{{Short description|1986 single by Wang Chung}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox song | name = Everybody Have Fun Tonight | cover = Everybody_Have_Fun_Tonight.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Wang Chung | album = Mosaic | B-side = Fun Tonight: The Early Years | released = September 1986 | recorded = 1986 | studio = | genre = * Dance-rock<ref name="Billboard"/> * funk-pop<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r21471}}</ref> | length = * 4:47 (album version) * 3:59 (7-inch edit) | label = Geffen | writer = * Nick Feldman * Jack Hues * Peter Wolf | producer = Peter Wolf | prev_title = Wake Up, Stop Dreaming | prev_year = 1985 | next_title = Let's Go! | next_year = 1987 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|BoXu6QmxpJE|"Everybody Have Fun Tonight"}} }}}} "'''Everybody Have Fun Tonight'''" is a song by the English new wave band Wang Chung, released as a single from their fourth studio album ''Mosaic'' in 1986.
==History==
Collaboratively written by Jack Hues, Nick Feldman, and Peter Wolf, it reached no. 2 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart during the 1986 Christmas season. It also reached No. 1 on the Cashbox charts for 3 weeks,<ref>{{cite web |title=1986 |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614052228/http://musicseek.info/no1hits/1986.htm |website=musicseek.info |access-date=6 March 2026}}</ref> and topped the Canada ''RPM'' Top 100 Singles chart for the week of 17 January 1987. With some different lyrics, the original ballad version of the song was placed on the B-side.
In 2005, Wang Chung performed the song on the American television show ''Hit Me, Baby, One More Time'' alongside a cover of Nelly's "Hot in Herre".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Writer |first1=Staff |title=1980s duo Wang Chung betting on a comeback |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/events/2013/07/19/1980s-duo-wang-chung-betting/23465822007/ |access-date=6 May 2025 |work=The Columbus Dispatch |date=19 July 2013}}</ref> The song was later featured in the second trailer for the upcoming 2026 video game, ''Grand Theft Auto VI''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shutler |first=Ali |title='Grand Theft Auto 6's new trailer is here |url=https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/grand-theft-auto-6-new-trailer-watch-here-3860642 |access-date=6 May 2025 |work=NME |date=6 May 2025}}</ref>
== Critical reception == ''Billboard'' called it a "self-celebrating dance rocker" that "[coins] a new verb."<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=4 October 1986|accessdate=6 May 2025|page=79|via=World Radio History |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1986/1986-soul-Billboard-Page-0115.pdf|title=Reviews}}</ref>
== Track listing == '''7-inch Geffen / 7-28562 (USA)''' # "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (edit)" # "Fun Tonight: The Early Years"
'''7-inch Geffen / GEF 13F (UK)''' * Side one # "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (edit)" # "Fun Tonight: The Early Years" * Side two # "Dance Hall Days" # "Don't Let Go"
'''7-inch Geffen / P-2193 (JPN)''' # "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (edit)" # "Fun Tonight: The Early Years"
'''12-inch Geffen / 0-20551 (USA) and TA 2589 (UK)''' * Side one # "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (12 Inches of Fun)" – 6:45 # "Everybody Have Fun Tonight (edit)" – 3:59* * Side two # "Everybody Dub Tonight" – 6:02* # "Fun Tonight: The Early Years" – 4:12
<small>*times as indicated on the record label (not actual)</small>
== Music video == The music video, directed by Godley & Creme, features scenes of the band playing in a wood-lined room with very rapid editing between different takes of the same performance. The band, additional musicians, and dancers are seen in several formations throughout the video. They are shown in close portrait and seated along a row of chairs; the seating arrangement changes with each take. Each shot flips through up to four takes of the same shot, with some shots approaching up to 1/25th of a second between edits. The video was later banned from airing after its premiere when a medical expert retained by the BBC's screening committee stated it could trigger "epileptic fits".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-01-11-ca-3634-story.html|title=Banned video of the month: Wang Chung's...|date=11 January 1987|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>
== Other versions == In 2020, Wang Chung released a rewritten version of the song known as "Everybody Stay Safe Tonight" featuring the American pop and jazz singer Valerie Day.<ref>{{cite news | last = Friedlander | first = Matt | date = 2020-06-10 | title = Wang Chung releases COVID-themed "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" remake featuring Nu Shooz singer | url = http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2020/6/10/wang-chung-releases-covid-themed-everybody-have-fun-tonight.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210907062137/http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2020/6/10/wang-chung-releases-covid-themed-everybody-have-fun-tonight.html | work = ABC News Radio | location = | archive-date = 2021-09-07 | access-date = 2021-09-07 | url-status = dead }}</ref> The rewritten lyrics reflected the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.<ref>{{cite news | last = Meredith | first = Kyle | date = 2020-07-14 | title = Wang Chung on Rewriting Old Hits for New Times | url = https://consequence.net/2020/07/kyle-meredith-with-wang-chung/ | work = Consequence | location = | access-date = 2021-09-07 }}</ref> It was released on 8 June 2020.<ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | date = 2020-06-08 | title = Wang Chung have fun with "Everybody" by encouraging people to stay safe tonight | url = https://www.wangchung.com/news | work = Wang Chung | location = | access-date = 2021-09-07 }}</ref>
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable" ! Chart (1986–1987) ! Peak<br>position |- | Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, New South Wales|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=332}} N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 12 June 1988.</ref> | align="center" | 8 |- {{single chart|Flanders|19|artist=Wang Chung|song=Everybody Have Fun Tonight|access-date=18 June 2023}} |- | Canada Retail Singles (''The Record'')<ref>{{Cite book|title=Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide|last=Lwin |first=Nanda|author-link=Nanda Lwin |publisher=Music Data Canada |location=Mississauga, Ontario |year=2000 |isbn=1-896-594-13-1}}</ref> | align="center" | 1 |- {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|chartid=0763|access-date=1 December 2025}} |- |Italy Airplay (''Music & Media'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1987/M&M-1987-01-24.pdf|title=European Playlist Reports: RAI - Italy|magazine=Music & Media|volume=4|issue=3|page=16|date=24 January 1987}}</ref> |align="center"|10 |- {{single chart|Dutch100|28|artist=Wang Chung|song=Everybody Have Fun Tonight|access-date=18 June 2023}} |- {{single chart|New Zealand|23|artist=Wang Chung|song=Everybody Have Fun Tonight|access-date=18 June 2023}} |- {{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|76|artist=Wang Chung|artistid=20718|access-date=1 December 2025}} |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|2|artist=Wang Chung|access-date=3 November 2018}} |- | US ''Cash Box'' Top 100 Singles |align=center | 1 |- {{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|4|artist=Wang Chung|access-date=14 April 2017}} |- | US Album Rock Tracks (''Billboard'') | align="center" | 25 |- | US CHR/Pop Airplay Chart (''Radio & Records'')<ref>{{cite web|title=Wang Chung|website=Wweb.uta.edu|url=http://wweb.uta.edu/faculty/gghunt/charts/wangchung.html}}</ref> | align="center" | 1 |} {{col-2}}
=== Year-end charts === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Chart (1987) ! Position |- | Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/sPdqqRt.jpg|title=Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987|publisher=Australian Music Report, via Imgur.com|access-date=11 December 2019}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;" | 57 |- | US Top Pop Singles (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine |date=26 December 1987 |title=1987 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles |magazine=Billboard |volume=99 |issue=52 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;" | 12 |} {{col-end}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{discogs master|type=single|128647}}
{{Wang Chung}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1986 singles Category:1986 songs Category:Cashbox number-one singles Category:Geffen Records singles Category:Music videos directed by Godley and Creme Category:The Record Retail Singles number-one singles Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles Category:Songs written by Jack Hues Category:Songs written by Nick Feldman Category:Songs written by Peter Wolf (producer) Category:Wang Chung (band) songs