Swingin Party
{{Short description|1985 song by The Replacements}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Swingin Party
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| artist = The Replacements
| album = Tim
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| published = 1985
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| genre = {{hlist|Jangle pop}}
| length = {{duration|m=3|s=53}}
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| writer = Paul Westerberg
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| lyricist =
| producer = Tommy Ramone
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"Swingin Party" is a song written by Paul Westerberg and recorded by his band The Replacements for their fourth studio album Tim (1985). The song is an indie rock and rock and roll ballad with influences from jazz, country and new wave. Lyrically, it portrays the protagonist's "feigned nonchalance". It was well received by music critics, who praised Westerberg's songwriting talent. The song has been covered by other artists, notably Kindness in 2009 and Lorde in 2013.
Composition
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| title = "Swingin Party"
| description = Instrumented by electric guitar, the indie rock and rock and roll song is influenced by jazz, country and new wave music.
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"Swingin Party" was written by Paul Westerberg and produced by Tommy Ramone, and was recorded by The Replacements. It is an indie rock and rock and roll ballad with influences from jazz, country and new wave.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/arts/music/shes-16-but-not-thinking-of-sweet.html?_r=0|title=She's 16, but Not Thinking of Sweet|work=The New York Times|date=October 2, 2013|first=Jon|last=Pareles|access-date=June 4, 2013|author-link=Jon Pareles|archive-date=October 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005202307/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/arts/music/shes-16-but-not-thinking-of-sweet.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url={{allMusic|id=mt0011899664|class=song|pure_url=yes}} |title=Swingin Party – The Replacements |first=Bill |last=Janovitz |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=June 5, 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12266-tim-pleased-to-meet-me-dont-tell-a-soul-all-shook-down/ |title=The Replacements: Tim |work=Pitchfork Media |first=Mark |last=Richardson |date=September 26, 2008 |access-date=November 17, 2013 |archive-date=March 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311210800/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12266-tim-pleased-to-meet-me-dont-tell-a-soul-all-shook-down/ |url-status=live }} It features staccato chords instrumented by electric guitar. Paul Westerberg was inspired to write the song after listening to a live bootleg of Buffalo Springfield's "Flying on the Ground is Wrong" (1966) on a communal Walkman.{{cite book |last=Mehr|first=Bob|author-link=Bob Mehr|date=2016|title= Trouble Boys The True Story of the Replacements |location= |publisher=Hachette Books|page= |isbn=9780306822032}} According to Bill Janovitz from AllMusic, the song climbs scales in a way reminiscent of "Somethin' Stupid" (1967) by Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra. The lyrics are introspective, and portray the protagonist's "feigned nonchalance".
Writing for Spin, editor J.D. opined that the song's theme is "literary reflections" as Westerberg sings, "Quittin' school and goin' to work and never goin' fishin'".{{cite magazine|title=100 Greatest Albums: 1985-2005, No. 32: Tim|magazine=Spin|page=81|date=July 2005|volume=21|issue=7 |issn=0886-3032}} According to Tim Holmes of Rolling Stone, the song's theme is that "life is a lilting series of ultimately empty, but nonetheless compulsory, soirees",{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/tim-19851121 |title=The Replacements: Tim |magazine=Rolling Stone |first=Tim |last=Holmes |date=November 21, 1985 |access-date=June 5, 2014 |archive-date=February 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224033928/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/tim-19851121 |url-status=live }} while Robert Hilburn from the Los Angeles Times wrote that the song is "about loneliness and youthful insecurity".{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-11-30-ca-9669-story.html |first=Robert |last=Hilburn |author-link=Robert Hilburn |work=Los Angeles Times |title=Welcome Ripples On Still Pop Waters |date=November 30, 1985 |access-date=June 7, 2014 |archive-date=July 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715012041/http://articles.latimes.com/1985-11-30/entertainment/ca-9669_1_pop-music |url-status=live }} In an interview for the Los Angeles Times, Westerberg said: "One of the reasons we used to drink so much is that it was scary going up on stage. That's one of the things 'Swingin' Party' is all about on the album ... how it is a little frightening to put yourself on display all the time."{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-01-05-ca-24483-story.html |title=Replacements Lose An Old Attitude |date=January 5, 1986 |first=Robert |last=Hilburn |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=June 7, 2014 |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714232415/http://articles.latimes.com/1986-01-05/entertainment/ca-24483_1_palace-show |url-status=live }}
Critical reception
"Swingin Party" received positive reviews from music critics, most of whom praised Westerberg's songwriting credits for the track. PopMatters' Michael Keefe lauded Westerberg's songwriting ability on "Swingin Party".{{cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/feature/pleased-to-meet-em/ |title=Pleased to Meet 'Em: The Replacements' Sire Years |date=September 25, 2008 |publisher=PopMatters |first=Michael |last=Keefe |access-date=November 17, 2013 |archive-date=October 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009031733/http://www.popmatters.com/feature/pleased-to-meet-em/ |url-status=live }} Craig Rosen writing for Billboard opined that the song showcased Westerberg's "capable" songwriting for the band.{{cite magazine|title=Paul Westerberg's 'Eventually' Is Right Now|magazine=Billboard|first=Craig|last=Rosen|page=14|date=March 16, 1996|volume=108|issue=11 |issn=0006-2510}} In a separate journal for the same publication, Braoley Bambarger named "Swingin Party" a "bittersweet" ballad that "won the hearts of a generation of college radio fans".{{cite magazine|title=The Modern Age|first=Braoley|last=Bambarger|magazine=Billboard|page=89|date=June 1, 1996|volume=118|issue=22 |issn=0006-2510}} Craig Marks from Spin shared that the song's line "Bring your own lampshade/ Somewhere there's a party" is the third best lyric written by Westerberg for The Replacements.{{cite journal|title=Platter du Joir|magazine=Spin|first=Craig|last=Marks|page=77|date=July 1993|volume=9|issue=4 |issn=0886-3032}} Tim Nelson from BBC Music selected "Swingin Party" as one of the outstanding tracks from Tim.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/jqw6|title=Review of The Replacements – Tim|date=2007|publisher=BBC Music|first=Tim|last=Nelson|access-date=June 5, 2014|archive-date=September 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925113706/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/jqw6|url-status=live}}
Other versions
File:Lorde Lollapalooza 2014 (5).jpg (pictured) covered "Swingin Party" in 2013.]]
=Popland version=
In 2000, Singaporean power pop band Popland covered "Swingin Party" for the tribute album Left of the Dial: A Pop Tribute to The Replacements.{{cite magazine|title=Global Music Pulse|magazine=Billboard|first=Philip|last=Cheah|date=July 1, 2000|page=49|volume=112|issue=27 |issn=0006-2510}}
=The Weakerthans version=
Canadian band The Weakerthans performed "Swingin Party" at the 2005 Winnipeg Folk Festival.{{cite news |title=Winnipeg's Novillero getting noticed, finally: Yet retro popsters' Dave Berthiaume says years of waiting has helped band mature musically |first=Sandra |last=Sperounes |work=Edmonton Journal |page=G4 |date=August 12, 2005}} American musician Annie Hayden included a cover on her 2005 album, The Enemy of Love. British musician Kindness released a house rendition of "Swingin Party" as his first single in 2009, which was later used for the soundtrack of the 2015 drama film Paper Towns. It was released as a 7-inch vinyl via Moshi Moshi Records, with an original song "Gee Up" as the B-side.{{cite web|url={{allMusic|id=mr0001860697 |pure_url=yes |class=album/release}} |title=Swingin Party – Kindness |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=April 27, 2014}}
{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/21/kindness-adam-bainbridge |title=Kindness: this man should have a Phd in pop |first=Ruth |last=Saxelby |work=The Guardian |date=September 21, 2012 |access-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-date=December 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205024556/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/21/kindness-adam-bainbridge |url-status=live }} It was included on his debut studio album World, You Need a Change of Mind (2012).{{cite web |first=Tim |last=Sendra |url={{allMusic|class=album|id=mw0002293927|pure_url=yes}} |title=World, You Need a Change of Mind – Kindness |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=December 3, 2012}} A music video comprising clips from educational films and travel videos was released in August 2009.{{cite web|title=Kindness: "Swinging Party" (Replacements cover)|url=http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/13268-swinging-party-replacements-cover/|date=August 17, 2009|access-date=April 27, 2014|publisher=Pitchfork Media|archive-date=April 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427023621/http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/13268-swinging-party-replacements-cover/|url-status=live}}
=Lorde version=
New Zealand singer Lorde covered "Swingin Party" as the B-side to her second single, "Tennis Court" (2013).{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/nz/album/tennis-court-single/657273441 |title=Tennis Court – Single |publisher=iTunes Store (Apple) |location=New Zealand |access-date=November 17, 2013 |archive-date=October 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009010239/https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/tennis-court-single/id657273441 |url-status=live }} It was also included on Tennis Court EP and later on the US iTunes Store version of The Love Club EP (2013).{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104065204/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-love-club-ep/id716919443|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-love-club-ep/id716919443|title=The Love Club EP|location=United States|publisher=iTunes Store (Apple)|archive-date=November 4, 2013}}
{{cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/be/album/tennis-court-ep/id657273465 |title=Tennis Court – EP |publisher=iTunes Store (Apple) |location=Belgium |access-date=January 12, 2014 |archive-date=June 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602102034/https://itunes.apple.com/be/album/tennis-court-ep/id657273465 |url-status=dead }} Lorde's cover of "Swingin Party" entered the New Zealand Singles Chart on June 17, 2013, at number ten, and dropped off the chart the following week.{{cite web |url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Lorde&titel=Swingin%27+Party&cat=s |title=Lorde: Swingin' Party |publisher=charts.nz (Hung Medien) |access-date=November 17, 2013 |archive-date=April 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406140400/http://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Lorde&titel=Swingin%27+Party&cat=s |url-status=live }} A live rendition was included on her EP Live in Concert.{{cite press release |url=http://www.universal-music.de/lorde/news/detail/article:225329/hoert-lorde-live-in-concert-auf-spotify |title=Hört "Lorde – Live In Concert" auf Spotify |date=November 6, 2013 |language=German |publisher=Universal Music Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131117021108/http://www.universal-music.de/lorde/news/detail/article:225329/hoert-lorde-live-in-concert-auf-spotify |archive-date=November 17, 2013 |url-status=live}} In December 2013, the cover was included in Lorde's extended edition of her debut studio album Pure Heroine.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pure-heroine-extended/id773618496|title=Pure Heroine (Extended)|location=United States|publisher=iTunes Store (Apple)|access-date=May 28, 2014|archive-date=October 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012223829/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pure-heroine-extended/id773618496|url-status=dead}} Brittany Spanos from The Village Voice praised the cover and wrote that it helps Lorde express her "rich voice in all its glory".{{cite web|url=http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2013/10/lorde_-_webster.php|title=Lorde – Webster Hall|work=The Village Voice|date=October 1, 2013|access-date=May 27, 2014|first=Brittany|last=Spanos|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527215141/http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2013/10/lorde_-_webster.php|archive-date=May 27, 2014|df=mdy-all}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{allMusic|id=mt0011899664 |class=song |tab=lyrics |title="Swingin Party"}}
{{The Replacements}}
{{Lorde singles}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:American indie rock songs
Category:Songs written by Paul Westerberg
Category:The Replacements (band) songs