ElectronicGetting Away With It...

Genre:

Pop

Style:

Synth-pop

Year:

Tracklist

Getting Away With It
Lucky Bag (Edit)

Credits (9)

Notes

Electronic's debut single, "Getting Away With It" it was released in the UK on 4 December 1989 and then the following year in March 1990 in the United States. The track is a writing collaboration between Electronic's Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr and both Neil Tennant is being credited on the release), with Tennant providing the backing vocals and Sumner the main vocals.
In a 2021 interview, Marr stated that Chris Lowe worked on the track, citing the bassline as his work and also performing the synth bass-line."
The B-side, "Lucky Bag", is an Italo-house-influenced instrumental.

The single peaked at number 12 in the UK singles charts and number 38 in the Billboard Hot 100.

Versions

Filter by
    40 versions
    Image , In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory
    Version Details Data Quality
    Cover of Getting Away With It..., 1989-12-04, Vinyl Getting Away With It...
    12", 45 RPM, Single
    Factory – Fac257 UK 1989 UK1989
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Electronic!, 1989-12-04, CD Getting Away With It... Electronic!
    CD, Single
    Factory – Facd257 UK 1989 UK1989
    Cover of Getting Away With It..., 1989-12-04, Vinyl Getting Away With It...
    7", Single, Paper Labels
    Factory – Fac257/7 UK 1989 UK1989
    Cover of Getting Away With It..., 1989-12-04, Vinyl Getting Away With It...
    7", 45 RPM, Single, Silver Injection Labels
    Factory – Fac 257/7 UK 1989 UK1989
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1989-11-00, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    7", Single, White Label
    Factory – FAC - 257/7 UK 1989 UK1989
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1989, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    12", Promo, White Label
    Factory – FAC 257 UK 1989 UK1989
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1989, VHS Getting Away With It
    VHS, Advance, PAL
    Factory – FAC 257 UK 1989 UK1989
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1989-11-15, Cassette Getting Away With It
    Cassette, Single, Promo
    Factory – FACT 257 UK 1989 UK1989
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1989, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    7", Single, Paper Labels
    Factory – Fac257/7 UK 1989 UK1989
    Cover of Getting Away With It… Electromix, 1990-01-00, Vinyl Getting Away With It… Electromix
    12", 45 RPM, Single
    Factory – Fac257r UK 1990 UK1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Compact-Disc Maxi-Single!, 1990-03-31, CD Getting Away With It... Compact-Disc Maxi-Single!
    CD, Maxi-Single, Poly-Flex Box
    Warner Bros. Records – 9 21498-2 US 1990 US1990
    Recently Edited
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Specially-Priced Maxi-Single! / Lucky Bag, 1990-03-31, Vinyl Getting Away With It... Specially-Priced Maxi-Single! / Lucky Bag
    12", 33 ⅓ RPM, Maxi-Single, Stereo, Specialty Pressing
    Warner Bros. Records – 0-21498 US 1990 US1990
    Recently Edited
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Electronic!, 1990-01-00, Cassette Getting Away With It... Electronic!
    Cassette, Single
    Factory – Fac257c UK 1990 UK1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990, CD Getting Away With It
    CD, Maxi-Single, Promo
    Warner Bros. Records – PRO-CD-3987 US 1990 US1990
    Recently Edited
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990-05-28, Cassette Getting Away With It
    Cassette, Maxi-Single
    Warner Bros. Records – 759921498-4 Australia 1990 Australia1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    12", Single, 45 RPM
    Virgin – 613 537 Europe 1990 Europe1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990, CD Getting Away With It
    CD, Single
    Factory – Facd257 Europe 1990 Europe1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    7", Single, 45 RPM
    Virgin – 113537-100 Europe 1990 Europe1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It… Electromix, 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It… Electromix
    12", White Label
    Factory – FAC-257 R UK 1990 UK1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Specially-Priced Maxi-Single! / Lucky Bag, 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It... Specially-Priced Maxi-Single! / Lucky Bag
    12", 33 ⅓ RPM, Maxi-Single
    Warner Bros. Records – 92 14980 Canada 1990 Canada1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Cassette Single!, 1990-05-28, Cassette Getting Away With It... Cassette Single!
    Cassette, Single
    Warner Bros. Records – 5439198804 Australia 1990 Australia1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990-05-28, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    7", Single, 45 RPM
    Warner Bros. Records – 543919880-7 Australia 1990 Australia1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    7", Single, SRC Pressing
    Warner Bros. Records – 7-19880 US 1990 US1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    7", Single
    Warner Bros. Records – 7-19880 Philippines 1990 Philippines1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Cassette Single!, 1990, Cassette Getting Away With It... Cassette Single!
    Cassette, Single, 100 50 0, SR, Dolby HX Pro, B NR
    Warner Bros. Records – 4-19880 US 1990 US1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    12", Single Sided, Promo, Single
    WEA – none Hong Kong 1990 Hong Kong1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Specially-Priced Maxi-Single!, 1990-05-28, Vinyl Getting Away With It... Specially-Priced Maxi-Single!
    12", Maxi-Single, 45 RPM
    Warner Bros. Records – 7599214980 Australia 1990 Australia1990
    Recently Edited
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Cassette Maxi-Single!, 1990, Cassette Getting Away With It... Cassette Maxi-Single!
    Cassette, Maxi-Single, SR, Dolby HX Pro, B NR
    Warner Bros. Records – 4-21498 US 1990 US1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It… Compact-Disc Maxi-Single!, 1990, CD Getting Away With It… Compact-Disc Maxi-Single!
    CD, Maxi-Single, SRC
    Warner Bros. Records – 9 21498-2 US 1990 US1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Cassette Single!, 1990, Cassette Getting Away With It... Cassette Single!
    Cassette, Single
    Warner Bros. Records – 91 98804 Canada 1990 Canada1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Cassette Maxi-Single!, 1990, Cassette Getting Away With It... Cassette Maxi-Single!
    Cassette, Maxi-Single, AR, Dolby HX Pro, B NR
    Warner Bros. Records – 4-21498 US 1990 US1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Cassette Maxi-Single!, 1990, Cassette Getting Away With It... Cassette Maxi-Single!
    Cassette, Maxi-Single, Dolby HX Pro, B NR
    Warner Bros. Records – 92 14984 Canada 1990 Canada1990
    Recently Edited
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    7", Single, 45 RPM
    Virgin – 113537-100 Europe 1990 Europe1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It (Escapando Con...), 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It (Escapando Con...)
    12", 33 ⅓ RPM, Stereo
    Warner Bros. Records – 80000-45 Ecuador 1990 Ecuador1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Cassette Single!, 1990, Cassette Getting Away With It... Cassette Single!
    Cassette, Single, No Timing Marks, SR, Dolby HX Pro, B NR
    Warner Bros. Records – 4-19880 US 1990 US1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It, 1990, Vinyl Getting Away With It
    12", Single, 45 RPM
    Virgin – 613 537 Europe 1990 Europe1990
    Cover of Getting Away With It EP, 2007, CDr Getting Away With It EP
    CDr, EP, Promo
    EMI Music Catalogue Marketing – none UK 2007 UK2007
    Cover of Getting Away With It... Compact-Disc Maxi-Single!, , CD Getting Away With It... Compact-Disc Maxi-Single!
    CD, Maxi-Single, Repress
    Warner Bros. Records – 9 21498-2 US US
    Cover of Getting Away With It, , File Getting Away With It
    5×File, MP3, Maxi-Single, Reissue, Stereo
    Parlophone Records Ltd. – none
    Cover of Getting Away With It, , File Getting Away With It
    5×File, AAC, Maxi-Single, Reissue, Stereo
    Parlophone Records Ltd. – none

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    Reviews

    • Beachbeatle1's avatar
      Beachbeatle1
      Alt-dance super duo Brit-pop heroes Johnny Marr & Bernard Sumner team up w/ Pet Shop Boys vocalist Neil Tennant on an undeniably breezy A-side featuring Balearic-styled piano, lush strings, elegant Spanish guitar & a distinct house flair.
      One of the better synth pop songs of its time.
      B-side Lucky Bag is a hefty electro song dipping into the lifestyle of the drug fuelled rave culture circa 1989.
      • PimpdaddyG's avatar
        PimpdaddyG
        Of Note: Track B2 "Getting Away With It (Original Version)" is indeed the original mix, not the single mix, not the full version/album version, more of a demo/rough mix without the contribution of Anne Dudley's orchestration and plays out a bit longer, it has not appeared anywhere digitally as far as I know.
        • errorsinspace's avatar
          errorsinspace
          New Order mastered drum programming by the time Technique came out. Electronic's debut album allowed them the freedom to take it further. What you get was plenty of great dance music and excellent 808 programming with an amazing amount of catchy hooks, melodies and guitar riffs being studio guru's. Electronic had so many good instrumentals and B-sides as did New Order during this time. Free Will, Best & Marsh and here, Lucky Bag just to name a few. Excellent dance music. The Miami edit was always a nice alternate version as well. As far as the single Getting Away With It? Legendary song. What else needs to be said. The extended version is just more of the same goodness while the Nude version added some smooth instrumental parts. Classic 12"
          • ggggreenisaac's avatar
            ggggreenisaac
            From Wayne Studer's excellent 'geowayne' site:

            Neil has provided some fascinating background information: he and Sumner wrote the lyrics from the presumed perspective of former Smiths lead singer (and Marr's former writing partner) Morrissey, suggesting that he's been "getting away with" his "persona of being miserable" for years. (See "Miserablism" for another song with a similar background.) Marr has suggested that Neil actually had greater input into the lyrics than Sumner, which Neil has subsequently confirmed in interviews: "They had the track but they didn't have any words.… and I thought of 'getting away with it.'… My idea for the lyric of the song was that I was being Morrissey." Musically, it was Marr who composed the chorus, whereas Sumner composed the music of the verses and Neil pretty much did the arrangement. And, in a surprise revelation by Marr in 2021, it was none other than Chris Lowe who performed the synth bass-line and made important suggestions as to how it should "go," despite his not getting a co-writing credit on the song.
            • musicjunky1967's avatar
              musicjunky1967
              Edited one year ago
              My copy has a PROMO type stamp on the cover. Not listed as such here. Either way, this one's a real wall shaker. Phenomenal sounding record. Way ahead of it's time. 100%
              • sbclar's avatar
                sbclar
                Does anyone out there know whether track 4 from this 12" has ever appeared on cd or in digital format?
                • FlatWaxAU's avatar
                  FlatWaxAU
                  Seminal 90s track, that is as fresh today, as it was when first released.
                  • tony879's avatar
                    tony879
                    Fantastic record, wait until the extended orchestral coda at the end! Magnificent recording, Balearic classic!!
                    • nateuptoolate's avatar
                      nateuptoolate
                      Edited 2 years ago
                      Anyone notice the type-set on this is sloppy:
                      Cover has Electronic! inside the quotes around the song title.
                      Then on the CD surface, track "3-extended versions."

                      Wishing more remixed versions were hidden on CD.

                      Still a great song and the remixes made for mixing it up DJ style!
                      With Pet Shop Boy vocals and
                      Johnny Marr guitar and
                      Anne Dudley strings and
                      Dave Palmer (once drumming with ABC an TheThe).
                      This is 80s synth-pop supergroup!
                      • rudef's avatar
                        rudef
                        I have a test pressing from Specialty Records Corp rec no 0-21498. Can’t find it anywhere on here. Any pointers appreciated.

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                        • Avg Rating:4.3 / 5
                        • Ratings:960

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