Get-A-Way

"Get-A-Way" is a European hit single by the German Eurodance project Maxx. The song was first released on October 1993 as the debut single from the project. In Germany, the single reached Gold status for selling over 250,000 units. It peaked within the Top 10 in at least 11 countries; Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. By mid-1994, it sold over 1.1 million in Europe.

"Get-A-Way"
Single by Maxx
from the album To the Maxximum
Released	27 October 1993
Recorded	1993
Genre	Eurodance
Length	3:45
Songwriter(s)	Dakota O'Neill Dawhite Gary Bokoe George Torpey The Hitman
Producer(s)	The Movement
Maxx singles chronology
"Get-A-Way" (1993) "No More (I Can't Stand It)" (1994)
Music video
"Get-A-Way" on YouTube
Original Scandinavian Release

Background

"Get-A-Way" originally featured vocals by rapper Boris Köhler (Gary Bokoe) and singer Samira Besic. The single became a major club hit in Germany upon release in October 1993. For unknown reasons, Besic did not participate further in Maxx beyond recording vocals for "Get-A-Way." A model-dancer named Eliz Yavuz (Alice Montana) was hired to lip-sync Besic's vocals for the accompanying music video.[1] British singer Linda Meek was later recruited into the act early in 1994. She quickly became associated with "Get-A-Way," by the media due to her regularly performing the song live in concert and on music television programs with Köhler for music programs like Top of the Pops, Dance Machine, MTV and many more.

Critical reception

Music & Media wrote that "this steaming houser has it all: a thumping beat that should get the crippled going, pulsating synthesizers that provide both the slightly ambient melody and the background, and a prominent rap to put the icing on the cake. It definitely has huge international chart potential."[2]

Chart performance

"Get-A-Way" became a huge dancefloor hit in Europe, peaking at number 11 in Germany,[3] and at number 5 in the United Kingdom, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands. In the UK, it peaked at number 4 in its third week at the UK Singles Chart, on May 29, 1994.[4] It stayed at that position for two weeks. The single also became a Top 10 hit in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Scotland and Switzerland,[5] as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it reached number 10. "Get-A-Way" was later certified with a gold record in Germany for selling over 450,000[6] and a silver record in the UK for selling over 200,000 units.[7] By mid-1994, the single reached a total of 1.1 million in European commercial sales.[8] Outside Europe, the song peaked at number 3 on the RPM Dance Chart in Canada, number 11 in Israel and number 196 in Australia.

Music video

The music video for "Get-A-Way" was directed by director Jonathan Bate.[9] He would also direct the video for the project's next single, "No More (I Can't Stand It)". "Get-A-Way" was uploaded to YouTube in July 2016. As of August 2020, the video has got more than 38 million views.[10]

Track listings

CD Maxi-single (Europe, 1993)

1. "Get-A-Way" (Airplay Mix) - 3:45
2. "Get-A-Way" (Club Mix) - 5:35
3. "Get-A-Way" (Twilight Mix) - 5:33
4. "Get-A-Way" (Get In Trance Mix) - 4:49

CD Maxi-single - Remix (Europe, 1994)

1. "Get-A-Way" (2AM Club Mix) - 5:21
2. "Get-A-Way" (Piano Remix) - 4:59
3. "Get-A-Way" (Naked Eye Radio Mix) - 4:01

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1993-1994) Peak position Australia (ARIA) 196 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 3 Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[12] 8 Canada Dance (RPM)[13] 3 Denmark (Tracklisten)[14] 4 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[15] 10 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[16] 5 France (SNEP)[11] 15 Germany (Media Control Charts)[17] 11 Ireland (IRMA)[18] 8 Israel (Israel Top-30) 11 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 4 Norway (VG-lista)[11] 8 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[21] 6 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 3 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] 8 United Kingdom (Official Charts Company)[22] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1994) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[23] 19 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[24] 76 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[25] 25 Germany (Official German Charts)[26] 49 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[27] 38 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[28] 42 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[29] 16 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 36 Certifications Country Certification Date Dales certified Germany[6] Gold 1994 250,000 UK[7] Silver 1 August 1994 200,000

References

1. "Eliz Yavuz". Discogs. discogs.com. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
2. "Music & Media: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
3. "Charts.de: Top 100 Single (February 28, 1994)". Media Control. Charts.at. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
4. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 29 May 1994 - 04 June 1994". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
5. "Maxx: Get-A-Away". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
6. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Maxx)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
7. "Certified Awards Search". BPI. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
8. "Germany: Hitmakers '94". Billboard Magazine. 3 December 1994. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
9. "maxx - get-a-way ( viva tv )". YouTube. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
10. "Maxx - Get A Way (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
11. "Get-A-Way", in various Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved 10 February 2008)
12. Belgian peak Archived 9 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
13. "Canadian dance peak". Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
14. Billboard: Hits of the World Section, April 16, 1994
15. "Music & Media: Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
16. Billboard: Hits of the World Section, April 9, 1994
17. "Charts.de: Maxx (Singles)" (in German). Charts.de. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
18. Search for Ireland peak positions Archived 5 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine
19. "Nederlandse Top 40: Maxx". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
20. "Dutchcharts.nl – Maxx – Get-A-Way" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
21. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 24 April 1994 - 28 May 1994". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 29 May 1994 - 04 June 1994". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
23. "JAHRESHITPARADE 1994" (in German). austriancharts.at. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
24. "jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
25. "1994 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
26. "Top 100 Singles – Jahrescharts 1994" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
27. "Jaarlijsten 1994" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
28. "JAAROVERZICHTEN - Single 1994" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
29. "Årslista Singlar, 1994" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
30. "SCHWEIZER JAHRESHITPARADE 1994". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 4 December 2019.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics