I actually pondered Barry McGuire’s Eve of Destruction for tonight’s song, but then I thought something upbeat would be more appropriate, given the chaos and darkness of our world at the moment. Well, perhaps McGuire’s song would actually be the most fitting, but I think I’d prefer to see if I can’t take your mind off of the destruction for a few minutes and maybe get your toes tapping and maybe, just maybe even bring a smile to your faces.
This song was released in 1980 by Kool and the Gang, and was their only #1 hit in the U.S. “Kool” is Robert Bell, and “The (original) Gang” consisted of his brother Ronald, Dennis “D.T.” Thomas, Robert “Spike” Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. Formed in 1964, the band has undergone numerous personnel changes over the years. Robert Bell had given himself the nickname “Kool” as a way of adapting to the street gangs in his neighborhood after moving from Ohio to Jersey City, New Jersey, and took the name of someone named Cool, replacing his with a “K”.
The brothers, Robert and Ronald wrote this song. Ronald, also the band’s sax player, explains the origins of the song …
“The initial idea came from reading the Q’uran. I was reading the passage where God was creating Adam, and the angels were celebrating and singing praises. That inspired me to write the basic chords and the line, ‘Everyone around the world, come on, let’s celebrate’.”
No one close to the band was surprised by the song’s enduring popularity as a celebratory anthem. In fact, lead singer J.T. Taylor’s (J.T. joined the band only the year before, in 1979) mother predicted it.
“My mother told me when she heard it, ‘You’re gonna play this song for the rest of your life – so get ready’!”
The song hit #1 in both the U.S. and Canada, and #7 in the UK.
Celebration
Kool and the Gang
Yahoo! This is your celebration
Yahoo! This is your celebration
Celebrate good times, come on (Let’s celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on (Let’s celebrate)
There’s a party goin’ on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you
Come on now
Celebration
Let’s all celebrate and have a good time
Celebration
We gonna celebrate and have a good time
It’s time to come together
It’s up to you, what’s your pleasure?
Everyone around the world, come on
Yahoo!
It’s a celebration
Yahoo!
Celebrate good times, come on
It’s a celebration
Celebrate good times, come on
Let’s celebrate
There’s a party goin’ on right here
A dedication to last throughout the years
So bring your good times and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate and party with you
Come on now
Celebration
Let’s all celebrate and have a good time, yeah yeah
Celebration
We gonna celebrate and have a good time
It’s time to come together
It’s up to you, what’s your pleasure
Everyone around the world, come on
Yahoo! It’s a celebration
Yahoo! It’s a celebration
Celebrate good times, come on
Let’s celebrate, come on now
Celebrate good times, come on
Let’s celebrate
We’re gonna have a good time tonight
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right
We’re gonna have a good time tonight
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right, baby
We’re gonna have a good time tonight (Celebration)
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right
We’re gonna have a good time tonight (Celebration)
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right
Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Celebrate good times, come on (Let’s celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on (It’s a celebration)
Celebrate good times, come on (Let’s celebrate)
(Come on and celebrate tonight) Celebrate good times, come on
(Baby everything’s gonna be alright, let’s celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on
Celebrate good times, come on (Let’s have a great time, celebrate)
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Bell Robert Earl / Bell Ronald Nathan
Celebration lyrics © Wb Music Corp., Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp., Emi Full Keel Music, Old River Music, Delightful Music Ltd
I love this celebration anthem, Jill!
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I’m so glad you liked it! I love the upbeat-ness of it! Can’t help but smile just a little bit.
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Okay. God/Allah created heaven, earth, animals, humans etc., Where in hell did the angels come from. And, if he created the angels, why the hell did he need humans too. This
guygod has a very serious narcissism/adoration-demanding problem.LikeLiked by 1 person
Huh? Since I don’t believe in any of the above, not god, nor Allah nor heaven nor hell nor angels (except a few earthly ones), then I cannot answer the question. The song isn’t about religion or any of that. The writer said it was inspired by religion, but it isn’t at all a religious song. But, if I did believe in any of that, I would answer that humans were a mistake … after all, we started as simians and evolved into humans … big mistake!
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I was running with the religious inspiration, definitely, but the Q’uran version of the Garden of Eden parable confronted me with a whole idea, that maybe the angels predated god, and if the devil was a fallen angel, maybe god was a self-actualized angel. Nah, bad idea. Self-actualized would be the exact opposite of God. In fact, God would have to be
Trump’s unclean Emperor Penguin!LikeLiked by 1 person
And now you’ve made my head spin! 😵
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Jilly, Jilly, Jilly,
Won’t you come along with me
Jilly Jilly, ooooh, Jilly, Jilly
Spin, spin, spinning like a spinning top,
Jilly, Jilly…
Sung to Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels: Jenny Take a Ride
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Now there’s a song I never heard before! Nah, I think all that spinning might make me dizzy. 😉
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You got me going round in circles all the time!
Dizzy,
I’m so dizzy my head is spinning,
Like a whirlpool it never ends,
And it’s you, girl, making it spin,
I’m so dizzy!
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Hmmm … gives me an idea for a music post … or did I already do that one???
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Best song for now. Good one, Jill.
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Thanks, John! Gets the feet tapping and the blood stirring!
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Jill, this is an iconic song, that lives larger given the fun lyrics, music and chorus. Even if you were not a fan of the group, you knew this song. Keith
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Yep, this one will make me smile and tap my toes, no matter my mood. I can’t actually remember any other songs by Kool and the Gang, but I do love this one!
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Whether iit be in aid of God or Allah gives no indication in this bright piece of music. It makes you smile at others even after all this time. We need music that does that.
Cwtch
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Agreed. It is just a song about celebrating life in general, friends, green grass, peanut butter, or whatever makes one smile.
Cwtch
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I like your approach. It’s alwayscbetter to celebrate life and those positive people on this planet than giving the destructive ones too much attention. I don’t mean ignore them. We need to stand up for what we believe in. But balance it with that what we are fighting for so we don’t lose sight of it. And tjis song is just such a classic 😍 🙋♀️🐝
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You make a heck of a lot of sense, my friend! It is very hard not to focus on all the chaos we are surrounded with every day, but doing so lends a certain degree of legitimacy to the evil behind the chaos, and it also drags us down … into the rabbit hole. Sometimes we just have to climb out of that rabbit hole and … Celebrate! Glad you enjoyed the music! Love ‘n hugs! 🙋♀️ ❤
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We still have enough to celebrate 🤗🙋♀️🐝
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