"Got to Be Real" is a song by American singer Cheryl Lynn from her 1978 self-titled debut album. The song, which was Lynn's debut single, was written by Lynn, David Paich and David Foster, and has since been called one of the defining moments in disco music.
For the recording, David Shields played bass, David Paich played keyboards, James Gadson played drums, and Ray Parker, Jr. was the session guitarist.
In the United States, "Got to Be Real" spent three weeks at #12 on the pop chart and hit number one on the soul chart in early 1979. Along with the album tracks "Star Love" and "You Saved My Day", "Got to Be Real" peaked at #11 on the disco chart. The song was used for a 2010 British TV advertising campaign for Marks & Spencer, a department store, and it re-entered the main charts at #78 for the week ending April 4, the next week peaking at #70.
On September 19, 2005, "Got to Be Real" was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame.
7" single
- "Got to Be Real" – 3:42
- "Come in from the Rain" – 3:35
12" single
- "Got to Be Real" – 5:10
- "Come in from the Rain" – 3:35
In 1993, Canadian singer Lisa Lougheed covered the song on her album Peace & Harmony.
In 1994, Amii Stewart covered the song on her tribute album Lady to Ladies.
In 1996, American singer Jordan Hill covered this song on her self-titled debut album.
In 1998, Mariah Carey and Patti LaBelle covered the song in a performance.
In 2000, Nettai Tropical Jazz Big Band covered the song on their album My Favorite.
In 2004, Mary J. Blige and Will Smith covered the song for the soundtrack to the animated film Shark Tale.
In 2007, Young Divas included a cover version on their second album New Attitude.
In 2008, Korean pop artist SunMin covered the song for her mini album Cover Girl.
In 2010, Japanese pop artist Kumi Koda covered the song for her single "Gossip Candy".
Mariah Carey and Patti LaBelle performed the song in 1998, available on LaBelle's Grammy-winning album, Live! One Night Only, released the same year.
Korean girl group TSZX The Grace performed this song at their live show, Graceful Party.
Kylie Minogue sampled the song for the disco-inspired "Spinning Around" performance in KylieX2008 world tour.
Japanese singer Koda Kumi performed in her Live Tour 2010 UNIVERSE & Special Concert Dream Music Park.
In 1994, PWL artist Erik covered the single, resulting in a UK club smash hit, and minor chart hit.
Philippine girl group A.K.A. JAM performed the song on X Factor Philippines' Top 12 live show on August 4, 2012.
The group Full Force sampled the song for their song Ain't My Type of Hype.
Father MC sampled the song for his song "I'll Do 4 U" on his 1990 album Father's Day, which features vocals by Mary J. Blige.
C+C Music Factory sampled this song in a highly sought-after, promotional-only remix titled, "Do You Wanna Get Funky/Got To Be Real" in 1994.
In 1996, Jamiroquai for their song "Funktion", which was included as a hidden track on their third studio album Travelling Without Moving.
The song was heavily sampled for a remix of Beyoncé's Irreplaceable, released in 2006.
Brother D and the Collective Effort sampled as part of the old-school hip hop anthem "How We Gonna Make The Black Nation Rise?"
Funky Four Plus One sampled it for their 1979 song "Rappin' And Rocking The House"
Proyecto Uno sampled most parts of the song on their famous hit "Tiburón"
Dynamic Duo sampled the song when they were part of CB Mass with rapper Curbin for the song "Jinja (Real)".
Houston rapper Dat Boy Grace sampled the song for his song "Southside So Real" on his album "From Crumbs To Bricks"
Filipino actor, rap artist, and model Carlos Agassi sampled the song for his song "Magpakatotoo" featuring Vanessa Del Mundo.
Eric Benét sampled the song on the track, "Feel Good" featuring Faith Evans from 2010's Lost in Time.
Miami rapper Blac Haze sampled the main parts of this song in 1997's "Let Me Holla At Cha" the hit single, that was later remixed on the 1998 album "Res-Sa-Rec-Shun".
Crips sampled the song on the track, "Every Dog has his Day".
Fat Joe sampled the song for his track "Bet Ya Man Can't (Triz)" that features Big Pun, Cuban Link, and Triple Seis from Don Cartagena album in 1998.
95 South's "Rodeo"
The song appears in the 2004 animated movie Shark Tale, when the main character Oscar is dancing at a party celebrating that he is the "shark slayer."
The song was prominently featured in the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning, which chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the poor, African American and Latino gay and transgender community involved in it.
The song is heard in the 1993 crime film Carlito's Way when Carlito Brigante (played by Al Pacino) enters his girlfriend Gale's strip club.
Whit Stillman's film The Last Days of Disco includes the song on its soundtrack.
In 1998, in the first-season episode "Head Case" of the sitcom Will and Grace, Will sings this song in the bathroom while he shaves, to which Grace responds "We're just like fifty men and a mirrored ball away from being a gay disco".
The song was also included as a playable song in the North American version of Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA 2, as a nod to its 2002 appearance in the sixth season King of the Hill episode "Returning Japanese", which featured the song in a DDR clone.
In 2001, the song appeared in the fourth season Sex and the City episode, "The Real Me", where Carrie Bradshaw becomes a model for a day.
In 2006, the song featured in The Pink Panther, during some of the New York scenes.
In March 2010, UK department store Marks and Spencer used "Got To Be Real" in adverts for their new Spring Collection.
The song appeared in the 2000 film, Keeping the Faith which starred Ben Stiller and Edward Norton
In 2013, the song appeared in the first season The New Normal episode, "The Goldie Rush".
The song is also featured in the 2002 film, Undercover Brother, after "The Man"'s organization is defeated towards the end of the movie.
The song is featured in the 2014 film Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.
The song is used in the 2015 South Park episode Safe Space.
The song is used in the 2010 American Dad! episode Best Little Horror House in Langley Falls.
The song is used in the 2015 Scandal episode Yes.
The song is used in the 4th episode of the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as a "Lip Sync For Your Legacy" song. It was performed by contestants Alaska (as Lil' Pound Cake) and Phi Phi O'Hara.
