"Swingin Party" is a song written by Paul Westerberg and recorded by his band The Replacements for their fourth studio album Tim (1985).
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Composition[edit][]
Produced by Tommy Ramone, "Swingin Party" is a midtempo ballad which features a jazz and country-influenced rock and roll groove and staccato chords instrumented by electric guitar. According to Bill Janovitz from Allmusic, the song climbs scales in a way reminiscent of "Somethin' Stupid" (1967). The lyrics portray the singer as both funny and lonely.[1][2] According to Time Holmes of Rolling Stone, the song's theme is that "life is a lilting series of ultimately empty, but nonetheless compulsory, soirees."[3]
Reception[edit][]
PopMatters' Michael Keefe lauded Westerberg's songwriting ability on "Swingin Party".[4]
Lorde version[edit][]
Lorde covered "Swingin Party" as the B-side to her second single, "Tennis Court".[5] It was later included on the US iTunes Store version of her debut EP, The Love Club EP (2013).[6] A live rendition was included on her EP Live in Concert.[7] Lorde's cover of "Swingin Party" entered the New Zealand Singles Chart on 17 June 2013 at number ten, and dropped off the chart the following week.