“Get Ready”: A Psychedelic Soul Journey of Impatience and Anticipation on the Dance Floor.
For those who lived through the transformative late 1960s and early 1970s, a period where genres deliciously blurred and musical boundaries were pushed, the name Rare Earth immediately brings to mind a unique, electrifying sound. As one of the pioneering rock bands signed to Motown’s eponymous rock subsidiary, Rare Earth forged a distinctive path, blending the raw energy of rock with the irresistible grooves of funk and soul. Their iconic 1970 rendition of “Get Ready” stands as a monumental testament to this fusion – it’s not just a cover song, but a sprawling, improvisational odyssey that captures the restless spirit of an era, brimming with impatience and the thrill of impending connection on the dance floor. For older readers, it conjures vivid memories of dimly lit clubs, vibrant outfits, and the exhilarating anticipation of a night coming alive.
Upon its release as a single in February 1970, Rare Earth’s electrifying version of “Get Ready” became a colossal hit, propelling the band into the mainstream spotlight. It soared to an impressive number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, and also achieved significant success on the R&B charts, reaching number 2 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. This widespread appeal was particularly remarkable for a track that clocked in at nearly 2 minutes and 50 seconds in its single edit, a rarity for radio at the time, and a mere fraction of the full 21-minute album version found on their 1969 album Get Ready. Its success firmly established Rare Earth as a commercial powerhouse and a trailblazing act in the burgeoning blue-eyed soul and psychedelic rock scenes. For many of us, hearing those opening, pulsating basslines and the wailing saxophone was an instant call to the dance floor, a signal that something truly special was about to unfold.
The story behind Rare Earth’s “Get Ready” is one of audacious reinterpretation and the remarkable transformation of a classic. The song was originally written by the legendary Smokey Robinson and first recorded by The Temptations in 1966. Their version was a quintessential Motown pop-soul gem: tight, catchy, and relatively short. However, when Rare Earth, a predominantly white rock and funk band, took on the song, they infused it with a radically different energy. Their rendition, initially featured on their 1969 album Get Ready, stretched the song into an epic, improvisational jam, showcasing the band’s formidable musical chops and their love for extended solos and dynamic interplay.
The band – consisting of Pete Rivera (vocals, drums), Mark Olson (keyboards), John Persh (bass), Rod Richards (guitar), and Kenny James (saxophone) – approached the track with a raw, live sensibility. The album version, in particular, became a staple of rock radio’s more adventurous programming, allowing listeners to immerse themselves in its extended instrumental sections, building to a fever pitch. The single edit, while truncated, retained enough of this compelling energy to captivate a mass audience. This audacious re-imagining not only paid homage to a Motown classic but also reinvented it for a new era, proving that great songs could transcend genre and be endlessly explored.
The meaning of “Get Ready” in Rare Earth’s hands takes on a dual significance. On the surface, the lyrics are a simple, fervent plea from a lover for their partner to “get ready” to come to them, expressing an impatient desire for connection and intimacy. This translates beautifully to the excitement of a night out, waiting for the music to kick in, for the energy of the crowd to coalesce. However, the extended instrumental passages, particularly in the album version, imbue the song with a deeper, almost primal meaning of anticipation and building tension. The pulsating rhythm, the escalating saxophone wails, and the driving guitar riffs create a palpable sense of longing and a slow, undeniable build-up to a euphoric release. For older listeners, it evokes not just the literal act of preparing for a night out, but the broader feeling of being on the cusp of something exhilarating, of a moment about to arrive that promises pure joy. It’s a sonic journey that mirrors life’s own rhythms of waiting, building, and finally embracing the moment. “Get Ready” is a vibrant, enduring anthem of passionate impatience and the electrifying promise of what’s just around the corner.