Mitty Collier, Gotta Get Away From It All – Version 2 | Throwback Vibez

In the 166^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2025), we recollect and reflect on “Gotta Get Away From It All – Version 2” by Mitty Collier.

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez! Throwback Vibez is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 166^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2025), we recollect and reflect on “Gotta Get Away From It All – Version 2” performed by Mitty Collier.

That is no good, Mitty Collier (b. 1941)! The good news for Pastor Mitty is that the song itself, “Gotta Get Away From It All – Version 2”, is good! “Gotta Get Away From It All – Version 2” is the opener from Talking With Her Man: The Chess Singles 1961-1968. Written by Lloyd Reese, unfortunately, it was not a hit for Collier.  Bummer.  Version 2 clocks in at two minutes and change. It is shorter than Version 1, which also appears on the musical compilation.

“Gotta Get Away From It All – Version  2” begins with the telephone ringing, with Mitty Collier calling her mom and telling her about this abusive and toxic relationship. “Momma, he knocks me down / And he makes me fall / And I gotta get away from it all,” she continues singing. I adore the huskiness and smokiness of her pipes.  Her voice is dramatic, gravelly, and commanding. Solid in her lower register, she ascends with incredible ease. “Gotta Get Away From It All” benefits from its memorable, authentic, and real songwriting. Collier brings these words to life like a champ. These men are no good! Set in a lilting compound-duple meter (six-eight), “Gotta Get Away” has vintage soul music cues written all over it.  That includes the meter beaten out (played) by the drums, a big bass line, ostinato piano, and ripe guitar riffs.  Adding to the allure is the marvelous horn arrangement, which appears during the second verse. The horns are biting, articulated, and rich, amplifying the instrumental. There is a mean saxophone solo during an instrumental interlude.  Mitty Collier concludes version two dramatically, ending this momentous, soul-bearing phone call with, “Goodbye Moma.” “Gotta Get Away From It All – Version 2” is an underrated, must-hear gem from Collier’s epic singles collection.

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Mitty Collier » Talking With Her Man: The Chess Singles 1961-1968 » Geffen » 2008

Mitty Collier, Gotta Get Away From It All – Version 2: Throwback Vibez No. 166 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Geffen; AcatXlo, OpenClipart-Vectors, Speedy McVroom from Pixabay]

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