Let's Have a Party (album)

Let's Have a Party is the debut album by the American rock band the Rivieras released in 1964 by USA Records. This album contains the band's biggest hit, "California Sun", which reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[1] The album continues the band's popular surf style, and contains covers of classic and contemporary rock and roll hits. The album's title track is a cover of Elvis Presley's "Let's Have a Party", written by Jessie Mae Robinson.

Let's Have A Party
Studio album by
The Rivieras
Released1964
RecordedJuly 1963 – February 1964
StudioColumbia Recording, Chicago
GenreRock 'n' roll, garage rock
Length27:11
LabelUSA
ProducerBill Dobslaw
The Rivieras chronology
Let's Have A Party
(1964)		 Campus Party
(1965)
Singles from Let's Have A Party
  1. "California Sun"
    Released: December 1963
  2. "Let's Have A Party"
    Released: March 1964

The album was reissued in Sweden in 1967 with the name California Sun!! by Sonet and Grand Prix Records.[2] Another album sharing the title Let's Have a Party was released in Sweden in 1989 by Star-Club Records, but features an entirely different track listing; Side A is non-LP single tracks, and Side B has tracks from Campus Party.[3] All tracks from Let's Have a Party were later compiled onto California Sun: The Best of the Rivieras in 2000.

Background

With the band's newfound success with "California Sun", the Rivieras set out to record a full-length effort in February 1964 at Chicago's Columbia Recording Studios ("California Sun" was previously recorded in July 1963). While "California Sun" had become the band's biggest hit at this point, the band's original singer, Marty Fortson and guitarist, Joe Pennell had both left for the Marines. By the time of recording, they had been replaced by Bill Dobslaw and Jim Boal, respectively. Fortson and Pennell are uncredited for their contributions on "California Sun". Dobslaw aside, all members of the band were currently attending high school in South Bend, Indiana by the time of the album's release.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[4]

Let's Have A Party received generally positive reviews upon its release and by modern reviews.

Track listing

Original Release
Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."California Sun"Henry Glover2:25
2."Danny Boy"Frederic Weatherly2:33
3."Twist & Shout"Bert Russell and Phil Medley2:10
4."Little Donna"Bill Dobslaw2:05
5."Church Key"Dan Darnold1:55
6."Killer Joe"Bert Russell, Bob Elgin, Phil Medley2:43
Total length:13:51
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let's Have A Party"Jessie Mae Robinson2:17
2."Rockin' Robin"Jimmie Thomas2:20
3."H. B. Goose Step"The Rivieras1:57
4."Keep A Knockin"Richard Penniman2:20
5."Oh, Boy"Bill Tilghman and Sonny West2:12
6."When The Saints"Bill Dobslaw2:34
Total length:13:20

Star-Club Records Release
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let's Have A Party" (Single Version)Jessie Mae Robinson2:34
2."Whole Lotta Shakin'"Sunny David and Dave "Curlee" Williams2:27
3."Rip It Up"John Marascalco2:03
4."Let's Go To Hawaii"Bill Dobslaw2:25
5."Battle Line"Julia Ward Howe, arranged by Bill Dobslaw1:59
6."Lakeview Lane"Bill Dobslaw2:02
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."California Sun-65"Henry Glover2:33
2."Money Honey"Jesse Stone2:10
3."Bug Juice"Otto Nuss1:53
4."Tossin' And Turnin'"Ritchie Adams and Malou Rene2:31
5."Church Key Part 2"Dan Darnold2:15
6."Comin' Back Home"Bill Dobslaw2:21

Personnel
  • Bill Dobslaw — singer, management, producer
  • Paul Dennert — drums
  • Otto Nuss — organ
  • Doug Gean — bass guitar
  • Jim Boal — lead guitar
  • Willie Gaut — rhythm guitar, vocals[5] (lead vocals on "Killer Joe")
  • Marty "Bo" Fortson — lead vocals, rhythm guitar on "California Sun"
  • Joe Pennell — lead guitar on "California Sun"[6]

Production

  • Bill Thomson — Engineer
  • Don Bronstein — Cover
  • Jim Golden — Liner Notes
  • Miriam Linna — Liner Notes (Star-Club Records version)

References
  1. "The Rivieras - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  2. "The Rivieras - California Sun!! (Vinyl, LP)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  3. "The Rivieras - Let's Have A Party (Vinyl, LP)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  4. Let's Have a Party at AllMusic
  5. "Let's Have a Party - The Rivieras | User Reviews". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  6. "WangDangDula.com". Koti.mbnet.fi. 2011-08-21. Retrieved 2011-12-08.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.