Party (Beyoncé song)
"Party" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her fourth studio album, 4 (2011). It features guest vocals from American rapper André 3000 and background vocals from Kanye West and Consequence, and was released by Columbia Records as the fourth single from 4 on August 30, 2011. The song was written by Kanye West, Jeff Bhasker, Beyoncé, Dexter Mills, Douglas Davis and Ricky Walters and produced by Beyoncé and West and co-produced by Bhasker.
"Party"
August 30, 2011
2010
- Avex Honolulu (Honolulu)
- MSR (New York City)
- Strong Mountain (Stone Mountain)
4:05
- Knowles
- West
- Jeff Bhasker
A midtempo R&B song, "Party" exhibits elements of the 1980s funk and soul music, and samples the 1985 song "La Di Da Di" performed by Doug E. Fresh and MC Ricky D. It recalls the work of New Edition, Prince, and Teena Marie among others.[1] Built on an 808-retro beat, multi-tracked harmonies, and a smooth groove, the song's instrumentation includes slow-bouncing synthesizers, keyboard tones, and drums. Lyrically, "Party" gives ode to political themes such as feminism and sexual empowerment. In his rap verses, André 3000 references milk and gets philosophical about his own career.
"Party" was acclaimed by contemporary music critics, who praised André 3000's verses, as well as the production handled by West and Beyoncé's emphatic, yet sensual vocals. It was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 54th Grammy Awards. Following the release of 4, "Party" charted at number 19 on the South Korea Gaon International Singles Chart. It debuted on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in July 2011, and peaked at number 2 on the chart for three consecutive weeks. The song reached number 50 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart based on radio support. "Party" was part of Beyoncé's set list for her 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé and the Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live residency shows.
Composition and lyrical interpretation[edit]
"Party" is a mid-paced R&B song[17] that exhibits elements of funk[18] and soul music.[19] It is written in the key of B♭ major[20] and set in common time with the sequence of Cm7–Dm7–F7(sus)–G9(sus)–Cm7–Dm7.[21] According to David Amidon of PopMatters, the song's music "is largely reminiscent of late 1980s diva histrionics";[22] it is built on scooping and gliding multi-tracked 1990 girl-ground harmonies, midtempo bounces,[16][23] a 808-retro beat and a 1980s-style smooth hip hop groove.[21][24][25][26] The instrumentation of "Party" consists of slow-bouncing synthesizers,[14][15] bubbly keyboard tones,[16] and a drum machine.[13][15]
Gil Kaufman of MTV News commented that the synthesizers and drum machine used in "Party" create a groove reminiscent of "a New Jack Swing seduction."[15] Jon Caramainca of The New York Times wrote that the production of "Party" recalls the early work of New Edition.[27] James Reed of The Boston Globe commented that its music arrangement sounds like a parody by The Lonely Island or Flight of the Conchords.[28] Roberts Randall of the Los Angeles Times found that "Party" sounds like a half-speed remix of a Human League song,[29] and Kevin O'Donnell of Spin magazine found the song to be reminiscent of Prince in his 1980s prime.[24] Priya Elan of NME commented that "Party" is the first indication that 4 was influenced by the likes of Teena Marie.[13]
Lyrically, "Party" features Beyoncé as the female protagonist "in the mood for some loving" as she references to a get-together for two persons.[2][14] West rhymes about "swag sauce" and "swagu" in the introductory lines, "You a bad girl, your friends bad too / You got the swag sauce, you're drippin' Swagu",[2] before passing the torch to Beyoncé, who begins to sing the first verse slowly and steadily, "I may be young but I'm ready / To give you all my love / I told my girls you can get it / Don't slow it down, just let it go / So in love / I'll give it all away / Just don't tell nobody tomorrow".[9][30] In the chorus lines, she harmonizes over the sample from "La Di Da Di", "Cause tonight's the night that I give you everything / Music knocking until the morning light / 'Cause we like to party".[9] In the second verse, Beyoncé belts out "in a thick stack of smooth, layered vocals".[2] After chanting the chorus for a second time, André 3000 surfaces around the 2:15 mark with "some very naughty references" to milk on the verses he raps,[2][15] "... another homeboy, that nigga named Cheese / Fuck wit' me baby, I make it milk 'til it drip down yo' knees", before switching gears altogether and getting philosophical about his own career,[2] "Kiddo say he looks up to me, this just makes me feel old / Never thought that we could become someone else's hero / Man, we were just in the food court eating our gyros",[9] and finally adopting a "multi-syllabic tongue twister" to rap some of the finishing lines.[24] The song runs out with Beyoncé reiterating the lines, "Cause we like to party, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey", and West then reprises the opening lines.[15]
Chart performance[edit]
Without being released as a single, the album version "Party" debuted at number 29 on the South Korea Gaon International Singles Chart for the week ending July 2, 2011, selling 17,460 digital downloads.[48] The following week, it sold 17,995 downloads, which enabled it to ascend to number 19 where it peaked.[49] The album version also debuted at number 90 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart issue dated July 21, 2011.[50] The following week, "Party" moved to number 72 on the chart,[50] and one week later, it climbed to number 57.[50] For the week ending September 10, 2011, "Party" moved from number 55 to number 50 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[50] 31 US urban radios added "Party" to the playlist for the week ending October 1, 2011.[51] As a result, "Party" was the most played song on US urban radios, gaining 517 spins in seven days, as reported by the Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems (BDS) urban airplay chart issued dated October 8, 2011.[52] Subsequently, the song received the airplay greatest gainer title and moved from number 33 to number 20 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[53] The following week, "Party" debuted at number 71 on the US Radio Songs chart and subsequently moved to number 16 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[54]
For the week ending October 1, 2011, the album version of "Party" debuted at number 25 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[55] After two weeks, it ascended from number 11 to number 4 on the chart.[55] For the week ending October 22, 2011, "Party" debuted at number 95 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.[56] It also moved to number 9 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, receiving the airplay gainer title for the second non-consecutive time.[57] "Party" escalated to number 87 on the Hot 100 chart[58] and to number 7 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart issued dated October 29, 2011.[59] For the same week ending, Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems reported that "Party" was the most played song on Urban radios for the second non-consecutive time, gaining 464 spins in seven days.[60] It ascended to number 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart[61] and to number 75 on the Hot 100 chart for the week ending November 5, 2011.[62] "Party" surged to number 57 on the Hot 100, climbing 18 places, for the week ending November 12, 2011.[63] For the week ending November 19, 2011, it further ascended to 54 on the Hot 100 chart[64] and moved from number 5 to number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[65]
For the week ending November 26, 2011, "Party" remained at number 54 on the Hot 100 chart and climbed to number 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[66] The following, Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems reported that "Party" reached the top spot of the BDS Urban National airplay chart, having amassed 4862 spins, which transitioned into 31.288 million listener impressions.[60] It later peaked at number 50 on the Hot 100 chart and maintained its high point of number 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for four consecutive weeks.[67]
"Party"
October 24, 2011
2010–2011
3:40
Cover versions[edit]
On October 11, 2011, English singer–songwriter Eliza Doolittle posted a video of herself covering "Party", on her official website and other online media.[119] In January 2012, American rapper Common sang a freestyle rap over the instrumental of Beyoncé's "Party" adding the lyrics, "We can put it all together/ You know the weather/ Me and Jasmine we can find forever".[120] In February 2012, American band Chairlift and Kool A.D. covered the song on Triple J's Like a Version series.[121][122]