"We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" is a song by Dutch

Eurodance Euro-Dance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG, Euro-electronica or Euro) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of hip hop, techno, Hi-NRG, house music, and Euro-Disco. This ...

group Vengaboys. It was released in the Netherlands in May 1998 as the fourth single from the band's debut album, '' Up & Down - The Party Album'' (1998). Following its success in

Benelux The Benelux Union ( nl, Benelux Unie; french: Union Benelux; lb, Benelux-Unioun), also known as simply Benelux, is a politico- economic union and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighboring states in western Europe ...

, it was given a worldwide release on 9 November 1998. "We Like to Party!" became one of the band's most successful hits, topping the chart in

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...

, reaching number two in Australia and the Netherlands, and becoming a top-five hit in Germany, Ireland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It is also the band's highest-charting song in the United States, climbing to number 26 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and in Canada, where it peaked at number 10.

Composition

"We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" is a

song that runs for 3 minutes and 41 seconds. It is written in the key of

A-flat major A-flat major (or the key of A-flat) is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has four flats. The A-flat major scale is: : Its relative minor is F minor. Its parallel minor, A-flat m ...

and maintains a

tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...

of 136 beats per minute in common time.

Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from music critics.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

editor William Cooper described it as a "bouncy

eurodisco Eurodisco (also spelled as Euro disco) is the variety of European forms of electronic dance music that evolved from disco in the late 1970s, incorporating elements of pop and rock into a disco-like continuous dance atmosphere. Many Eurodisco ...

hit", and noted further that it was "reminiscent of Aqua's "

Barbie Girl "Barbie Girl" is a song by Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua. It was released in April 1997 as the third single from the group's debut studio album, ''Aquarium'' (1997). The song was written by Søren Rasted, Claus Norreen, René Dif, and ...

", with its singalong

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

, cutesy female vocal squeal, and wacky synth beats."

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...

from ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' wrote, "This wildly energetic foursome (two gals, two guys) from the Netherlands is pretty much a household name throughout Europe, where this infectious pop gem has been a constant on radio and in clubs. Already, "We Like To Party!" has gone platinum and double-platinum in Belgium and the act's homeland, respectively. Here, the song could meet a similar fate, especially since it features a sugar-soaked sing-along chorus that hangs out in your head until you beg for relief. That said, people who embraced Aqua's "Barbie Girl",

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

's "Romeo And Juliet", and

Los Del Rio LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to: Science and technology * Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation * Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers * Level of significance, a measure of statistical significanc ...

's "

Macarena "Macarena" is a dance song by Spanish pop duo Los del Río, about a woman of the same name. The song uses a type of clave rhythm. Originally appearing on the 1993 album '' A mí me gusta'', a subsequent remix by Miami-based producers The Bays ...

" will be lining up for this latest slice of energetic pop. Are you listening, radio? (It's already hit No. 1 on the playlist of dance leader WKTU New York.) Conversely, this will be a no-brainer for club jocks, who continue to make major noise with the group's sweat-soaked debut, " Up and Down"." An editor from '' Daily Record'' called it "cheesy

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...

from Europe's top selling boy-girl band who are already lining up a massive summer single." Jim Farber from ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...

'' commented, "Attention, lovers of cheeseball club music. The Vengaboys' hit "We Like to Party!" combines a campy disco beat, party-girl vocals, and a killer

hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...

in the form of a ship horn in full blare. What began as a beach anthem in

Ibiza Ibiza (natively and officially in ca, Eivissa, ) is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is from the city of Valencia. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, in Spain. Its la ...

, Spain, is becoming a Stateside smash on the increasingly Euro-driven U.S. charts. And why not? It's too willfully silly to resist." Pop Rescue noted its "unmistakeable Vengaboys sound", describing it as "a fast-paced energetic track."

Commercial performance

The single proved to be a higher seller than "Up and Down" in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number three in March 1999, eventually selling 474,000 copies, making it the 29th-biggest hit of the year. The song additionally reached number one in Flemish Belgium, number two in Australia and the Netherlands, number three in Ireland, number four in Germany and Switzerland, number six in Austria and Italy, number nine in New Zealand and number 10 in Canada and Walloon Belgium. It additionally reached the top 20 in France. The song became the group's biggest hit in the United States, peaking at number 26 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and selling 405,000 copies.Billboard - 25 December 1999 - 1 January 2000 - Page 34 "Vengaboys' "We Like To Party! (The Vengabus)" sold 405,000 units"

Music video

The

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...

for "We Like to Party" was directed by Wendelien van Diepen. It first aired in March 1999. The video features all four Vengaboys members and other tourists travelling to various destinations in Province of Barcelona,

Piera Piera is a municipality that covers a large portion of the southeastern corner of the comarca of Anoia in Catalonia, Spain, on the left bank of the Anoia river. The agricultural land, mostly non-irrigated, is used for the cultivation of cereals ...

and Gavà, in a 1930s style mini-bus, the "Vengabus" (a 1933 Chevrolet series O Bus), where they end up in a nightclub in La Barceloneta, Barcelona.

Track listings

* Dutch CD single # "We Like to Party!" (airplay) – 3:42 # "We Like to Party!" (BCM XXL) – 6:21 * Dutch maxi-CD single # "We Like to Party!" (airplay) – 3:44 # "We Like to Party!" (BCM remix) – 4:04 # "We Like to Party!" (more airplay) – 5:49 # "We Like to Party!" (original) – 4:06 # "We Like to Party!" (BCM XXL) – 6:21 # "We Like to Party!" (Baunz mix) – 4:45 # "We Like to Party!" (Full Schwingg) – 4:36 # "We Like to Party!" (D.J. Vanhaze Hitmix) – 7:01 * French CD single # "We Like to Party!" (airplay mix) – 3:42 # "We Like to Party!" (more airplay mix) – 5:49 * UK CD1 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (more airplay mix) – 5:49 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (

Klubbheads Klubbheads is a team of dance music producers and DJs from the Netherlands. They have more than 40 aliases for their recordings, including Hi_Tack, DJ Disco and Drunkenmunky.IMO Records "Klubbheads Biography" IMO Records Retrieved on 1 March ...

remix) – 6:05 # "We Like to Party!" (

Tin Tin Out Tin Tin Out were an English electronic dance music duo, comprising Darren Stokes and Lindsay Edwards. They remixed songs for a variety of artists such as Duran Duran, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, The Corrs and Des'ree, as well as collaborating wi ...

remix) – 6:30 * UK CD2 and cassette single # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (airplay mix) – 3:42 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (

Jason Nevins Jason Nevins (born December 15, 1972) is an American songwriter, record producer and remixer, who is most widely known for his pop and dance productions, including his multi-platinum, multi-million selling production of " It's Like That" by Ameri ...

remix) – 6:38 # "Up and Down" (BCM radio) – 3:28 * Australian and New Zealand CD single # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (airplay edit) – 3:44 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (Klubbheads mix) – 6:07 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (more airplay) – 5:50 # "Up and Down" (video mix) – 3:40 # "Up and Down" (Tin Tin Out mix) – 8:14 * US maxi-CD single # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (airplay) – 3:42 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (Klubbheads mix) – 6:05 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (BCM remix) – 4:03 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (more airplay) – 5:49 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (Full Schwingg) – 4:36 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (DJ Disco mix) – 4:31 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (Baunz mix) – 4:45 # "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (BCM XXL) – 6:21 * US 2×12-inch single :A1. "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (extended club mix) – 5:49 :A2. "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (DJ Disco mix) – 4:31 :B1. "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (Jason Nevins club mix) – 7:07 :C1. "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (Klubbheads mix) – 6:05 :C2. "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (Baunz mix) – 4:45 :D1. "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (BCM mix) – 6:21 :D2. "We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)" (Jason Nevins dub mix) – 5:50

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

Release history

In popular culture

*The song was revived in 2004 as the main theme for

Six Flags Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is an American amusement park corporation, headquartered in Arlington, Texas. It has properties in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Six Flags owns the most theme parks and waterparks combined of any a ...

' " Mr. Six" advertising campaign.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:We Like To Party 1998 singles 1998 songs Colorado Rockies Crazy Frog songs English-language Dutch songs Positiva Records singles Songs about buses Songs about New York (state) Songs about parties Songs about San Francisco Songs written by Dennis van den Driesschen Songs written by Wessel van Diepen Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles Vengaboys songs