
695:
693:
683:
682:
678:
668:
666:
656:
655:
651:
644:
630:
626:
619:
598:
594:
585:
583:
581:guitarcloud.org
575:
574:
570:
563:
549:
545:
535:
533:
523:
521:"Single Review"
519:
518:
514:
499:Holden, Stephen
496:
492:
474:
470:
462:
458:
453:
401:
389:
359:
326:
259:
231:" is a song by
216:
207:
198:
169:
157:
139:
137:
132:
128:
127:
95:January 6, 1982
87:
67:
57:from the album
41:
24:
21:
12:
11:
5:
1813:
1803:
1802:
1797:
1792:
1787:
1782:
1777:
1760:
1759:
1757:
1756:
1749:
1742:
1735:
1728:
1721:
1714:
1707:
1700:
1693:
1686:
1679:
1672:
1665:
1658:
1651:
1644:
1637:
1630:
1623:
1616:
1609:
1602:
1599:I Feel for You
1594:
1592:
1588:
1587:
1585:
1584:
1577:
1570:
1562:
1560:
1556:
1555:
1553:
1552:
1545:
1538:
1530:
1528:
1524:
1523:
1521:
1520:
1512:
1510:
1506:
1505:
1503:
1502:
1495:
1488:
1481:
1474:
1463:
1456:
1449:
1441:
1439:
1435:
1434:
1432:
1431:
1424:
1417:
1410:
1403:
1396:
1388:
1386:
1382:
1381:
1379:
1378:
1371:
1364:
1357:
1350:
1343:
1340:Te Amo Corazón
1336:
1329:
1322:
1315:
1308:
1301:
1294:
1287:
1280:
1268:
1266:
1262:
1261:
1259:
1258:
1251:
1244:
1241:The Holy River
1237:
1230:
1223:
1216:
1209:
1202:
1195:
1188:
1181:
1174:
1167:
1160:
1153:
1146:
1139:
1132:
1125:
1118:
1111:
1104:
1097:
1090:
1083:
1076:
1069:
1061:
1059:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1044:
1037:
1030:
1023:
1016:
1009:
1002:
995:
992:U Got the Look
988:
981:
974:
967:
960:
953:
946:
939:
932:
925:
918:
915:Take Me with U
911:
904:
897:
894:Let's Go Crazy
890:
887:When Doves Cry
883:
876:
869:
862:
855:
848:
841:
834:
827:
820:
813:
806:
799:
792:
784:
782:
778:
777:
775:
774:
767:
760:
752:
750:
746:
745:
735:
734:
727:
720:
712:
704:
703:
676:
649:
642:
624:
617:
592:
568:
561:
543:
512:
490:
468:
466:. discogs.com.
455:
454:
452:
449:
446:
445:
442:
432:
431:
428:
418:
417:
414:
404:
403:
398:
388:
385:
384:
383:
377:
358:
355:
339:Stephen Holden
325:
322:
258:
255:
223:
222:
219:
218:
209:
200:
186:
185:
178:
177:
174:
166:
165:
162:
154:
153:
148:
142:
141:
125:
121:
120:
111:
105:
104:
101:
97:
96:
93:
89:
88:
86:
85:
78:
74:
72:
64:
63:
54:
53:
43:
42:
39:
31:
30:
22:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1812:
1801:
1798:
1796:
1793:
1791:
1788:
1786:
1783:
1781:
1778:
1776:
1773:
1772:
1770:
1754:
1750:
1747:
1743:
1740:
1736:
1733:
1729:
1726:
1722:
1719:
1715:
1712:
1708:
1705:
1701:
1698:
1694:
1691:
1687:
1684:
1680:
1677:
1673:
1670:
1666:
1663:
1659:
1656:
1652:
1649:
1648:Darling Nikki
1645:
1642:
1641:Computer Blue
1638:
1635:
1631:
1628:
1624:
1621:
1617:
1614:
1610:
1607:
1603:
1600:
1596:
1595:
1593:
1589:
1583:
1582:
1578:
1576:
1575:
1571:
1569:
1568:
1564:
1563:
1561:
1557:
1550:
1546:
1543:
1539:
1536:
1532:
1531:
1529:
1525:
1518:
1514:
1513:
1511:
1507:
1500:
1496:
1493:
1489:
1486:
1482:
1479:
1475:
1472:
1468:
1464:
1461:
1457:
1454:
1450:
1447:
1443:
1442:
1440:
1436:
1429:
1425:
1422:
1418:
1415:
1411:
1408:
1404:
1401:
1397:
1394:
1390:
1389:
1387:
1383:
1376:
1372:
1369:
1365:
1362:
1358:
1355:
1351:
1348:
1344:
1341:
1337:
1334:
1330:
1327:
1326:Cinnamon Girl
1323:
1320:
1316:
1313:
1309:
1306:
1302:
1299:
1295:
1292:
1288:
1285:
1281:
1278:
1274:
1270:
1269:
1267:
1263:
1256:
1252:
1249:
1245:
1242:
1238:
1235:
1231:
1228:
1224:
1221:
1217:
1214:
1210:
1207:
1206:Purple Medley
1203:
1200:
1196:
1193:
1189:
1186:
1182:
1179:
1175:
1172:
1168:
1165:
1164:Pink Cashmere
1161:
1158:
1154:
1151:
1147:
1144:
1140:
1137:
1133:
1130:
1126:
1123:
1119:
1116:
1112:
1109:
1105:
1102:
1098:
1095:
1091:
1088:
1084:
1081:
1077:
1074:
1070:
1067:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1056:
1049:
1045:
1042:
1038:
1035:
1031:
1028:
1024:
1021:
1017:
1014:
1010:
1007:
1003:
1000:
996:
993:
989:
986:
982:
979:
975:
972:
968:
965:
961:
958:
954:
951:
947:
944:
940:
937:
933:
930:
926:
923:
919:
916:
912:
909:
905:
902:
898:
895:
891:
888:
884:
881:
877:
874:
870:
867:
863:
860:
856:
853:
849:
846:
842:
839:
835:
832:
828:
825:
821:
818:
814:
811:
807:
804:
800:
797:
796:Still Waiting
793:
790:
786:
785:
783:
779:
772:
768:
765:
761:
758:
754:
753:
751:
747:
743:
740:
733:
728:
726:
721:
719:
714:
713:
710:
692:
691:
686:
680:
665:
664:
659:
653:
645:
643:0-89820-082-2
639:
635:
628:
620:
618:9780306922206
614:
610:
606:
602:
596:
582:
578:
577:"Controversy"
572:
564:
562:9781784728816
558:
554:
547:
531:
530:
522:
516:
508:
504:
503:"Controversy"
500:
494:
486:
485:pitchfork.com
482:
478:
472:
465:
460:
456:
441:
438:
433:
427:
424:
419:
415:
413:
410:
405:
397:Chart (1982)
395:
381:
378:
375:
374:Oberheim OB-X
371:
367:
364:
363:
362:
354:
352:
351:
346:
344:
343:Rolling Stone
340:
336:
335:
330:
321:
319:
315:
314:
309:
305:
301:
300:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
276:The extended
274:
272:
268:
264:
254:
252:
248:
244:
240:
239:
234:
230:
214:
210:
205:
201:
196:
192:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
172:
167:
163:
160:
159:Songwriter(s)
155:
152:
149:
147:
143:
126:
122:
119:
115:
112:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
83:
79:
76:
75:
73:
70:
65:
62:
61:
55:
52:
48:
44:
37:
32:
27:
19:
1775:1982 singles
1579:
1572:
1565:
1492:Call My Name
1305:Days of Wild
1006:Alphabet St.
922:Paisley Park
844:
757:Soft and Wet
694:. Retrieved
688:
679:
667:. Retrieved
661:
652:
633:
627:
608:
595:
584:. Retrieved
580:
571:
552:
546:
534:. Retrieved
527:
515:
506:
493:
484:
471:
459:
436:
422:
408:
360:
348:
347:
332:
327:
311:
297:
293:
275:
270:
260:
250:
247:Warner Bros.
236:
228:
226:
203:
151:Warner Bros.
58:
40:US 7" single
29:"Let's Work"
1739:A Case of U
1613:Private Joy
1591:Other songs
1453:Erotic City
1428:Free Urself
1347:Black Sweat
1277:Angie Stone
1048:Scandalous!
901:Purple Rain
852:Do Me, Baby
838:Controversy
803:Sexy Dancer
605:Ritz, David
601:Day, Morris
555:. Octopus.
536:December 5,
294:Controversy
290:Controversy
271:Controversy
251:Controversy
243:Minneapolis
238:Controversy
213:Do Me, Baby
195:Controversy
171:Producer(s)
60:Controversy
1800:1981 songs
1769:Categories
1375:Dance 4 Me
1319:Musicology
1115:Insatiable
1066:The Future
845:Let's Work
817:Dirty Mind
586:2023-04-29
451:References
380:Morris Day
318:minimalist
313:Dirty Mind
284:on drums;
282:Morris Day
257:Background
229:Let's Work
204:Let's Work
118:post-disco
84:" (US 12")
1725:One of Us
1471:Nona Gaye
1467:Love Sign
1414:Breakdown
1291:Supercute
1248:The Truth
1013:Glam Slam
957:Mountains
873:Delirious
696:August 4,
690:Billboard
669:August 4,
663:Billboard
437:Billboard
423:Billboard
409:Billboard
402:position
357:Personnel
334:Pitchfork
136:(7" edit)
1535:Get Wild
1469:" (with
1368:F.U.N.K.
1275:" (with
1213:I Hate U
1087:Gett Off
1034:Partyman
1027:Batdance
936:Pop Life
607:(2019).
529:Cash Box
370:ARP Omni
267:choruses
100:Recorded
92:Released
1662:17 Days
1606:Partyup
1549:Come On
1542:The War
1192:Letitgo
1129:Sexy MF
1122:Thunder
943:America
742:singles
350:Cashbox
286:samples
273:album.
217:(1982)
208:(1982)
199:(1981)
1361:Guitar
1333:S.S.T.
1150:Damn U
810:Uptown
739:Prince
640:
615:
559:
387:Charts
366:Prince
304:B-side
288:from "
263:verses
233:Prince
182:Prince
176:Prince
164:Prince
124:Length
69:B-side
51:Prince
47:Single
1697:Adore
1385:2010s
1265:2000s
1199:Space
1178:Peach
1094:Cream
1058:1990s
781:1980s
749:1970s
524:(PDF)
278:remix
146:Label
109:Genre
1354:Fury
1220:Gold
950:Kiss
859:1999
698:2023
671:2023
638:ISBN
613:ISBN
557:ISBN
538:2021
400:Peak
299:1999
296:and
114:Funk
1574:NYC
1559:EPs
435:US
421:US
407:US
341:of
331:of
49:by
1771::
687:.
660:.
603:;
579:.
526:.
505:.
483:.
444:1
430:9
416:4
372:,
215:"
206:"
197:"
133:56
116:,
1755:"
1751:"
1748:"
1744:"
1741:"
1737:"
1734:"
1730:"
1727:"
1723:"
1720:"
1716:"
1713:"
1709:"
1706:"
1702:"
1699:"
1695:"
1692:"
1688:"
1685:"
1681:"
1678:"
1674:"
1671:"
1667:"
1664:"
1660:"
1657:"
1653:"
1650:"
1646:"
1643:"
1639:"
1636:"
1632:"
1629:"
1625:"
1622:"
1618:"
1615:"
1611:"
1608:"
1604:"
1601:"
1597:"
1551:"
1547:"
1544:"
1540:"
1537:"
1533:"
1519:"
1515:"
1501:"
1497:"
1494:"
1490:"
1487:"
1483:"
1480:"
1476:"
1473:)
1465:"
1462:"
1458:"
1455:"
1451:"
1448:"
1444:"
1430:"
1426:"
1423:"
1419:"
1416:"
1412:"
1409:"
1405:"
1402:"
1398:"
1395:"
1391:"
1377:"
1373:"
1370:"
1366:"
1363:"
1359:"
1356:"
1352:"
1349:"
1345:"
1342:"
1338:"
1335:"
1331:"
1328:"
1324:"
1321:"
1317:"
1314:"
1310:"
1307:"
1303:"
1300:"
1296:"
1293:"
1289:"
1282:"
1279:)
1271:"
1257:"
1253:"
1250:"
1246:"
1243:"
1239:"
1236:"
1232:"
1229:"
1225:"
1222:"
1218:"
1215:"
1211:"
1208:"
1204:"
1201:"
1197:"
1194:"
1190:"
1187:"
1183:"
1180:"
1176:"
1173:"
1169:"
1166:"
1162:"
1159:"
1155:"
1152:"
1148:"
1145:"
1143:7
1141:"
1138:"
1134:"
1131:"
1127:"
1124:"
1120:"
1117:"
1113:"
1110:"
1106:"
1103:"
1099:"
1096:"
1092:"
1089:"
1085:"
1082:"
1078:"
1075:"
1071:"
1068:"
1064:"
1050:"
1046:"
1043:"
1039:"
1036:"
1032:"
1029:"
1025:"
1022:"
1018:"
1015:"
1011:"
1008:"
1004:"
1001:"
997:"
994:"
990:"
987:"
983:"
980:"
976:"
973:"
969:"
966:"
962:"
959:"
955:"
952:"
948:"
945:"
941:"
938:"
934:"
931:"
927:"
924:"
920:"
917:"
913:"
910:"
906:"
903:"
899:"
896:"
892:"
889:"
885:"
882:"
878:"
875:"
871:"
868:"
864:"
861:"
857:"
854:"
850:"
847:"
843:"
840:"
836:"
833:"
829:"
826:"
822:"
819:"
815:"
812:"
808:"
805:"
801:"
798:"
794:"
791:"
787:"
773:"
769:"
766:"
762:"
759:"
755:"
731:e
724:t
717:v
700:.
673:.
646:.
621:.
589:.
565:.
509:.
487:.
227:"
211:"
202:"
193:"
131::
129:2
80:"
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
