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Background, release, and structure

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"Got the Life" was recorded in April 1998 at NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood, California.[1] After recording the song, the group's members each felt that there was something "special" about the song.[2] Lead vocalist Jonathan Davis claimed that it reminded him of "something you might hear at raves, which were very popular at the time.[2][3] Even though they thought that many fans would not appreciate the song, they released it as a promotional single in early August 1998, before the release of the album it is from, Follow the Leader.[3] "Got the Life" revolved around the mixed blessings of fame.[4]

The single was sent to radio stations on July 24, 1998, and has been released five times.[5] The single's first release was on August 10, 1998,[6] where it was released with two versions in the United States.[6][7] The single contains different mixes of the song, including "Deejay Punk-Rock Remix" and the instrumental "D.O.S.E.'s Woollyback Remix."[8] The single also apprehends B-sides and remixes to earlier songs.[9] Stephen Thomas Erlewine reviewed the single, giving it two out of five stars, and noting that "the 'Deejay Punk-Roc Remix' is pretty good, but the instrumental is of negligible worth. The second part of the single is backed with 'I Can Remember' plus 'Good God (OOMPH! vs. Such A Surge Remix),' neither of which are particular memorable. Still, both parts are of interest to hardcore collectors, and they're probably preferable to the U.S. single, since the packaging is nice and they contain more B-sides than its American counterpart."[9] The single was also released in Australia,[9] and in the United Kingdom twice.[10][11] The single was considered to gave had "phenomenal success"[12]

Music video

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"I would give my car to a bum. I thought Tre from Pharcyde could play the bum. I wanted to to blow up cars and other fancy material things in the video as a way to show that we didn't care about those things. We could end the video with a shot of a big backyard party with all of [their] friends. In Addition, I wanted to put two lowrider bikes in the scene and make it look like we were all down in Mexico, partying and having a good time."
–Reginald Arvizu[3]

Korn decided to shoot a music video for "Got the Life" after the reception from fans and employees at NRG Recording Studios was very positive.[3] The music video's concept was by the band's bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu.[3] Their managers advised them to request Joseph Kahn to direct the video.[3] Kahn also was the director for A.D.I.D.A.S. music video in 1997.[13] After asking Kahn to direct their video, he responded saying "That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard."[14]

Offended by and against his response, Korn hired McG,[14] the director of the band's other videos "Blind" and "Faget,"[15] The song's music video was the first video that is considered to be "retired" from MTV.[14][16] Executives from TRL said the the song was the most requested music video "for too long so they had to stop airing it so other artists would have a chance at the coveted number one spot."[14] Deuce, the video album that "Got the Life"'s music video appears on, was certified a Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[17][18]

Structure and production

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"Got the Life" is three minutes and forty-five seconds long.[19] It is the shortest song on Follow the Leader. Like Follow the Leader the single was produced by Steve Thompson and Toby Wright,[20][21] and was mixed by Brendan O'Brien.[20] "Got the Life (Deejay's Punk-Roc remix)" was mixed by Deejay's Punk-Roc and Jonathan Davis, and was recorded at Airdog Funk Research Department and Liverpool, England. The D.O.S.E.'s Woollyback remix was mixed by D.O.S.E. in courtesy of Mercury Records.[20]

The song starts off with a single percussion beat, leading into the refrain riff, with a triple guitar overdub. When the verses emerge, lead singer Jonathan Davis begins singing with the lyrical line "Hate, something, sometime, someway, something kicked on the front floor."[22] Korn performed the song with the following members: Jonathan Davis performing vocals, Brian "Head" Welch and James "Munky" Shaffer performing guitars, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, performing on the bass guitar, and David Silveria on the drum kit. They produced a sound described by employees of Allmusic as having a style of alternative metal, heavy metal, and [rap–metal genres.[11] The lyrics and music contain moods such as Dramatic, Indulgent, Rowdiness, Bleakness, Liveliness, Hedonistic, and Earnest.[11]

Track listing

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1998 CD Sony Music Distribution 630229 1998 12 Epic 6663912 1998 CD Sony Music Distribution 66343

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [9]

Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the song two out of five stars, saying "it rivaled such previous masterworks as 'A.D.I.D.A.S.' and 'Shoots and Ladders'. Their fusion of metal and rap was stronger than ever, boasting their best rhythm tracks to date. Which is good, since the B-sides of the 'Got the Life' singles were devoted to remixes."[9] Erlewine later went on to say that "['I Can Remember' and 'Good God (OOMPH! vs. Such A Surge Remix)'] are of interest to hardcore collectors, and they're probably preferable to the U.S. single, since the packaging is nice and they contain more B-sides than its American counterpart."[9]

"Got the Life" became Korn's first entry on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs and Alternative Songs charts, peaking at number fifteen and number seventeen, respectively.[24] The song peaked at number twenty-six in Australia, and shipments of a CD single have surpassed 35,000 units.[25] On September 17, 1998, "Got the Life"'s music video debuted at number eight on MTV's Total Request Live,[26] and on January 12, 1999, the music video was officially declared the first video that retired from MTV.[27]

  1. ^ "Follow The Leader (CD)". Tower Records. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  2. ^ a b Arvizu 2009, p. 116
  3. ^ a b c d e f Arvizu 2009, p. 117
  4. ^ Furman 2000, p. 127
  5. ^ Furman 2000, p. 145
  6. ^ a b c "allmusic ((( Got the Life (US) > Overview )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-05
  7. ^ a b "allmusic ((( Got the Life (Remixes) > Overview )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-05
  8. ^ "Got the Life" (Media notes). Epic. 1998. {{cite AV media notes}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |bandname= ignored (help)
  9. ^ a b c d e f Stephen Thomas Erlewine "allmusic ((( Got the Life (Australia) > Overview )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-05
  10. ^ a b "allmusic ((( Got the Life (UK Single #1) > Overview )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-05
  11. ^ a b c d "allmusic ((( Got the Life (UK single #2) > Overview )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-05
  12. ^ McIver 2002, p. 71
  13. ^ "Maital Sabban" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-05-12.
  14. ^ a b c d Arvizu 2009, p. 118
  15. ^ Korn: Who Then Now, McG, DVD - Barnes & Noble Retrieved 2010-06-02
  16. ^ Furman 2000, p. 151
  17. ^ Duece (Media notes). Sony/Epic. 2002. {{cite AV media notes}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |albumlink= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |bandname= ignored (help)
  18. ^ "RIAA certifications". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  19. ^ "Got the Life (UK)" (Media notes). Epic. 1998. {{cite AV media notes}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |bandname= ignored (help)
  20. ^ a b c Arvizu 2009, p. 112
  21. ^ "Got the Life (UK #2)" (Media notes). Epic. 1998. {{cite AV media notes}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |bandname= ignored (help)
  22. ^ Small, Doug (1999). Korn (2 ed.). Omnibus Press. pp. 32–47. ISBN 0825618045.
  23. ^ "Got the Life (Australian single)" (Media notes). Epic. 1998. {{cite AV media notes}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |bandname= ignored (help)
  24. ^ "Billboard charts". Billboard charts. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  25. ^ "Accreditations - 1999 Singles". ARIA. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  26. ^ "Debuts". The TRL Archive. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  27. ^ Cite error: The named reference retired was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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