Forget about the type of beer, the varieties of liquor and mixed drinks, or the size of the barrel. Instead, think about the most important aspect when throwing a house party: the playlist. If chosen well, music at parties sets the mood for the entire evening and makes the party much more memorable. If music is selected wisely, people will stay longer, interact with each other and have a merry ol' time.
Hosts have a duty to provide a variety of songs making sure different music genres are represented. For the head-bangers play \Paradise City"" by Guns 'N Roses; for the hipsters try playing any song by The Hives; for the ravers play some Fischerspooner; for those disco darlings play ""Stayin' Alive"" by The BeeGees; and for the epileptic dancers play Radiohead's ""Idioteque.""
You want your guests to be interactive with the music you choose. ""Twist and Shout"" will offer their participation. Usually everybody knows the words and cannot help but think of the parade scene in ""Ferris Bueller's Day Off."" Mimicking the incredible scene, guests will start to ""shake it up,"" feel uninhibited, carefree and be extremely comfortable at the party. The same is true for ""Tiny Dancer,"" and its role in ""Almost Famous,"" or, for that matter, the theme to ""Requem for a Dream."" But when guests start to ""shake"" and feel uninhibited and carefree immitating scenes from the latter, it's usually time for the party to end.
Let us not forget some of the so-called cheesy songs all parties must incorporate sometime in the evening. First off, Bon Jovi's ""Livin' on a Prayer"" is a must play because even if people are afraid to admit it, they know the words to the song and most likely cannot wait to hear it. The same notion goes for Def Leppard's ""Pour Some Sugar on Me."" People actually put down their cups in order to shout out the lyrics creating a warm, friendly environment. And do not be afraid if someone actually pours beer on you, it may happen so just go with the flow. Another tune, ""Jump"" by Van Halen, brings in the much needed and recognizable synthesizer hook allowing partiers to actually jump on cue when David Lee Roth screams it. Hey, you might as well.
Ladies, like me, need to hear some liberating songs with female singers in order to keep the party balanced. ""Hella Good"" by No Doubt not only offers the lyrical stylings of Gwen Stefani, but it is a great dance party song with a strong bass line and keyboard riff. ""Total Eclipse of the Heart"" by Pat Benetar is also a must-play. And guys, face it, you will sing along to this song as well, so belt it out, find a cute girl and dance. But be careful. Your girlfriend might have the pictures by the morning.
Now, party-goers, at this point the liquor may be running low, the drunks are getting out of control, or you might be getting a bit tired. Play something mellow, but one where people can leave joyfully. Billy Joel's ""Pianoman"" is a wonderful tune where people will most likely huddle together and hug one another for a final toast. If for some reason this song fails to end the evening, then play Michael Jackson's ""Beat It"" and hopefully remaining guests will get the message and escort themselves to the proper exit. This song may get people going again, so merely scream out, ""Cops,"" accompanied by the theme song, and people will leave in no time.
But until the actual cops come, guests will have an enjoyable, memorable time. Well, only if they remain sober enough.
Beth Wick's column runs every week. She can be reached at eawick@wisc.edu
