World Party (song)

"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
Released1988
Length4:01
LabelChrysalis
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

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

The Waterboys

Additional personnel

  • The Abergavenny Male Voice Choir - choir
  • Jenny Haan, Rachel Nolan, Ruth Nolan - chorus vocals

Production

  • Mike Scott - producer
  • Pearse Dunne - engineer

Charts
Chart (1989) Peak
position
US Billboard Album Rock Tracks[3] 48
US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[2] 19
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References
  1. AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Fisherman's Blues - The Waterboys | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  2. Billboard. "The Waterboys World Party Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  3. Billboard (1989-03-04). "The Waterboys World Party Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  4. "Musician - Google Books". Books.google.co.uk. 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  5. "The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues (CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered)". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  6. Hand, Lise (16 October 1988). "News from the Waterboys". Sunday Independent.
  7. Curtin, Mike (11 December 1988). "Goodbye, Roy; Hello, Ireland". The Post-Star.
  8. Bohen, Jim (22 January 1989). "Brown's hits signal new wave of R&B". Daily Record.
  9. Armstrong, Gene (1 December 1988). "'Fisherman's Blues' one of '88's best". Arizona Daily Star.
  10. "Y-NOT closes gender gap by showcasing men of '88". The Palm Beach Post. 8 January 1989.
  11. Johnson, Kenneth (9 December 1988). "Waterboys flirt with folk forms". The Star Democrat.
  12. Terrell, Steve (6 January 1989). "A band worth watching". The Santa Fe New Mexican.
  13. Lepage, Mark (15 December 1988). "Waterboys' new album justifies all the hype". Montreal Gazette.
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