Can't Get It Back

"Can't Get It Back" is a song by American recording group Blaque. It was written by Salaam Remi, Marlon Williams, and Hernst "StayBent" Bellevue, and band member Natina Reed for the group's second album, Blaque Out (2002). Production was helmed by Remi with co-production from Bellevue. The song samples from the song "We're Going to a Party" (1977) by American R&B singer Evelyn "Champagne" King. Due to the inclusion of the sample, Aubrey Gravatt, Joseph Freeman, and Theodore Life are also credited as songwriters. "Can't Get It Back" was released as the first single on October 16, 2001, in the United States where it peaked at 91 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.^[2] With Blaque Out eventually being shelved, "Can't Get It Back" was later re-recorded, remixed, and released by British girl group Mis-Teeq in 2003.^[3]

"Can't Get It Back"
Single by Blaque
from the album Blaque Out
Released	October 16, 2001 (2001-10-16)[1]
Length	4:31
Label	Columbia Trackmasters
Songwriter(s)	Salaam Remi Marlon Williams Hernst Bellevue Aubrey Gravatt Joseph Freeman Theodore Life Natina Reed
Producer(s)	Remi
Blaque singles chronology
"As If" (2000) "Can't Get It Back" (2001) "I'm Good" (2003)

Music video

A music video for the song was shot in Los Angeles, California, and directed by Liz Friedlander. The video was set to feature the girls dancing in separate apartments, throwing tantrums where they ripped pictures and discarded memories of their love interests. Due to undisclosed reasons, Columbia Records shelved the video; in 2010, a 30-second clip of the cancelled video leaked via YouTube.^[4]

Remixes

A Trackmasters remix, produced by Poke and Tone, featuring Royce da 5'9", was included on the trio's promo vinyl pressing of the single. The remix was also featured on the 2007 and 2011 iTunes versions of Blaque Out.

Track listings

All tracks written by Salaam Remi, Marlon Williams, Hernst Bellevue, Aubrey Gravatt, Joseph Freeman, Theodore Life, and Natina Reed.^[5]

US CD single

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Can't Get It Back" (LP Version)	Remi Staybent[a]	4:07
2.	"Can't Get It Back" (Instrumental)	Remi Staybent[a]	4:02
3.	"Can't Get It Back" (Clean A-Cappella)	Remi Staybent[a]	4:05

Notes

• ^{^[a]} denotes co-producer

Sample credits

• "Can't Get It Back" contains excerpts from "We're Going to a Party" (1977) as performed by Evelyn "Champagne" King.

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Blaque Out.^[5]

• Hernst "StayBent" Bellevue – co-production, keyboards, writing
• Shamari Fears – vocals
• Joseph Freeman – writing (sample)
• Aubrey Gravatt – writing (sample)
• Theodore Life – writing (sample)
• Gary Noble – mixing engineer
• Chris Gehringer – mastering engineer
• Natina Reed – vocals, writing
• Salaam Remi – arrangement, production, writing
• Brandi Williams – vocals

Charts

Chart (2001)	Peak position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[2]	91

Release history

"Can't Get It Back" release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	October 16, 2001	Rhythmic contemporary radio urban contemporary radio	Trackmasters Columbia	[1]
	December 11, 2001	12-inch vinyl single		[6]

Mis-Teeq version

"Can't Get It Back"
Single by Mis-Teeq
from the album Eye Candy
Released	June 30, 2003 (2003-06-30)
Length	4:04 (album version) 3:34 (Ignorantz remix)
Label	Telstar
Songwriter(s)	Remi Williams Bellevue Gravatt Freeman Life Alesha Dixon
Producer(s)	Remi
Mis-Teeq singles chronology
"Scandalous" (2003) "Can't Get It Back" (2003) "Style" (2003)
Music video
"Can't Get It Back" on YouTube

In 2002, Mis-Teeq re-recorded "Can't Get It Back" for their second album Eye Candy (2003), including a modified introduction and a re-written bridge, written and performed by the group's member Alesha Dixon. The single was the group's seventh consecutive top-10 hit, peaking at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.^[3] When it came to "Scandalous"'s follow-up release in June 2003, the group and their label Telstar Records decided to use a remixed version of "Can't Get It Back" as the official single version and instead the Ignorantz Remix was included in the video.

Track listings

UK CD1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Can't Get It Back" (Ignorants Radio Edit)	Salaam Remi Marlon Williams Hernst Bellevue Aubrey Gravatt Joseph Freeman Theodore Life Alesha Dixon	Remi Staybent[a] Trell and Marshall[b]	3:38
2.	"Can't Get It Back" (Delinquent Remix)	Remi Williams Bellevue Gravatt Freeman Life Dixon	Remi Staybent[a] Delinquent[b]	5:12
3.	"Scandalous" (Rudeness Vocal Remix)	Dixon Eriksen Hermansen Sabrina Washington Su-Elise Nash	Stargate Derrick McKenzie[b] Paul Stoney[b]	6:21
4.	"Can't Get It Back" (Music video)			3:38

UK CD2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Can't Get It Back" (Johnny Toobad Club Mix)	Remi Williams Bellevue Gravatt Freeman Life Dixon	Remi Staybent[a] Johnny Toobad[b]	6:06
2.	"Can't Get It Back" (Sticky Remix)	Remi Williams Bellevue Gravatt Freeman Life Dixon	Remi Staybent[a] Sticky[b]	5:58
3.	"Can't Get It Back" (Album Version)	Remi Staybent[a] Williams Bellevue Gravatt Freeman Life Dixon	Remi	4:07

Notes

• ^{^[a]} denotes co-producer
• ^{^[b]} denotes additional producer

Sample credits

• "Can't Get It Back (Album Version)" samples from "We're Going to a Party" (1977) as performed by Evelyn "Champagne" King.

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Eye Candy.^[7]

• Hernst "StayBent" Bellevue – co-production, keyboards, writing
• Alesha Dixon – vocals, writing
• Joseph Freeman – writing (sample)
• Aubrey Gravatt – writing (sample)
• Angela Hunte – vocal production
• Theodore Life – writing (sample)
• Marley Marl – drum programming
• Su-Elise Nash – vocals
• Gary Noble – engineering
• Salaam Remi – arrangement, production, writing
• Sabrina Washington – vocals
• Marlon Williams – writing

Charts

Chart (2003)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[8]	80
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9]	48
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[10]	6
Ireland (IRMA)[11]	14
Scotland (OCC)[12]	9
UK Singles (OCC)[3]	8
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[13]	3

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Can't Get It Back"

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref(s)
United Kingdom	June 30, 2003	CD single	Telstar	[14]
Australia	July 21, 2003			[15]