Let's Have A Party

Album: Let's Have A Party: The Very Best Of Wanda Jackson (1960)
Charted: 32 37
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Let's Have a Party" was written by Jessie Mae Robinson, a pioneering African American songwriter whose work has been performed by artists ranging from Nina Simone to Lana Del Rey. Elvis Presley introduced the song to the public in his 1957 film Loving You under the title "Party." Rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson later recorded it for her self-titled debut album in 1958.
  • Jackson's version of "Let's Have a Party," released as a single in 1960, became a hit, reaching #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #32 on the UK chart. It later enjoyed a resurgence in popularity when it appeared in the 1989 coming-of-age film Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams. It plays during the scene when Steven Meeks and Gerard Pitts dance on the rooftop at Welton Academy.
  • Sir Paul McCartney included a cover of "Let's Have a Party" on his 1999 album Run Devil Run, despite admitting in the liner notes that the song's quirky lyric ("Never kissed a bear, never kissed a goon") initially stumped him. "Whenever we used to try and get the words, we'd get stuck on the verse," he said. "'Never kissed a bear, never kissed a goon.' We could never get it. At the end, that's me going, 'I'm not giving up man.'"

    Other notable covers include versions by Mud, Sonia, and Dr. Feelgood. Led Zeppelin also included the song in their live sets, as heard on their acclaimed live album How the West Was Won.
  • In 1995, Jackson rerecorded "Let's Have a Party" for her studio album of the same name. This version, released exclusively in Europe, features The Alligators, a Danish rock band.
  • A testament to its enduring legacy, Jackson's recording of "Let's Have a Party" was inducted into the prestigious Grammy Hall of Fame in 2024. Elle King, who previously collaborated with Jackson on the song "Two Shots," performed a rendition of the song at the induction ceremony in May 2024.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

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.

Bible Lyrics

Bible LyricsMusic Quiz

Rockers, rappers and pop stars have been known to quote the Bible in their songs. See if you match the artist to the biblical lyric.

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.

Janis Ian

Janis IanSongwriter Interviews

One of the first successful female singer-songwriters, Janis had her first hit in 1967 at age 15.

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.