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Party Generation Lyrics
When he turned 34 but who's counting
He couldn't find anyone who wanted to party
So he walked around a playground with a bag of Mickey's Tallboys
And he heard the sound of laughter and he followed it for fifteen blocks
There was a house between Mavis and Water
They were out on the porch, they were inside playing quarters
And he said, "Don't you know the game Kazaam? It's a better game
You point your elbow at someone and say somebody else's name
And it alternates whose turn it is and if you lose you drink."
They said "Man, you really make us think,
yeah you make us think and so:
Tonight we're gonna be the party
We will party all night long
We are the party generation
So have a seat, what's in the bag?
Party on
Round about one or two it started winding down
And he knew what they needed- they needed donuts
So they walked out to Krispy Kruller's All Nite Sugar Palace
It was there in the doorway he said"Oh, well maybe not."
Inside there were six women talking
They were the most justified angry ex-girlfriends
And they swivelled around slowly like they saw something bad
Through the eyes i the back of their heads
Like he always knew they had
And they said "what a coincidence" ,and "Hey you're just the man,
We were saying that you did the best you could
You're fine we understand and so
Tonight we're gonna be the party
We will party all night long
We are the party generation
You were the best but we'll survive
Party On
Oh yeah..........
Oh yeah..........
Woah-oh...........
In the morning they sent him home with a designated driver
And he lay down and thought about the whole night
And he looked up at the photo tha the bought at a junk shop
It was only fifty cents but he framed it and everything
It was the kind of party that you hope never ends
The lucky party boy surrounded by his friends
And they were all in pointed hats
Caught in a rebel birthday shout
And he was at the candles with his mom there to help him out
There was a lot that you could learn if you lay near them
Like if you listened you could hear them and he could hear them
They say:
Tonight we're gonna be the party
We will party all night long
We are the party generation
So lift your head and blow em out
Yeah
Oh yeah...
Oh yeah
Oh yeah..
Tonight we're gonna be the party
We will party all night long
We are the party generation
So lift your head lift your head
Party on
Song Info
Submitted by
aur0ra On Dec 05, 2001
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What a great song. It truly captures the essence of a good time.
Best Party Song There Is
This can be enjoyed as just a fun, light, funny song. But it has a lot more going for it than that.
The song has the form of The Hero's Journey, but our hero isn't looking to gain obscure knowledge or save his village. Our hero is looking for something more personal. Trapped in early years of the long grind of adulthood, he's looking to rituals of the past for joy and connection.
At first, the outlook is grim, but he commits to his quest ("he heard the sound of laughter and he followed it for fifteen blocks") and he's rewarded. He finds his place and the place finds him. It turns out he's just what this party needed. Maybe by the standards of "34 but who's counting" he's a little immature, but for this crowd he's a mentor.
It gets even better with the next verse. Using his special knowledge to take his new friends on an adventure, he faces a moment of doubt. Has he gone too far? Is he about to be punished? He faces what may be his (or any man's) greatest fear: the six "most justified angry ex-girlfriends". But once again, his pursuit and sharing of joy is rewarded. Instead of tearing him apart, the women of his life bestow upon him sweet mercy and understanding. Surely the greatest birthday present any man could have. From there the party becomes the best party ever.
[Maybe in real life the six most justified angry ex-girlfriends would never to do this. But that's OK, Dar has done it for them.]
In the last verse Dar demonstrates true mastery as a songwriter. The story's over with the second verse, right? In the hands of a lesser writer, yes, but Dar does something transformative with the denouement. She shows how our hero's quest for childhood innocence, joy and (female) connection ("his mom there to help him out") has been fulfilled, and suggests that there are lessons there for the rest of us if we, like our hero, listen.
["Lift your head, lift your head."]
It was in the late 1990s when I bought Dar's CD "The End of the Summer", on which this is track 2. I still love this song. God bless you, Dar.