Having A Party

Album: The Best of Sam Cooke (1962)
Charted: 17
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Songfacts®:

  • Written by Sam Cooke, this is a classic goodtime song where he sings about a wholesome gathering with friends, dancing and music. The song was essentially a sequel to Cooke's previous hit, "Twistin' The Night Away."
  • Cooke would later write songs with Herb Alpert and Lou Adler, who cite this song as an example of his natural talent for bringing out the best in a song. Said Alpert: "Sam had great instincts. He was just one of those guys that had a feel - I mean, if he walked in and showed you the lyrics that he had, you'd kind of wonder what it's all about. But as soon as he picked up his guitar and played 'Having a Party,' the whole thing came to life. So he had this very personal way of expressing himself that was very touching."

    Lou Adler added: "He wrote with conversation. He said you have to be having a conversation, you have to be able to talk it. Then, you've written a good lyric."
  • This was released as a single with "Bring It On Home To Me." Both songs featured a young Lou Rawls on backup vocals.
  • The songs Cooke asks the DJ to play are "Soul Twist" by King Curtis and "I Know" by Barbara George.
  • Popular covers of this song were recorded by The Ovations, The Pointer Sisters, and The Supremes. Rod Stewart released an acoustic version with Ronnie Wood on his 1994 Unplugged... And Seated album that went to #36 in the US.

Comments: 2

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 8th 1962, Sam Cooke appeared at the Royal Theater in Baltimore, Maryland...
    At the time his "Having a Party" was at #46 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; exactly one month later on July 8th, 1962 it would peak at #17 for two weeks... {See next post below}...
    Between 1957 and 1966 he had forty three Top 100 records; four made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "You Send Me" for 3 weeks in 1957.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 20th 1962, "Having A Party" by Sam Cooke entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #91; seven weeks later on July 8th, 1962 it would peak at #17 {for 2 weeks} and it stayed on the chart for 15 weeks...
    It reached #4 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
    And just under a month later on June 17th, 1962 the record's flip-side, "Bring It On Home to Me", would debut on the Top 100 at #94; eight weeks later on August 19th, 1962 it would peak at #13 {for 1 week} and it spent 11 weeks on the chart...
    It reached #2* {for 3 weeks} on Billboard's R&B Singles chart; amazingly it was the fourth of six of his records to peak at #2 on the chart...
    * The first two weeks that "Bring It On Home to Me" was at #2, the #1 record was "You'll Lose A Good Thing" by Barbara Lynn, and for its 3rd week at #2, Little Eva's "Loco-Motion” was in the top spot...
    Sadly, Mr. Cooke passed away on December 11th, 1964 at the young age of 33...
    May he R.I.P.
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