That Time We Danced All Night: The Electric Joy of The Osmonds’ Unexpected Funk Hit
A joyous invitation to let loose and remember the good times.
It’s funny how a song can be a timestamp, a brief, shiny moment captured forever, just waiting to be played back for a rush of genuine, youthful feeling. For many of us who lived through the vibrant, often tumultuous, 1970s, The Osmonds’ infectious 1974 single “Having A Party” is exactly that—a three-and-a-half-minute slice of pure, unadulterated, American-made joy that still gets the heart pumping and the memories flooding back.
Now, let’s get the details settled right away, for those who appreciate the accuracy of the record. Released in 1974, the track was an important single from the band’s eighth studio album, Love Me for a Reason, and it carried on the brothers’ post-bubblegum evolution into a heavier, funkier pop-rock sound. In the UK, where The Osmonds were truly massive, the track was a respectable hit. It peaked at Number 28 on the Official Singles Chart, first entering the charts in March 1975, and spending a solid eight weeks there, proving that while it didn’t top the charts like their massive hit “Love Me for a Reason” (which hit Number 1 the previous year), it had staying power and was a firm favorite on the airwaves and at the local discos. The B-side was the track “Wanted.”
The story of “Having A Party” is really about that pivotal moment in the early to mid-’70s when the wholesome, squeaky-clean image of the Mormon family group from Utah was deliberately, and brilliantly, being redefined. Penned by Bobby Massey and H. B. Barnum, the track is a clear departure from the dreamy, teen-idol ballads that made Donny Osmond a global superstar. Instead, it delivered a punchy, driving rhythm—a blend of pop and funk—that owed more to the Muscle Shoals sound and the burgeoning disco movement than the barbershop harmonies of their earliest days.
The meaning, thankfully, isn’t wrapped in complicated metaphors or political commentary; it’s right there in the title. This is a song that throws the doors wide open and invites everyone in. It’s an upbeat, energetic anthem about celebrating life, forgetting your troubles, and simply having a good time with the people you care about. For us older fans, we can vividly recall those innocent, simpler days when the biggest stress was finding the right outfit for a Friday night dance, and the idea of “a party” meant being crammed into a friend’s living room with a stack of 45s, shouting over the music, and awkwardly slow-dancing for the first time. The song is the soundtrack to that youthful exuberance, the kind of carefree moment that seems to exist only in the beautiful haze of memory.
Listening to it today, the track still possesses an irresistible, almost magnetic energy. You can hear the collective energy of the brothers—Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, and Donny—all contributing to a mature, cohesive sound that solidified their transition from bubblegum darlings to serious rock-pop contenders. They were taking a creative risk, shedding the constraints of their boy-band image, and tracks like “Having A Party” were the proof that they could genuinely rock out and groove with the best of them. It wasn’t just a song; it was a statement. It said, “We’ve grown up, and you can, too. Now, let’s dance!” It’s a nostalgic echo of a time when the music just felt good, a welcome return to a moment when the simple promise of a gathering was enough to lift the spirits.