Fake party sounds mix CD, what songs do you suggest?

December 21, 2003 1:48 PM

I'd like to make a mix CD of songs recorded over (usually fake) party sounds. Any suggestions?

I'm thinking of things like "The In Crowd" by Ramsey Lewis or "Got to Give It Up" or What's Goin' On" by Marvin Gaye, but I don't have nearly enough ideas.

posted by timeistight to Media & Arts (21 answers total)

Joe Tex's "Skinny Legs and All" comes to mind. Though it's more of a concerty-party than just a party.
posted by dobbs at 1:57 PM on December 21, 2003

the sweater song (weezer)
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 2:03 PM on December 21, 2003

doesn't "Army" by Ben Folds Five have a part with crowd noise? it may not be quite party noise but um...
posted by mcsweetie at 2:24 PM on December 21, 2003

INXS' "Strangest Party" and "Searching (Remix)"
posted by riffola at 2:26 PM on December 21, 2003

"Do What You Wanna" by the Young-Holt Trio (which was the rhythm section for Ramsey Lewis) starts out with some party sounds.
posted by Vidiot at 2:40 PM on December 21, 2003

The Sloan party C.D has a good cover of On the Road Again seguing into a cover of Stereolab's Transona 5.

The Beach Boys made a party album with some Beatles covers on it.
posted by dydecker at 2:40 PM on December 21, 2003

Someone managed to get The Smith's 'Girlfriend in a coma' played at my 18th birthday party. I would steer well clear of that one.
posted by feelinglistless at 2:48 PM on December 21, 2003

There's one on an early Tom Waits album, either Heartattack and Vine, or Blue Valentine, I think, that sounds as if it was recorded in a night club. Can't be more precise, cuz I'm out.
posted by carter at 3:27 PM on December 21, 2003

I'm ashamed that I know this, but Falco (!) did a cover of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" that's murmured in German, with wineglasses clinking in the background. Frightening indeed.
posted by Vidiot at 3:42 PM on December 21, 2003

That Sloan party CD has an entire track of just general small party hub-bub. It's excellent, I can use it all over the place. It's really good because the noise isn't 'giant crowd' or 'rave party', but just '40-50 people in my house' kinda noise.
posted by wackybrit at 5:07 PM on December 21, 2003

Reminiscing by Madison Avenue
posted by emyd at 6:22 PM on December 21, 2003

I have a strong feeling that the excellent Cut Chemist remix of DJ Shadow's Number Song fits this description. I may be wrong, though.
posted by nthdegx at 7:40 PM on December 21, 2003

I Need You by the Eurythmics is done with people clinking glasses and talking in the background. We All Had a Real Good Time by the Edgar Winter Group. Good tunes, both of them.
posted by ashbury at 9:44 PM on December 21, 2003

carter: Tom Waits' entire "Nighthawks at the Diner" album fits that description. Think it actually was live.

Timeistight: There's also one track on the Velvet Underground's "Live at Max's Kansas City" (which was essentially a legal bootleg recorded on a cassette deck) during which you can hear two people discussing which bar to get a particular cocktail from. Don't remember the song offhand, though.
posted by arto at 12:07 AM on December 22, 2003

"Dinner at the Ritz" by City Boy.

"Don't Step On The Grass, Sam" by Steppenwolf ends with the cops raiding a party and concluding with a flushing toilet.
posted by mischief at 12:12 AM on December 22, 2003

You can create the effect yourself with a little bit of effort. A friend and I did this in 8th grade with two tape recorders -- we wanted to get the effect of a restaurant, so we recorded a television conversation, and then played that back while talking lowly and periodically clanking forks lightly on a dinner plate and glass. We did this one more time for good measure and got a surprisingly good result for the low tech.

Years later (and a few years ago), another friend and I wanted to get the effect of a raging party on my answering machine. Slightly similar tactic with better equipment and louder yells and some raucous music plaing in the background. I think it really only takes about two layers before the recording starts to sound much like what your brain would take in in a similar real life setting.

If you've got Pro Tools Free or some other suitable mixing software, I'd think this'd be cake....
posted by weston at 12:52 AM on December 22, 2003

"Stay another season" by The Avalanches, and "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1" by Marvin Gaye
posted by Dr_Octavius at 7:57 AM on December 22, 2003

Floyd, intro to "Have A Cigar."
posted by cortex at 8:45 AM on December 22, 2003

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. I've got some listening to do.
posted by timeistight at 8:45 AM on December 22, 2003

Bjork, "there is more to life than this," on Debut.
posted by me3dia at 9:08 AM on December 22, 2003

The Premiers' version of "Farmer John."
posted by bkeaggy at 9:30 AM on December 22, 2003