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Live 30 May 1976 version
[Southside Johnny:] Keep in mind the techni-glass, Big Stevie, you know you can too. All right, let's do it! What are you doing?
[Steve Van Zandt:] Boss time! (laughs)
[Southside Johnny:] We got one more song in this session.
[Bruce Springsteen:] I don't know about you, but, uh...
[Southside (with Springsteen singing backup):]
We're havin' a party
Everybody's swingin'
Dancin' to the music
On the radio
So listen, Mister DJ
Keep those records playin'
'Cause I'm havin' such a good time
Dancin' with my baby
We're havin' a party
Dancin' to the music
Played by the DJ
On the radio
Coke's are in the icebox
Popcorn's on the table
Me and my baby
Are out here on the floor
And we're havin' a party
Everybody's swingin'
Dancin' to the music
On the radio
So listen, Mister DJ
Oh, keep those records
'Cause I'm havin' such a good time
Dancin' with my baby
Everybody's swingin'
I know Sally's doin' the Twist now
If you take requests, I've
Got a few for you
Now wait!
Don't forget the "Soul Twist"
And you don't do that
Play that one called "I Know"
Give me your!
Got to be sweet
No other song will do
We're havin' a party
Everybody's swingin'
Dancin' to the music
On the radio
So listen, Mister DJ
Oh, keep those records playin'
'Cause I'm havin' such a good time
Dancin' with my baby
Hey, now!
Oh!
[Bruce Springsteen:] Oh yeah, baby!
[Southside (with Springsteen singing backup):]
Everybody's swinging
Everybody's doing the twist now -- and Kid Leo, too
If you take requests, I
Got a few for you
Don't forget the "Soul Twist"
Hold up!
And play that one called "I Know"
Got to be sweet
No other song will do
Let's sing it!
'Cause we're havin' a party
Everybody's swingin'
Dancin' to the music
On the radio
So listen, Mister DJ
Oh, keep those records playin'
'Cause I'm havin' such a good time
Dancin' with my baby
Yeah, havin' a party
Everybody's swingin'
Dancin' to the music
On the radio
So listen, Mister DJ
Oh, keep those records playin'
'Cause I'm havin' such a good time
Dancin' with my baby
We're havin' a party
Everybody's swingin'
Dancin' to the music
On the radio
So listen, Mister DJ
Say, keep those records playin'
'Cause I'm havin' such a good time
Dancin' with my baby
Oh, I'm havin' such a good time
Dancin' with my baby
Oh, I'm havin' such a good time
Dancin' with my baby
[Southside Johnny:] Oh yeah!
All right, all right!
Whoa, yeah!
Whoa, now, baby!
[Bruce Springsteen:] Southside Johnny! Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes! Southside Johnny!
[Southside Johnny:] Thank you!
HAVING A PARTY is a song originally released by Sam Cooke in 1962. See the original Sam Cooke version for more details.
Starting from 1976, HAVING A PARTY became one of Bruce Springsteen most performed songs during his off-tour club appearances, typically with Southside Johnny at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ.
The above lyrics are for the live 30 May 1976 performance of HAVING A PARTY at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. The song was performed with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.
This was Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes' first concert with major public exposure, hosted by Philadelphia radio station WMMR-FM and broadcast on syndicated stations throughout the northeastern U.S. This was effectively a celebration of the recent release of Southside's debut album I Don't Want To Go Home. Steve Van Zandt, who's the album's producer, was onstage playing rhythm guitar for most of the show. Several guests took the stage during the show, including Lee Dorsey, Clarence Clemons, Max Weinberg, Ronnie Spector, and Bruce Springsteen who joined in for the final song, HAVING A PARTY.
Other versions of HAVING A PARTY were officially released.
HAVING A PARTY was performed once during World Tour 1992-1993 (104 dates, June 1992 to June 1993), on 24 Jun 1993 in East Rutherford, NJ. The 24 Jun 1993 show in East Rutherford, NJ, was billed as "Concert To Fight Hunger". The live 24 Jun 1993 version of HAVING A PARTY was released on the Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey June 24, 1993 official live download in 2018.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 30 May 1976 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes concert.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 04 Sep 1976 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a Southside Johnny concert.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 17 Apr 1977 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes concert.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 12 May 1977 and 13 May 1977 (early and late shows) at Monmouth Arts Center in Red Bank, NJ, with The Asbury Park All-Star Revue. See the live 13 May 1977 (early show) version and the live 13 May 1977 (late show) version for more details.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 13 Sep 1977 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. See the live 13 Sep 1977 version for more details.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 31 Dec 1977 at Capitol Theatre in Passaic, NJ, during a Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes concert. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band made an unscheduled appearance at the end of the show, joining the Jukes onstage for a few songs before kicking into a 5-song set of their own. The song was played as part of the first set with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. See the live 31 Dec 1977 version for more details.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 31 Aug 1978 at The Agora in Cleveland, OH, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 15 Apr 1979 at The Fast Lane in Asbury Park, NJ. Springsteen, along with four members of the Asbury Jukes (Kevin Kavanaugh on piano, Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg on trombone, Eddie Manion on baritone saxophone, and Joel Gramolini on guitar) made a guest appearance with Beaver Brown, playing a four-song set.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 15 Aug 1982 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Cats On A Smooth Surface. See the live 15 Aug 1982 version for more details.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 19 Sep 1982 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Cats On A Smooth Surface.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 03 Oct 1982 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Cats On A Smooth Surface.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 02 Aug 1987 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, with the E Street Band and some members of Cats On A Smooth Surface. See the live 02 Aug 1987 version for more details.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 09 Aug 1987 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, with the E Street Band. See the live 09 Aug 1987 version for more details.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 23 Sep 1989 at McLoone's Rum Runner in Sea Bright, NJ, with the E Street Band, during Springsteen's fortieth birthday bash. No audio recording of this gig is known to exist.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 26 Sep 1991 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 27 Dec 1992 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 16 Jul 1994 at The Stone Pony Tent in Asbury Park, NJ, with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, during The Stone Pony's twentieth anniversary celebration. See the live 16 Jul 1994 version for more details.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 04 Dec 1999 at The Diasco Residence in Colts Neck, NJ. In June 1999, at a Doug Flutie Autism Foundation fundraising gala held at Jon Bon Jovi's estate in Middletown Township, guests Anthony and Pam Diasco paid $60,000 during the evening's dinner auction for right to host a very private Bon Jovi band concert at their home. The performance took place on 04 Dec 1999 at their estate in Colts Neck, NJ. Although Springsteen's services were not part of the June auction, the Diascos got a bonus. He (as well as wife Patti Scialfa and Southside Johnny) attended the party and, backed by Bon Jovi, he performed a six-song set.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 21 Oct 2000 at Hedgerow Farm in Middletown, NJ, during a charity benefit gala for "Special People United to Ride of Monmouth County". No audio recording of this show is known to exist.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 27 May 2001 at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, during a guest appearance with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 29 Apr 2003 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, during "The Hope Concert" benefit. The song was played with the Max Weinberg 7. See the live 29 Apr 2003 version for more details.
HAVING A PARTY was performed off-tour on 22 Dec 2008 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ, during an unscheduled guest appearance at Bobby Bandiera's Hope Concert. Bruce Springsteen performed the song with Southside Johnny and Gary U.S Bonds and backed by Bobby Bandiera's band.
Between 2002 and 2011, Bruce Springsteen played private benefit shows for schools and colleges that his kids attended ─ Rumson Country Day School of Rumson, NJ, and Ranney School of Tinton Falls, NJ, and Boston College of Chestnut Hill, MA. HAVING A PARTY was performed at 6 of these fundraisers, always at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, and backed by Bobby Bandiera and his band, and mostly with Southside Johnny.
Between 1973 and 1975, small snippets of HAVING A PARTY were used at the end of THE E STREET SHUFFLE. During the Born To Run Tour, HAVING A PARTY was played once in a medley with A LOVE SO FINE and The Isley Brothers' SHOUT. See the live 08 Aug 1975 version of A LOVE SO FINE for more details. HAVING A PARTY was performed on each of the last eight shows of the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour, in a medley with Bert Russell and Phil Medley's TWIST AND SHOUT, Ritchie Valens's LA BAMBA, and Berry Gordy Jr.'s DO YOU LOVE ME. See the live 19 Jul 1988 version of TWIST AND SHOUT. On 02 Nov 2002, Bruce Springsteen performed with Gary U.S. Bonds a one-off medley of U.S. Bonds' QUARTER TO THREE and HAVING A PARTY in Sea Bright, NJ. See the live 02 Nov 2002 version of QUARTER TO THREE for more details.
Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help. Info about some of the live performances is taken from Brucebase.
List of available versions of HAVING A PARTY on this website:
HAVING A PARTY [Live 30 May 1976 version]