Celebration (Kool & the Gang song)

"Celebration" is a 1980 song by American band Kool & the Gang. Released as the first single from their twelfth album, Celebrate! (1980), it was the band's first and only single to reach No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2016, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

In 2021, the Library of Congress selected "Celebration" for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally historically or aesthetically significant".

Origins
Co-founder Ronald Bell, the group's saxophonist and musical arranger, explained the origins of the song;

"The initial idea came from the Quran. I was reading the passage, where God was creating Adam, and the angels were celebrating and singing praises. That inspired me to write the basic chords, the line, 'Everyone around the world, come on, celebration.'"

Composition
"Celebration" is in the A♭ Mixolydian mode in common time and was written as a collaboration by the whole band. The song moves at a tempo of 123 beats per minute. The group's vocals span from A♭3 to E♭5.

Critical reception
Record World called the song: "One big party hook with cool chorus chants & a boss bass."

Commercial performance
"Celebration" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 7, 1981, and held that position for two weeks before Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" overtook it. It remains the band's only Billboard No. 1 hit.

By late 1980, the song had also reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Dance and R&B charts. The song was featured heavily on the radio throughout the year. It has since been frequently used in weddings and parties, and is a popular anthem for sporting events, including serving as the theme song for the St. Louis Cardinals after winning the 1982 World Series. In 1981, it was commonly played by radio stations in honor of the release of US hostages from captivity in Iran. It was also an international hit, reaching No. 7 in the United Kingdom on November 29, 1980, spending 13 weeks in the chart.

Dragon version
"Celebration" was covered in 1987 and released as a single by New Zealand-Australian band Dragon. It was released as the lead single from the band's ninth studio album, Bondi Road (1989). The song peaked at number 11 on the Australian Kent Music Report.

Kylie Minogue version
"Celebration" was covered by Australian singer and songwriter Kylie Minogue, who originally recorded it for her fourth studio album, Let's Get to It, but it was not included on the album's release. It later appeared on her 1992 Greatest Hits album and was released as its second single on 16 November 1992. It peaked at No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart and at No. 21 in Australia. "Celebration" has been cited many times as one of Minogue's favorite songs, and it was included on her greatest hits albums Ultimate Kylie, The Best of Kylie Minogue, and Step Back in Time: The Definitive Collection. The techno-rave mix of the track is featured on the Kylie's Non-Stop History 50+1 album. It was also Minogue's last single with PWL and Stock Aitken Waterman.

Formats and track listings

 * 7-inch single
 * 1) "Celebration"
 * 2) "Let's Get to It" – 3:50


 * 12-inch single
 * 1) "Celebration" (Have a Party Mix)
 * 2) "Let's Get to It" (12" Mix) – 4:52


 * CD single
 * 1) "Celebration"
 * 2) "Celebration" (Have a Party Mix)
 * 3) "Let's Get to It" (12" Mix) – 4:52


 * Australian CD single
 * 1) "Celebration"
 * 2) "Celebration" (Have a Party Mix)
 * 3) "Too Much of a Good Thing"


 * Japanese CD maxi single
 * 1) "Celebration"
 * 2) "Celebration" (Have A Party Mix)
 * 3) "Celebration" (Techno RAVE Remix)
 * 4) "Let's Get To It" (7" Mix)
 * 5) "Let's Get To It" (12" Mix)