Eddie Murphy's movies have earned more than $6 billion at the box office, but did you know that the actor-comedian-writer-producer also came thisclose to topping the Billboard music charts in 1985 with his hit song, “Party All the Time”?
The synth-pop ditty penned by Rick James is about a heartbroken lover who is clueless about why his girlfriend likes to party without him even though he lavishes her with expensive gifts, including diamond rings.
He sings, “I buy you champagne and roses and diamonds on your finger (Diamonds on your finger) / Still you hang out all night / What am I to do?”
Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun — and often nostalgic — songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title.
Coming off a successful run on NBC’s Saturday Night Live and a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Axel Foley in the movie Beverly Hills Cop, Murphy found himself in an exciting, but strange, new venue — James’s home-based recording studio in Buffalo, NY.
Besides writing “Party All the Time,” the famed “Super Freak” artist produced and arranged the song, provided backup vocals and even appeared in the music video.
The catchy hook, “My girl wants to party all the time, party all the time, party all the time,” proved irresistible to the masses and the song quickly ascended to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, helped along by MTV, which put the song in heavy rotation.
"Party All the Time" may have been a #1 tune had it not been for Lionel Richie’s “Say You, Say Me," which wouldn't budge out of the top spot in the fall of 1985.
Now, more than 35 years after its release, “Party All the Time” is trying to find its rightful place in music history. The official Youtube video has been viewed more than 64 million times since being posted in 2014. The song accumulated 529,000 likes compared to only 19,000 dislikes.
Despite the overwhelmingly positive reaction of the masses, VH-1, Blender and AOL Radio all ranked "Party All the Time" on their lists of the “Worst Songs Ever.”
Trivia: It's rumored that Murphy recorded "Party All the Time" to settle a $100,000 wager with fellow comedian Richard Pryor, who claimed Murphy had no singing talent.
Please check out the official music video of Murphy performing “Party All the Time.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Party All the Time”
Written by Rick James. Performed by Eddie Murphy.
Girl
I can’t understand it why you want to hurt me
After all the things I’ve done for you.
I buy you champagne and roses and diamonds on your finger –
Diamonds on your finger –
Still you hang out all night
what am I to do?
My girl wants to party all the time
Party all the time
party all the time.
My girl wants to party all the time
party all the time.
She parties all the time party all the time
She likes to party all the time party all the time
Party all the time she likes to party all the time
Party all the time.
Girl
I’ve seen you in clubs just hanging out and dancing.
You give your number to every man you see.
You never come home at night because you’re out romancing
I wish you bring some of your love home to me.
But my girl wants to party all the time
My girl wants to party all the time
Party
Party
party she likes to party all the time.
She likes to party all the time
She lets her hair down
she lets her body down,
She lets her body
She lets her body down.
Party all the time do you want to get any party
Yeah.
Party all the time party all the time.
Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com / Eddie Murphy.