In April 1974, the Native American members of the group Redbone basked in the success of their million-selling gold single “Come and Get Your Love.” The single was a Top-Five hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and hit #1 in several U.S. cities across the country.

ICTMN spoke with Pat Vegas, the group’s bassist, and only founding member still playing under the Redbone banner.

"A Top-Five single—what did that kind of success mean for you as a Native artist in those days?"

"It was something I had already envisioned in my head. I had always loved Native American chants and music and I knew If I worked hard I would come up with something that would appeal to everybody."

"How did the song “Come and Get Your Love” come about?"

"Lolly called me up at 3 am; we had just come back from Philadelphia from doing a tour and he said “Pat, can you come over? I think I have a great idea for a song. I want you to come and help me write it.” I was pretty tired and I said, “Oh man, I am not going to come over there and work on this unless we write together.” He said of course. My girlfriend and I went over there at 3 AM and we listened to it – it was nice, but it wasn’t structured. I think it was 11 minutes long. I sat in the music room and worked on it, structured it with a bassline and cut it to 6 minutes. We recorded it in the studio, and when it came out, there was only one name on it – Lolly Vegas. (Laughs) I said, “Wait a minute man, I got up at 3 in the morning with you, that’s my bassline!”"

"When the record came out they wouldn’t play it because they said it was too long."

"Michael Atkinson, the head of promotions at CBS-Epic, came down to Whiskey-a-Go-Go when we were performing with Ronnie Milsap, and he said, “Pat If you go into the studio and break this down to 3 minutes, you’ll make it to number one.” We worked on it, mastered it and I cut it down to 2:56. I said to Lolly, look what we’ve done and he said, “I don’t hear anything different.” (Laughs) He didn’t even notice it was shorter."^[[1] https://genius.com/Redbone-come-and-get-your-love-lyrics]

Song Facts:

Redbone, their name a nod to their heritage, was a Native American band from Coalinga, California, led by the brothers Pat and Candido ("Lolly") Vasquez. They were managed by Bumps Blackwell, who guided Little Richard and Sam Cooke to success. To avert discrimination, he convinced the brothers to use a different last name, so they became known as Pat and Lolly Vegas. Redbone earned an audience playing clubs on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles at the same time The Doors were on that scene.

A self-titled double album was their debut in 1970, introducing their funky rock rhythms and distinctive percussion, which they called the "King Kong Beat." In 1972 they scored with "The Witch Queen Of New Orleans," which reached #21 US and #2 UK, and in 1973 they released their most famous song, "Come And Get Your Love," on their fifth album, Wovoka. The song was written by Lolly Vegas, who also sang lead on the track.

In this song, Lolly Vegas tells his girl that she's perfect the way she is. "What's the matter with your hair?" he asks, before explaining that there's nothing wrong with her mind, her sign, or anything else. It's a very affirmative song where he encourages her to take what she deserves; to come and get her love.

You're not likely to forget the title of this song. The chorus is comprised of the same line, "Come and get your love," repeated four times. The verses are very compact, so after two minutes we've already heard the first two verses and two chorus repetitions. The song then goes into a bridge, which repeats variations on the chorus:

1. Come and get your love
2. Come and get your love
3. Come and get your love now

The chorus comes back for the outro, with Lolly Vegas throwing in some "La la la la..." vocalizations between lines as the song fades. In all, there are 29 repetitions of the title in just a 3:30 running time.

There are some musical elements in this song that make it very hard to get out of your head once it has burrowed in. A big part of it is the call-and-response, with an extended "Hail!" shouted back several times within the song, including in the beginning. This makes it hard not to sing along.

Disco had not yet formed, but the beat heard here would become the foundation for that sound. Another defining feature on the track is the distorted guitar sound, which Lolly Vegas created by playing through a Leslie organ speaker.

As a follow-up single, Redbone wanted to release "We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee," a song about the 1890 massacre in South Dakota, where US cavalry forces killed about 200 Native Americans. Their label, Epic Records, knew this could be a career killer and refused, although they did press copies that were distributed in Europe. Instead, "Wovoka" was released as the next single. That song is about the Paiute leader Wovoka, who introduced the "Ghost Dance" into the culture as a way of connecting souls and preserving their heritage after the Wounded Knee massacre. A far cry from "Come And Get Your Love," it made just #101 in the US; Redbone never got any higher on the chart.

The album version runs five minutes and includes a slow intro.

When they performed this live, Redbone often wore traditional Native American garb and introduced it with chanting and dancing.

A cover version by the German dance group Real McCoy reached #19 in both the UK and US in 1995. In America, it went to #1 on the Dance chart.

This song appears in the movies The Postman (1997), Dick (1999) and Grown Ups (2010). It's also part of the 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, which went to #1 in America. In the film, which is loaded with unexpected hits of the '70s, Chris Pratt's character listens to it on his Walkman as he dances along, exploring an alien land.

On August 3, 2020, Redbone posted a music video of this song for the first time. The animated clip shows a Native American traveler traversing a shifting landscape where he inhabits scenes from various political, social and cultural events. It was inspired by the work of the artists Brent Learned, Frank Buffalo Hyde and George Levi Curtis.^[[2] https://www.songfacts.com/facts/redbone/come-and-get-your-love]

“Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone was released in 1974 as a single from their album Wovoka. The song’s meaning centers on confidence, attraction, and the freedom to take what you want, especially love. With its funk-infused groove and repetitive chant-like lyrics, it sounds like a celebration, but there’s more beneath the surface. As a Native American band, Redbone also weaves in deeper themes of identity and spiritual connection.

The track saw a major revival in 2014 when it was featured in the opening scene of Guardians of the Galaxy. Its appearance in the Marvel film helped introduce the song to a new generation, giving it fresh cultural relevance decades after its release.

This article breaks down the lyrics of “Come and Get Your Love” section by section, interpreting both the direct meaning and any possible cultural or emotional subtext. We’ll look at how each phrase works, what it might really be saying, and how everything fits together into a bigger message.

Table of Contents

“Come and Get Your Love” Lyrics Meaning: Line by Line

Verse 1: Questioning and Confidence

Hail, what’s the matter with your head?

Hail, what’s the matter with your mind?

And your sign an-a, oh

“Hail” sounds like a greeting or a call to attention. He’s asking why she seems unsure or disconnected.

Mentioning “your sign” could hint at astrology, suggesting their energy feels off or they’re acting different than usual. This ties into questions of identity and how someone sees themselves or is seen by others.

Hail, nothin’ the matter with your head

Baby, find it, come on and find it

Here, the tone shifts from questioning to reassurance.

He’s saying there’s nothing wrong, encouraging her to stop overthinking.

“Find it” could mean finding confidence, love, or some inner clarity.

Hail, with it, baby, ’cause you’re fine

And you’re mine, and you look so divine

This is a full-on affirmation. He sees beauty and power her.

“You’re mine” shows a strong emotional claim. It’s possessive but also filled with admiration.

Saying someone looks “divine” connects physical beauty to something bigger, maybe even spiritual. Chorus: A Bold Invitation

Come and get your love

This line is repeated many times throughout the song. It’s simple, but it holds plenty of weight.

It’s an invitation, a challenge, and a promise all at once.

He’s saying: Love is right here. You just have to reach out and take it. Verse 2: Energy, Desire, and Freedom

Hail, what’s the matter with you? Feel right

Don’t you feel right, baby?

He circles back to questions, but now they’re about the body or the heart.

He’s checking in. If something feels off, why?

There’s a mix of care and flirtation here again.

Hail, oh, yeah, get it from the main vine, all right

“Get it from the main vine” could suggest drawing energy or strength from a natural or spiritual source.

Considering Redbone’s Native American roots, this might be a reference to Mother Earth.

It hints at something bigger than just personal desire.

Of course, it could be a sexual reference, but probably not.

I said find it, find it, go on and love it if you like it

This line keeps the message flowing: take what feels good.

He’s encouraging freedom of choice and desire.

If it feels right, go for it.

Hail, it’s your business if you want some, take some

Get it together, baby

This is all about agency.

He’s not forcing anything. He’s empowering her to choose love, pleasure, or connection on her own terms.

“Get it together” could mean stop doubting and start living fully.

“Come and Get Your Love” Song Meaning: Freedom, Power, and Spiritual Connection

The heart of “Come and Get Your Love” is about knowing your worth and taking what you deserve, especially when it comes to love. It’s not about chasing someone down or begging for attention. It’s about standing tall and saying, “If you want it, it’s yours.”

But this isn’t just a romantic message. With lines like “get it from the main vine,” there’s a deeper cultural layer. Redbone, as a Native American band, often brought spiritual and cultural symbols into their music. The “main vine” might be a metaphor for the Earth or a spiritual source, reminding listeners to stay grounded and connected.

So while “Come and Get Your Love” sounds like a catchy love song, it also speaks to a bigger idea: finding strength in who you are, trusting your body and spirit, and refusing to let doubt get in the way of joy.^[[3] https://lyricstories.com/song-meanings/come-and-get-your-love-lyrics-meaning]