As you may have seen earlier, today marks the 20th anniversary of Whitesnake's triumphant rise to the top of the charts with the song "Here I Go Again."
This song is not just another hair-metal anthem or party song. Oh no. As everyone who has every been to a bar knows, this is one of the biggest party-starting anthems in our nation's history. You could be at a bar with 7 people, but if "Here I Go Again" comes on the jukebox, the place is suddenly packed. Lackadaisical guys suddenly begin singing along and pumping their fists. Attractive girls appear out of the woodwork and start dancing on the bar. Beer is suddenly half price and it tastes twice as good.
Why? Because the party just got started.
A lot of songs can get people fired up, but when it comes down to it, there are three songs that have always started the party better than the rest.
This is the Triumvirate of Party-Starting Anthems:
Whitesnake "Here I Go Again"
Bon Jovi "Living On A Prayer"
Def Leppard "Pour Some Sugar On Me"
If you had to rank them in order, it would probably go like this: Bon Jovi (#1), Whitesnake (#2), Def Leppard (#3). But really, it's too close to call. These three songs are eternally linked by their ability to make people party like the proverbial rock star. Just as a beach is made up of many tiny grains of sand, these songs, in essence, combine to form one long party-starting anthem.
Why is it that, after decades and decades of music, we rely on three hair-metal songs to get every party started? No one really knows. It's one of those mysteries that may never be solved, like the vastness of our solar system, the meaning of life, or who shot JFK.
All three of these songs are similar. All three are extremely recognizable from the opening note, all three are stadium-style anthems with sing-along choruses, and all three begin with a truly memorable line, whether it be "Love is like a bomb" (Def Leppard), "Tommy used to work on the docks" (Bon Jovi), or "I don't know where I'm going" (Whitesnake). All three change the smartest of guys into meatheads and make the classiest of women want to take off their panties. All three turn even the weakest of parties into full-on chaos.
Sure, there are other songs that fit this description. Throughout history, many songs have tried to be party anthems. Many have failed, and some have achieved great success. "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses is a great party-starter, as is "Paradise City." Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" certainly gets people amped up, as does Dr. Dre's "Nuthin' But a G Thang" or Tupac's "California Love." Countless others fit the bill as well. But nothing works quite like the Triumvirate. Why? We may never know. But that's the way it is.
Of course, this generation will one day settle down from its hard-partying ways, and the younger generation will inevitably look to set itself apart by adopting fresh new party-starting anthems. So which of this decade's tunes might qualify? Buckcherry's "Crazy Bitch" seems like a front-runner, thanks to its memorable opening scream and obscene-yet-catchy chorus. R. Kelly's "Ignition (Remix)" is also great for increasing alcohol consumption and/or fun. Others work as well, and there is still time for more to emerge.
Who knows? Maybe we'll never need another party-starting anthem. As long as people can get wasted and scream like idiots to Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and Whitesnake, well then, we might just be alright.
