"Lift Off" is a song by JAY-Z and Kanye West featuring American recording artist Beyoncé. It was written by Kanye West, JAY-Z, Jeff Bhasker, Mike Dean, Bruno Mars and Seal, while production was handled by West, Bhasker, Mike Dean, Pharrell, Q-Tip, and Don Jazzy for JAY-Z's and West's collaboration album, Watch the Throne. The song was rumored to be released as the lead single from the album containing additional vocals by Bruno Mars. However, Mars never appeared on the song. Musically, "Lift Off" is a pop song which uses baroque strings. It contains a chorus sung by Beyoncé, while other verses are sung by West and Jay-Z in a rap style. Instrumentally, the song is completed with synthesizers, martial drums and horns
Reception[]
"Lift Off" received mixed to positive reviews from music critics who generally highlighted the song and praised its hook as well as Beyoncé's vocals, though some criticized the vocals by West and Jay-Z. The song peaked at number one on the South Korea Gaon International Chart and number twenty one on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. the song charted at number eighty one on the Australian Singles Chart for the week of August 15, 2011, and peaked at number one on the South Korea Gaon International Chart. "Lift Off" became the forty third best-selling single in South Korea in 2011. On the chart issue dated August 20, 2011 "Lift Off" debuted at number forty eight on the UK Singles Chart. It did not enter the US Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number twenty on the August 27, 2011 issue of the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, which acts as a twenty five-song extension to the Hot 100.
Lyrics[]
[Intro: Jack King]
All engines running
[Chorus: Beyoncé]
We gon' take it to the moon, take it to the stars
How many people you know can take it this far?
I'm supercharged
We 'bout to take this whole thing to Mars (Lift off)
Now we gon' take it to the moon, take it to the stars
We don't know what we could do to make it this far
So many scars
We 'bout to take this whole thing to Mars
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
Lift off (lift off), lift off, takin' my coat off
Showing my tattoos, I'm such a show off, huh
I feel the pain and then roll off
I got the whole city, they about to go off
How many n****s with me up and in the aisle? (Lift off)
How many people want to roll on me now? (Lift off)
Like you know na na na, you know me by now (Lift off)
Know me (Lift off), know me by now
[Chorus: Beyoncé]
We gon' take it to the moon, take it to the stars
How many people you know can take it this far?
I'm supercharged
We 'bout to take this whole thing to Mars (Lift off)
Now we gon' take it to the moon, take it to the stars
We don't know what we could do to make it this far
So many scars
We 'bout to take this whole thing to Mars
[Bridge: Kanye West]
Lift off (Lift off), off, ah, like you know, na-na-na
You know me by now, know me, know me by now
You know me, know me by now, know me, know me by now
[Verse 2: Jay-Z]
Lift off
Rappers hear Watch the Throne, they gon' be pissed off
Earth is boring to 'em, shit is making my dick soft
When you earn hard as me, eventually you hit a big wall
5-4, 3-2, we need fuel, lift off
[Chorus: Beyoncé]
Now we gon' take it to the moon, take it to the stars
How many people you know can take it this far?
I'm supercharged
We 'bout to take this whole thing to Mars (All engines running)
Now we gon' take it to the moon, take it to the stars
We don't know what we could do to make it this far
So many scars
We 'bout to take this whole thing to Mars (Lift off)
[Interlude: Jack King]
(Lift off) 20 seconds and counting (Lift off)
(Lift off) T minus 15 seconds, guidance is internal (Lift off)
12, 11, 10, 9, ignition sequence start
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, all engines running
Lift off, we have a lift off (Lift off, lift off, lift off, lift off...)
[Outro: Beyoncé]
Jump
Now we gon', now we gon', now we gon', now we gon' (J-jump)
Now we gon' take it to the moon
Now we gon', now we gon' (J-j-jump)
We gon' take it to the moon
Take it to the stars (J-j-jump)
We gon' take it to the moon
Take it to the stars
How many people you know can take it this far?
Take it to the stars
How many people you know can take it this far?
Now we gon', now we gon', now we gon', now we gon', now