“I Get a Kick Out of You” by Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
To say that you get a “kick out of” someone is the same as saying, especially within the context of the time period in which this song was written, that being in their company excites you. And the implication, considering for instance that the vocalists are respectively male and female, is that the reason they feel this way about each other is because they are in love.
And the lyrics of this piece may be relatively intricate, even by today’s standards. But basically what the motif centers on is listing a number of activities or items people generally find excitable – getting boozed, sniffing cocaine or flying an airplane – as being nothing in the eyes of the vocalist compared to the “kick” he or she gets from being around the other person.
And again, it must be pointed out that this song was written nearly a century before Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett got around to covering it. So for instance back then, riding in an airplane was a lot less common activity than it is now.
Also note that entering into the 20th century, coke was actually legal in the United States. It actually took some years, up until 1922, before it was fully prohibited. But even though coke was eventually outlawed primarily due to its addictive qualities, obviously its usage remained intact or at least recognized in some circles.
But all of that aside, there really isn’t anything complicated about this piece. The vocalist is simply letting the addressee, who in this case reads like the other vocalist, know that there is nothing s/he enjoys more than being with him or her.
Facts about “I Get a Kick Out of You”
This is one of those songs that dates back to a classic Broadway musical which in this instance would be 1934’s Anything Goes. Accordingly it has been covered by a number of big-name artists throughout the years.
The version we’re researching today is from an album entitled “Love for Sale”. It was released mainly by Columbia Records on 3 August 2021.
After 2014’s “Cheek to Cheek”, “Love for Sale” is actually the second collaborative LP dropped by Bennett alongside Gaga. And reportedly this will be the long-standing Bennett’s final album altogether. This is because on top of being 95 years old as of the aforementioned date he also has Alzheimer’s disease. And to note, he is 60 years older than Lady Gaga.
The writer of this tune is someone whose existence even predates that of Bennett’s, the late Cole Porter (1891-1964). He was a musician who, perhaps due to the fact that his prime years were before there was really a music industry to speak of, was heavily involved in theater.
The official visual to this track, as directed by Jennifer Lebeau, received a nomination for a Best Music Video Grammy Award.
Bennett’s second son, Dae Bennet, produced this track.
This collaboration was also nominated for the “Record of the Year” award at the 64th Annual Grammys. It was pitted against the following songs for this prestigious award:
- Brandi Carlile’s “Right on Time”
- Justin Bieber’s “Peaches”
- ABBA’s “I Still Have Faith in You”
- Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”
- Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”
- Doja Cat and SZA’s “Kiss Me More”
- Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever”
- Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License”
- Jon Batiste’s “Freedom”
