Black Eyed Peas originally released this song as "Let's
Get Retarded." Upon the re-editing of the lyrics it became a
smash hit providing the soundtrack for a wide range of
parties and celebrations including the 2004 Democratic Party
national convention.
Like any great party song, this one off #1 smash for
Dexy's Midnight Runners in the US has a towering sing
along chorus as well as plenty of sexual innuendo. VH-1
ranked "Come On Eileen" as the #1 one-hit wonder song of
the 1980s. The song peaks when the brilliantly swaying
bridge quickens into a final rousing chorus.
The sound is celebratory, but there is a dark
undercurrent to the lyrics here. This disco classic is a
great example of the funkier edge of the genre. "Boogie
Wonderland" will keep the floor moving at any party
utilizing retro disco sounds.
The story in "It's My Party" of the protagonist's
"Johnny" showing up with a rival, "Judy," so captivated
pop audiences that a revenge sequel titled "Judy's Turn
To Cry" was a smash hit as well. If you are ever a
victim of a very public romantic disaster, this is your
song of solace. Lesley Gore knows your pain. "It's My
Party" was a #1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts.
What do you want to celebrate? A wedding? An
anniversary? A birthday? A sports championship? The
ending of the Iran hostage crisis? This is your all-purpose
song. There is nothing particularly inventive here other
than the cleverness of creating a pop song out of the
word "celebration" itself. This was a #1 pop hit when
first released and has not left the public consciousness
since.
Do you want a romantic moment at the party, but you
don't really want to slow things down?
Usher
has created the perfect song for you. Lose yourself in
the atmosphere of the club and the tug of romance.
Many music fans would be surprised to learn that
the words of appreciation of female anatomy
originate with a woman, Shirley Hanna-King, wife of
the Commodores' William King. The song went clear to
the pop top 5. It's unapolgetically funky
instrumental track have kept it a party classic
since its release.
Whether or not
Miley Cyrus personally relates to the lyrics of
this massive hit, plenty of pop fans do feel a
resonance in the words about relating to a new
place.
Jessie J helped write the song and it started
her on the path to her own success as an artist.
What happens when you combine folk, techno,
and
bluegrass music? It goes something like this
hit from Swedish dance-pop group Rednex. The
song itself has its origins in the pre-Civil War
US south. Today "Cotton Eye Joe" remains popular
as a line dance and special event pick.
Few pop hits are so successful at moving
listeners to get up and dance along. "Footloose"
was the #1 smash from the movie of the same name.
The song manages to cut a swath across genres
from rock to country appealing broadly to a wide
audience.
This is the soundtrack to the moment that
made Tom Cruise a movie star from the film
Risky Business. It has been named one of
the top jukebox songs of all time. There are
plenty of pleasing memories to go around
associated with the song which makes it an
outstanding choice for celebrations and special
events.
The Bay City Rollers may not be well
remembered today if it were not for their one
massive US pop hit, the #1 smash "Saturday
Night" with its shouted chorus "S-A-TUR-DAY
NIGHT!" This was a golden moment of party
bubblegum.
This is the song that introduced
Jay Sean. to American pop audiences. The
song encourages pure escapism. The song was
reportedly written in less than two hours and
became an instant club and party classic on its
way to #1 on the pop charts.
"Girls Just Want To Have Fun" has the rare
distinction of being a female empowerment anthem
written by a male songwriter, Robert Hazard. It
also works well as a party anthem accentuated by
the party of wall to wall people depicted in the
video. This was Cyndi Lauper's debut solo single
and it went all the way to #2 on the pop singles
chart.
Pitbull's instant party classic samples two
classic hits, the hip hop pioneer "Rappers
Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang and house classic
"Push the Feeling On" by the Nightcrawlers. It's
all about a party at the hotel with a big
helping of sexual seduction.
Teddy Riley's masterpiece, the slowly swaying
"No Diggity" was a #1 smash pop hit. It features
rapping and production from Dr. Dre. It is a sly,
sexy addition to any party soundtrack.
This big #1 pop hit from
Lionel Richie has proved a durable favorite
for celebratory parties. It incorporates
Jamaican and Caribbean elements for an
international flair. The song was performed at
the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics and
at the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize concert.
Forever remembered as the song from the
Grease with bad language, "Greased Lightnin'"
is also a rousing party sing along. For parties
or dances built around a 50's theme or
Grease itself, this is sure to be a
highlight of the night. Unlike some of the other
pop hits from the film, "Greased Lightnin'" did
originate with the Broadway musical version of
Grease.
As the story goes, this song originated from
the unsolicited advice the band received while
they played mostly rock music in bars. An
audience member said, "Play some funky music,
white boy." The band went into the studio and
did just that creating a two million selling #1
pop and R&B smash. The song is durable and heard
frequently as a party anthem.
Lady Gaga and
Beyonce join forces here. The accompanying
music video is as celebrated as the song.
Lyrically, "Telephone" is about being harassed
by phone calls while trying to enjoy being at a
club, but Lady Gaga says in a broader sense it
is about feeling suffocated by requests to work
harder and harder.
