Saturday Night

Album: Wouldn't You Like It (1975)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish boy band who scored their first UK hit in 1971 with "Keep On Dancing." In 1975, they had the UK's best-selling single with "Bye Bye Baby," and were primed to break through in America. This infectious pop song, with its very memorable chant (S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y... Night!) stormed the States, becoming the first US #1 hit of 1976 (America's bicentennial). The song got a huge publicity push, and the band made their US TV debut performing the song on Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell, which was an Ed Sullivan-style variety show that lasted just a few months, but had a huge viewership since there wasn't much else to watch.
  • This was written by the songwriting team of Bill Martin and Phil Coulter, who had written four UK #1 hits, including "Puppet On A String," which won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967 for Sandie Shaw.
  • The Bay City Rollers may not have lived up to the huge hype they received in America, but they did have five other Top 40 hits in the States, including "Money Honey," "You Made Me Believe In Magic" and "Rock And Roll Love Letter."
  • This song was first recorded in 1973 with original Rollers vocalist Nobby Clarke, but this version tanked when it was released in the UK. The band, as well as songwriters Martin and Coulter, had faith in the song and re-recorded it for US versions of their 1975 album Wouldn't You Like It.
  • It took 35 years for another song with a day of the week in the title to reach #1 in America. Katy Perry finally broke the drought when "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" reached the top spot in 2011.
  • "Saturday Night" inspired the Ramones chant "Hey, Ho... Let's Go" on their song "Blitzkrieg Bop."

Comments: 7

  • Seventhmist from 7th HeavenThe Bay City Rollers were from Britain and were originally called the Saxons, but they decided to change their name to something more appealing for America, where they were trying to catch on. They originally chose "The Rollers," but they also wanted something regional, so group guitarist Derek Longmuir threw a dart at a map of the United States, which landed first on Arkansas. This did not meet with anyone's approval, so a second dart was thrown. It landed near Bay City, Michigan. The band agreed to incorporate that city into the name.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 20th 1975, the Bay City Rollers performed "Saturday Night" on the premiere of 'Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell' on the ABC-TV network {it was also the group’s debut performance in the U.S.A.}...
    Fifteen days later on October 5th, 1975 the song entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #85; and on December 28th, 1975 it peaked at #1 {for 1 week} and spent 17 weeks on the Top 100...
    On January 4th, 1976 it also reached #1 {for 1 week} on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles chart...
    Between 1975 and 1978 the Scottish quintet had eight Top 100 records; with three making the Top 10, their other two Top 10 records were "Money Money" at #9 for 1 week on March 26th, 1976 and "You Made Me Believe In Magic" at #10 for 2 weeks on August 7th, 1977...
    'Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell' lasted for 18 episodes, was canceled due to poor ratings.
  • Randy from Fayettevile, ArBack in '75/'76 when this was a hit, I started 1st grade in school & remember this song. My 3 older brothers were nuts over this band & this song. I really didn't care for either! After the song was off the charts, then I saw the band on TV on various shows. I think I liked them because they all looked bizarre and clue-less. Anyway, that passed & I came to my senses. My oldest brother was the first to drop the band, after he heard they all were gay. I never heard that. Still, the song is a good Seventies example of what was going on in '75.
  • Chomper from Franjkin County, PaBack in 1976, we used to listen to this song all the time on a 45 - Speed record on my dad's record player. They used to have a comedy - variety show, where they sang and told jokes. When they were performing, they were always wearing plaided shirts and pants ; similar to the color and pattern of the Scottish kilts. They could really Rock, and all the girls would fell for them like crazy.
  • Paul from Kennewick, WaI still can't believe these guys got as far as they did. They most certainly left their, shall we say,mark on the music scene.
  • Chomper from Franjkin County, PaThe bay City got started in 1969 but broked up due to financial problems with Arista records in 1981. ..Over the years, there were numerous changes with band menbers. .. Former band member Billy Lyall died in 1989 due to AIDS - related causes. ..According to former band member Tam Paton , Lyall was gay.
  • Tim from Minneapolis, MnThis song is from the self-titled LP "Bay City Rollers." The singles "Money Honey" and "Rock'n'roll Love Letter" are from the LP "Wouldn't You Like It."
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Second Wind Songs

Second Wind SongsSong Writing

Some songs get a second life when they find a new audience through a movie, commercial, TV show, or even the Internet.

Lip-Synch Rebels

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."

Is That Song Public Domain?

Is That Song Public Domain?Fact or Fiction

Are classic songs like "Over The Rainbow" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in the public domain?

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

Who Did It First?

Who Did It First?Music Quiz

Do you know who recorded the original versions of these ten hit songs?