KC & The Sunshine Band, I Get Lifted | COVERS

In the 18^th edition of COVERS (2023), KC & The Sunshine Band delivers a compelling rendition of “I Get Lifted,” originally performed by George McCrae.

Ah, it’s time to get cozy and totally cover up! In COVERS, we highlight a musician or band covering songs by another musician (likely a popular musician). COVERS only highlights the musician who covers, as opposed to the original/most famous performer. It is open to both established musicians and musicians who may not be as well-known. In the 18^th edition of COVERS (2023), KC & The Sunshine Band delivers a compelling rendition of “I Get Lifted”, originally performed by George McCrae.

via GIPHY

It’s kind of strange when you cover a song you’ve written, right? Right. In the case of “I Get Lifted”, KC & The Sunshine Band covered a song they wrote.  That’s right, the George McCrae gem, “I Get Lifted”, was written by Henry Wayne Casey (aka KC) and Richard Finch, both members of the legendary, Florida disco/funk/ R&B band.  On their 1975 self-titled album, KC & The Sunshine band recorded their own version of “I Get Lifted,” which is incredibly funky in its own right.

“I Get Lifted” gets less attention on KC & The Sunshine Band understandably when there are hits like “That’s the Way (I Like It)”, “Get Down Tonight” (both no. 1 singles), and “Boogie Shoes” ahead of it.  Those are juggernauts ladies and gentlemen!  Still, “I Get Lifted” is a surefire vibe.  The tempo is quicker than the 1974 original – a distinguishing characteristic. The production is electrifying – sleek, sleek, SLEEK! The rhythmic section is fully locked in and loaded – in the pocket! There is a sea of rhythms dispersed across an active, red hot bass line , guitar , funked-up clavinet , and of course, a groove readymade for the discos … or just the dance floor these days ! The vocals are cool but yield plenty of personality as KC sings of being lifted by her love (“I get lifted / Up high, high / High, high”), hehe.  Also, notable is the vamping as KC and company keep a feel-good vibe going and yet the song just crosses the three-minute mark, sigh. “I Get Lifted” is sure to lift your spirits and make you wanna cut a rug… well… not literally, of course! “Mama, mama!”

via GIPHY

KC & The Sunshine Band • KC & The Sunshine Band • Rhino Entertainment • 1975

KC & The Sunshine Band, “I Get Lifted”: Covers No. 18 (2023) [: Brent Faulkner /The Musical Hype; Paul Brennan from Pixabay; Rhino Entertainment; Sdf Rahbar on Unsplash]