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1962
"Party Lights" by Claudine Clark
"Everybody in the crowd is there, but you won't let me make the scene."
-- Claudine Clark

Claudine Clark intended "Disappointed" to be her first single for Chancellor, but the b-side, "Party Lights" became the hit, reaching #5 on the Billboard chart in September of 1962. The theme of the song is similar to another 1962 hit, "Let Me In" by the Sensations. A girl wants to go to a party, but is being kept away -- in Clark's case by her mother. Producer Bob Marcucci believed "Party Lights" was too similar to "Let Me In" but allowed it to be the b-side as a a gesture of good faith to the 21 year old singer who had written the song. It's inclusion on the record proved to be fortuitious for the singer and the label. "Party Lights" would be the only top 40 record for Clark and was the last national hit produced by Chancellor Records.

 

 

 

LYRICS:

(Party lights, I see the party lights
Wo
(They're red and blue and green)
Lights
(Oh everybody in the crowd is there)
Mama, I wanna go go go go go go, yeah yeah yeah yeah
(Mama, mama) Lady Mama dear, a tell me, do you hear
The party tonight?
I tell you, I can't sleep
Because across the street
oh oh oh oh I see the party lights.

CHORUS:
I see the lights, I see the party lights
They're red and blue and green.
Oh everybody in the crowd is there
But you won't let me make the scene.

 

Oh, Mama dear, a looka here look here,
There goes Mary Lou.
I see Tommy and Joe oh oh and Betty and Sue
Oh oh oh oh - there goes my boyfriend, too.
I see the lights I see the lights...

(Chorus)

Oh, listen to the party, Mama!
(Instrumental)

Hey, Mama dear, a looka here look here,
I'm feeling hepped up too.
They're doin' the twist, the fish, the mashed potatoes, too.
I'm here a lookin' at you.
I see the lights I see the lights...

(Chorus)

They're doin' the fish, they're doin' the twist
The watusi, the mashed potatoes.
I see the lights, I see the lights.
They're doin' the bop, I wanna go.
I wanna go, I wanna go, I wanna go.
I see the lights. I wanna go.
week debuted highest ranking Date Highest Rank Weeks in Top Twenty Weeks in Top Forty BillBoard Rank Cashbox Ranking GT rank
1962 7 21 5 1962 9 1 6 10 35 47