Songs like Enjoy Yourself by MJ

October 8, 2010 5:39 AM

I'm looking for a very specific kind of song for a video project that I'm working on - something fun, happy, upbeat - has lyrics that might actually be about having fun, having a party, friendship, dancing or some other related topic.

The perfect song would be something like Enjoy Yourself by Michael Jackson (which I can't use because it is being used somewhere else). But I need another song exactly like that one: It conjures images of fun, good times, friends, getting out and dancing/playing, etc.

Get the idea? What other songs are there that would fit this description.

posted by crapples to media & arts (25 answers total)

The Go! Team - Huddle Formation
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:40 AM on October 8, 2010

"Shake your Coconuts" by Junior Senior is possibly the most unabashedly fun song ever written.
posted by sarastro at 5:46 AM on October 8, 2010

Move Your Feet by Junior Senior is great too.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:49 AM on October 8, 2010

Family Affair is the song that stuck itself in my head after reading your question.
posted by phoenixy at 5:49 AM on October 8, 2010

Martha and the Vandellas - "Dancing in the Streets"
posted by Joe Beese at 6:12 AM on October 8, 2010

Celebration, by Kool & the Gang
posted by yawper at 6:19 AM on October 8, 2010

Greatest. Party. Ever. by Punchline.
posted by richrad at 6:21 AM on October 8, 2010

Alphabeat - Fascination
posted by fire&wings at 6:23 AM on October 8, 2010

If you want to get a little old school, Sam Cooke's Having a Party?
posted by oinopaponton at 6:58 AM on October 8, 2010

Jukebox the Ghost - Good Day.
posted by General Malaise at 7:01 AM on October 8, 2010

I vote for Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 7:05 AM on October 8, 2010

Fluid Ounces - Have Fun
posted by ghharr at 7:18 AM on October 8, 2010

Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves
posted by nightwood at 7:30 AM on October 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

Island in the Sun - Weezer
posted by The Bellman at 7:33 AM on October 8, 2010

Andrew W.K. - We Want Fun
Gary U.S. Bonds - Quarter to Three
Bruce Springsteen - Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
posted by ghharr at 7:37 AM on October 8, 2010

There's also Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) which is apparently a different song, here's the Specials' version
posted by ghharr at 7:42 AM on October 8, 2010

I have a mental continuum of "fun time party" songs, which can be ordered based on the likelihood of the cops showing up:

(lower)

"Walking On Sunshine" (Katrina/Waves)
↓
"Celebration" (Kool/Gang)
↓
"Got To Give It Up" (Marvin Gaye)
↓
anything from Andrew W.K.'s first album
↓
"Wang Dang Doodle" (Howlin' Wolf)
↓
"It's Gonna Be a Long Night" (Ween)

(higher)
posted by AkzidenzGrotesk at 8:06 AM on October 8, 2010

I Gotta Feeling by the Black-Eyed Peas? It gets used for fun upbeat lipdubs all the time.
posted by Happy Dave at 8:24 AM on October 8, 2010

Saturdays by De La Soul
posted by burnmp3s at 8:28 AM on October 8, 2010

"We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together"' by The Velvet Underground

"Party Til The World Obeys" by The Meat Puppets

"Maybe Partying Will Help" by The Minutemen

And in a slightly different vein, but it's always struck me as a particularly happy, goofy song: "Books About UFOs", by Husker Du.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 9:07 AM on October 8, 2010

You! Me! Dancing! by Los Campesinos
posted by pianomover at 9:10 AM on October 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

Say Hey (I Love You) by Michael Franti and Spearhead. There's one or two lines that aren't happy, but overall it's about as cheerful as you get.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:38 AM on October 8, 2010

Don't Stop Me Now by Queen
posted by Oriole Adams at 9:40 AM on October 8, 2010

Those are all great! I think Sam Cooke and The Specials would fit the bill best for the nature of this film. The sound of the Cooke song is a better fit, but the lyrics of the Specials song are absolutely perfect (it will play over a bunch of young people doing crazy stuff).

Thanks for the great suggestions! I'm not sure which I'll use yet - but now I have some good direction. Thanks.
posted by crapples at 3:07 PM on October 8, 2010

A little late to the party:
R.E.M.'s Shiny Happy People.
posted by Paris Elk at 1:18 AM on October 9, 2010