Little Richard once sang “ Well, it's Saturday night and I
just got paid, Fool about my money, don't try to save, My heart says go go,
have a time, Saturday night and I'm feelin' fine.” Indeed, many songwriters over
the years have chosen to sing about the party night, Saturday night. Here is my
top ten “Saturday Night” songs.
10 – Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night – Bon Jovi
Not often you will see a Bon Jovi track on these lists, but
I like this one. I like the acoustic start to it, always like a hook that sucks
me in.
9 – Saturday Night -
Skyhooks
Another typical Skyhooks song, where they are out trying to pick
up chicks in their car.
8 – Almost Saturday Night – John Fogerty
John’s getting excited about Saturday night too, but its not
quite time yet - he is almost there.
7 – Another Saturday Night – Cat Stevens
Many other tracks on this list are looking forward to
Saturday night. Not this one, which dreads another Saturday night with no one
to talk to. Originally a Sam Cooke song, I couldn’t make up my mind which
version to go for, but decided to go with Cat’s cover.
6- Forty Miles to
Saturday Night – Paul Kelly
We usually associate Saturday night songs with the city and
partying. But what would have happen if you lived in the middle of nowhere and
you had to travel a long distance just to get to your party. Well, Paul
describes it very well in this song -
the anticipation and excitement is just like the city songs, it just takes a
bit longer. A great alternative perspective on Saturday nights.
5 – Saturday Night – Cold Chisel
I love that moment in Cold Chisel songs when they transition
from Barnesy to Mossy’s vocals (and vice versa) Their voices are so different,
yet compliment each other so well. Saturday
Night is one of those songs where Ian starts off the lead vocals but Jimmy
jumps in later on…great stuff.
4- Saturday Night at the Movies – The Drifters
Ah…they don’t make songs like this any more. A whole lot of fun from beginning to end,
talking up a night out at the movies
snuggling up to “..your baby in the last row of the balcony.” The attention
to detail in the lyrics is great, love
the description of popcorn smells from
the candy stand and all the pretty girls. Sounds like a great Saturday night.
3 – (Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night – Tom Waits
Tom Waits really did have some beautiful ballads, and his
early career stuff is nothing like that later stuff with the rough voice.This
track is just lovely.
2 – Saturday Night and Sunday Morning – Paul Kelly
Most lists that I make end up having a Paul Kelly track (or
two) and I usually bang on about how great the songwriting is. So, its that
time again. When a song opens with the line “she’s a screamer and no one knows,
just me and her old boyfriend I suppose” you know you can’t go wrong.
Especially when it rocks out in such a catchy way as this one does. “Words and
Music” is probably not one of my favourite PK albums, but this would have to be
one of the best tracks on that album.
1 - Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting – Elton John
Here at musiclists.blogspot.com we don’t condone violence.
We do condone great songs though, and this is a great song, worthy of the
number one spot!
So there it is, my top ten “Saturday night” songs….what
gives you Saturday night fever?
Thank you for not including Whigfield. (If you've never heard of Whigfield, count yourself lucky.)
ReplyDeleteLove The Heart of Saturday Night - also The Ghosts of Saturday Night, from the same album. Great to see The Drifters, Fogerty and The Jove (!) too... while your higher Paul Kelly choice is one of the ones I do know and love.
Other suggestions...
Brad Paisley - American Saturday Night
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Saturday Night Special
Sam Cooke - Another Saturday Night
Neil Diamond - Save Me A Saturday Night
The Eagles - Saturday Night
And once again, that's only the stuff I have on this computer... my full library might reveal more!
Hi Rol. Whigfield had a hit in Australia with a song called "Sexy Eyes" but I don't recall anything about Saturday night. They were a Eurovision esque pop group weren't they?
ReplyDeletePlenty of material for a Saturday night list, and by the way, your Sam Cooke suggestion is the same song as the Cat Stevens one that I listed.
That'll teach me to read too fast when I've got so many posts to catch up on. Apologies - I hate when people do that on my blog! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYeah, that sounds like the same Whigfield. Awful, awful, awful...