"World Party" is a song by the Scottish-Irish folk rock band The Waterboys, released in 1988 as a track on their fourth studio album Fisherman's Blues. It was written by Mike Scott, Trevor Hutchinson and Karl Wallinger, and produced by Scott.[1] In the United States, the song reached No. 19 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and remained on the chart for six weeks.[2] It also peaked at No. 48 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart.[3]
| "World Party" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Waterboys | |
| from the album Fisherman's Blues | |
| Released | 1988 |
| Length | 4:01 |
| Label | Chrysalis Ensign |
| Songwriter(s) | Mike Scott Trevor Hutchinson Karl Wallinger |
| Producer(s) | Mike Scott |
"World Party" was written in Summer 1985, shortly after the completion of the band's third studio album This Is The Sea. The lyrics were inspired by Live Aid.[4] The song was recorded at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin, Ireland on 25 March 1987.[5]
Reception edit
In a review of Fisherman's Blues, Lise Hand of the Sunday Independent described the song as "uplifting".[6] The Post-Star wrote: "The jarring figures on "We Will Not Be Lovers" and "World Party" mirror the urgency of Scott's lyrics far better than a standard rock backing would do."[7] Jim Bohen of the Daily Record considered the song's "pounding piano" to be "reminiscent of the Beatles' White Album".[8]
Gene Armstrong of the Arizona Daily Star commented: "The title song, "We Will Not Be Lovers" and "World Party" nail me every play because they sound like rock 'n' roll but "feel" like centuries-old traditionals."[9] The Palm Beach Post noted the "bouncy title cut" but the reviewer was "more impressed" with the "folk-rockers" "World Party" and "We Will Not Be Lovers", which they described as being "propelled along by locomotive-like fiddles and vocal chants."[10]
Kenneth Johnson of The Star Democrat wrote: "The band does a good job with "World Party". The fiddle shines through and the tune breathes life thanks to it and Scott's piano playing."[11] Steve Terrell of The Santa Fe New Mexican commented: "Steve Wickham's maniacal fiddle distinguishes several cuts on the first side, including "World Party" - which has the same bass line as Michael Jackson's "Beat It"."[12] Mark Lepage of the Montreal Gazette wrote: ""World Party", with its funky R&B piano and caustic riff on the fuzz mandolin, manages to sound completely unlike Hothouse Flowers' upbeat brand of rock 'n' roll."[13]
Personnel edit
The Waterboys
- Mike Scott - vocals, piano
- Steve Wickham - fiddle
- Anthony Thistlethwaite - mandolin
- Roddy Lorimer - trumpet
- Trevor Hutchinson - bass
- Kevin Wilkinson - drums
- Noel Bridgeman - tambourine, congas
Additional personnel
- The Abergavenny Male Voice Choir - choir
- Jenny Haan, Rachel Nolan, Ruth Nolan - chorus vocals
Production
- Mike Scott - producer
- Pearse Dunne - engineer
Charts edit
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Album Rock Tracks[3] | 48 |
| US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[2] | 19 |
References edit
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Fisherman's Blues - The Waterboys | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- ^ a b Billboard. "The Waterboys World Party Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- ^ a b Billboard (1989-03-04). "The Waterboys World Party Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- ^ "Musician - Google Books". 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- ^ "The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues (CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered)". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- ^ Hand, Lise (16 October 1988). "News from the Waterboys". Sunday Independent.
- ^ Curtin, Mike (11 December 1988). "Goodbye, Roy; Hello, Ireland". The Post-Star.
- ^ Bohen, Jim (22 January 1989). "Brown's hits signal new wave of R&B". Daily Record.
- ^ Armstrong, Gene (1 December 1988). "'Fisherman's Blues' one of '88's best". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ "Y-NOT closes gender gap by showcasing men of '88". The Palm Beach Post. 8 January 1989.
- ^ Johnson, Kenneth (9 December 1988). "Waterboys flirt with folk forms". The Star Democrat.
- ^ Terrell, Steve (6 January 1989). "A band worth watching". The Santa Fe New Mexican.
- ^ Lepage, Mark (15 December 1988). "Waterboys' new album justifies all the hype". Montreal Gazette.