Music has this weird way of capturing a specific kind of rebellion that feels both ancient and brand new. You know the type. It’s that moment when someone realizes the walls built around them are actually just made of paper. Josh Ritter Getting Ready to Get Down is the definitive soundtrack for that realization.
Released back in 2015 as the lead single for his album Sermon on the Rocks, the track didn't just climb the Americana charts; it stuck in the teeth of everyone who ever felt a bit too "spirited" for their hometown. It’s a fast-talking, foot-stomping story about a girl sent away to a Bible college in Missouri because her parents and the local pastor couldn't handle her energy. They thought the "good book" would straighten her out. Instead, she actually read the thing.
She came back with a different perspective.
The Theology of Getting Down
Honestly, the lyrics are a masterclass in narrative songwriting. Josh Ritter has always been a bit of a "word nerd"—he's a published novelist, after all—and he packs this song with so much internal rhyme and rapid-fire imagery that you almost miss the biting social commentary on the first listen.
The protagonist returns from her four-year stint not as a repentant sinner, but as someone who found the loopholes in the dogma. She points out the obvious: "Eve ate the apple 'cause the apple was sweet." It’s such a simple, devastating line. It reframes the entire concept of "original sin" as just a human being wanting something good. Ritter isn't just poking fun at religion; he's celebrating the human body and the joy of living in it.
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The song’s structure is relentless. It mimics that "rat-a-tat" delivery Ritter used in earlier tracks like "To the Dogs or Whoever," but here it feels more purposeful. It’s the sound of someone who has a lot to say and is finally back in town to say it.
Why the Sound Matters
Recorded at The Parlor in New Orleans, the track has a specific "swampy" grit that separates it from the polished folk-pop of the era. Producer Trina Shoemaker helped Ritter lean into a messier, more rhythmic sound. It’s got these Mark Knopfler-esque guitar licks that snake around the vocals, giving the whole thing a bit of a strut.
People often categorize Ritter as a "folk" artist, but Josh Ritter Getting Ready to Get Down is a rock song in its DNA. It’s about defiance. It’s about the "miracle" of just being yourself in a world that wants you to be a "page of the King James Version."
- The Tempo: It’s brisk. It forces you to lean in.
- The Narrative: It follows a classic "hero's journey" arc, just with more denim and less dragons.
- The Irony: Using biblical language to defend "getting down" is a classic Ritter move.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Song
A common misconception is that the song is purely "anti-religion." That's a bit of a surface-level take. If you listen to the way Ritter talks about his writing, he’s often fascinated by the language of faith, even if he's skeptical of the institutions.
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The song isn't an attack on the Bible; it’s an attack on the fear of the Bible. The girl in the song actually studied. She mentions Salome, Delilah, and the Sermon on the Mount. She’s using the very tools they gave her to build a life they didn't expect. It’s a song about intellectual and physical autonomy.
Basically, she out-read the people who tried to use the book as a cage.
The Cultural Footprint
Since 2015, this song has become the high point of Ritter’s live sets. If you’ve ever been to a Josh Ritter show, you know the vibe. He’s usually grinning like he just won the lottery, and when the band hits those opening chords, the energy in the room shifts. It’s a "safe space" for the misfits.
It’s also appeared in various TV spots and films, usually during scenes where someone is breaking free or making a mess of things in the best way possible. It has that "windows down, driving too fast" quality.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Fans
If this track hits home for you, there’s a whole world of "literate rock" to explore that carries the same DNA.
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- Listen to the full album: Sermon on the Rocks is a cohesive piece of work. Tracks like "Homecoming" and "Birds of the Meadow" expand on these themes of messy, beautiful humanity.
- Compare the Live Versions: Find the eTown or Prairie Home Companion live recordings. The way the Royal City Band stretches the rhythm section gives the song a completely different, almost gospel-rock feel.
- Read Ritter’s Prose: If you dig the storytelling, check out his novel Bright’s Passage. It’s got that same haunting, rhythmic quality.
- Explore the "American Sensual" Tradition: Ritter is often compared to Walt Whitman or Emerson. They both believed the body was just as sacred as the soul, which is the exact thesis of this song.
The next time you hear that opening drum beat, don't just listen to the hook. Listen to the girl who went to Missouri and came back knowing more than the "golden rule." She’s not possessed; she’s just finally awake.
To dive deeper into Josh Ritter's evolution, you should listen to his 2025 release, I Believe in You, My Honeydew, which continues his exploration of what he calls "nocturnal party music" for the soul.