The songs referenced in Arctic Monkeys’ ‘No 1. Party Anthem’
In 2006, the Arctic Monkeys’ debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, catapulted the Sheffield-born indie rock band into the spotlight. Led by Alex Turner, the quartet quickly became one of the most well-loved bands in the 2000s British indie scene, as the record became the quickest-selling debut in history.
But Arctic Monkeys’ global success only came with the release of their fifth album, AM, released in 2013. Often considered to be the first band born from the internet age, the visuals and sound of AM only further endeared the band to a wider community of Tumblr users who favoured indie sleaze aesthetics. Bringing back that rock and roll for a contemporary audience, the album combined themes of sex and solitude with memorable guitar riffs and hip-hop-inspired beats. ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ became their best-selling single, and the track received a Grammy nomination for ‘Best Rock Performance’. AM trailed just behind their debut for sales, topping the UK charts and going platinum in the US.
But amidst the hit singles ‘R U Mine?’ and ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?’, Turner snuck in slower tracks like ‘No. 1 Party Anthem’. With lyrics that were first meant for ‘Do I Wanna Know?’, ‘No. 1 Party Anthem’ is a melancholic piano track that charts his pursuit of a “certified mind blower” girl at a party.
The track is a change of pace in comparison to the rest of the album, which Turner told Under the Radar worried him “a little bit”. Despite his concerns, Turner noted: “What connects it to the rest of them is the subject matter and the melody. I was trying to get away from melodies that stick on something, and it was one of the first melodies that meandered around a bit…you don’t really know where the next line is going to move melodically, which is exciting for me”.
The unpredictable track is also full of references to other songs, though only one of them ever reached the status of certified number one party anthem. Turner’s first reference comes with the line “the look of love” calling back to Dusty Springfield’s sensual song of the same name. But ‘The Look of Love’ was never a number one party anthem, with its chart success peaking at 25 in the UK and 22 in the US.
Turner follows the line with a reference to Coldplay’s vengeful track ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head’. Shortening the phrase just to “the rush of blood”, Turner uses the lyric to reflect the excitement of romance. Though Coldplay’s track was neither a number one nor a party anthem, their album of the same name did top the UK album chart.
The final reference in the song is to ‘House of Fun’ by London ska-pop outfit Madness. The track is one of the nation’s most well-loved songs, and Turner is no exception, as he dubs the song “the number one party anthem”. Released in 1982, ‘House of Fun’ gained Madness their only UK number one. The track is undoubtedly a party anthem – a lively, upbeat single about coming of age. ‘No. 1 Party Anthem’ couldn’t be more different sonically.
