Everybody Have Fun Tonight
"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" is a song performed by the British new wave group Wang Chung, released as a single from their album Mosaic in 1986. Collaboratively written by Jack Hues, Nick Feldman, and Peter Wolf, it reached #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on Christmas 1986 behind "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles. It also hit #1 on the Canada RPM Top 100 Singles chart the week of 17 January 1987. With some different lyrics, the original ballad version of the song was placed on the B-side.
"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Wang Chung | ||||
from the album Mosaic | ||||
B-side | "Fun Tonight: The Early Years" | |||
Released | September 1986[1] | |||
Recorded | 1986 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:47 4:15 (7"/video version) | |||
Label | Geffen | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Peter Wolf | |||
Wang Chung singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" on YouTube |
After their breakup in 1991, Wang Chung reunited in 2005 to perform this song on the television show Hit Me, Baby, One More Time.
The song is featured on numerous 1980s compilation albums and still receives some radio airplay across the United States.
It has appeared in the "#2s" episode of VH1 Classic's One Hit Wonders series, even though the band had one more top 10 single, "Let's Go", in April 1987.
Track listing
- 7" Geffen / 7-28562 (USA)
- "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (edit)"
- "Fun Tonight: The Early Years"
- 7" Geffen / GEF 13F (UK)
- Side One
- "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (edit)"
- "Fun Tonight: The Early Years"
- Side Two
- "Dance Hall Days"
- "Don't Let Go"
- 7" Geffen / P-2193 (JPN)
- "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (edit)"
- "Fun Tonight: The Early Years"
- 12" Geffen / 0-20551 (USA) and TA 2589 (UK)
- Side One
- "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (12 Inches of Fun)" - 6:45
- "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (edit)" - 3:59*
- Side Two
- "Everybody Dub Tonight" - 6:02*
- "Fun Tonight: The Early Years" - 4:12
*times as indicated on record label (not actual)
- 12" (Promo) Geffen / PRO-A-2581 (USA)
- Side One
- "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (Edit)" - 3:59
- Side Two
- "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (LP Version)" - 4:47
Music video
The music video, directed by Godley & Creme, features scenes of the band playing in a wood-lined room with very rapid editing between different takes of the same performance. The editing gives the video a somewhat disorienting flip book-like animation style, employing the use of visual jitter. Wang Chung, additional musicians and dancers are seen in several formations throughout the video. They are shown in close portrait and seated along a row of chairs, the seating arrangement of which was changed with each take. Each shot flips through up to four takes of the same shot, with some shots approaching up to 1/24th of a second between edits. The video was banned by the BBC from airing after its premiere due to a medical expert retained by the BBC’s screening committee claiming it could possibly trigger “epileptic fits”.[2]
Charts
Chart (1986–87) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] | 8 |
Canada The Record[4] | 1 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 1 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[5] | 76 |
US Billboard Hot 100[6] | 2 |
US Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay Chart[7] | 1 |
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[8] | 4 |
US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard) | 25 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1987) | Position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] | 57 |
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[10] | 12 |
In popular culture
"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" appeared in the following programs:
- Alvin and the Chipmunks - "Big Dreams" (1987)
- Cape Fear (1991)
- Cool World (1992)
- The Big Green (1995)
- Animal Party (1998)
- Revolt Squad (1998)
- The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
- Clockstoppers (2002)
- Bruce Almighty (2003)
- Home on the Range (2004)
- Pineapple Express (2008)
- VeggieTales CD - "Bob and Larry Sing the 80s" (2010)
- Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus (2013)
- The Simpsons Season 26: Episode 2 "The Wreck of the Relationship" (2014)
- Spider-Man Homecoming (2017)
- Ferdinand (2017)
- Love, Simon (2018)
- Robin Hood (2001 trailer)
References
- "Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight" – via www.45cat.com.
- "BANNED VIDEO OF THE MONTH: Wang Chung's..." Los Angeles Times. 11 January 1987.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 332. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 12 June 1988.
- Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Mississauga, Ontario: Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896-594-13-1.
- "Wang Chung: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- "Wang Chung Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- "Wang Chung". Wweb.uta.edu.
- "Wang Chung Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- "Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Australian Music Report, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
- "1987 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 99 (52). 26 December 1987.