Flashback Friday: Beastie Boys ‘(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)’

This B101.7 Flashback Friday Spotlight recognizes that on this day (March 7th) in 1987, The Beastie Boys album 'Licensed To Ill,' became the first rap album to hit number 1 in the U.S. on the Billboard chart. An album which included the anthem, '(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party).'

Ah, yeah, Beastie Booooys, who doesn't like these guys? What, you don't really know them. Oh, shame on you. You must know the song, 'Fight For Your Right.' Heck, it was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's '500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.'

One way I like to gauge a song's relevance is by karaoke. Yep, if people are singing it, the song has relevance. The party anthem which lives on... or, I mean, fights on! When in reality, it is supposed to be a parody of party and attitude anthems. Instead, it became more of battle cry.

Mike D is quoted on Wikipedia on how the irony of the song was lost on people, by saying:

The only thing that upsets me is that we might have reinforced certain values of some people in our audience when our own values were actually totally different. There were tons of guys singing along to 'Fight for Your Right' who were oblivious to the fact it was a total goof on them.

Beastie Boooooys, yeah, boy. Haha. Throwback. Sure, it's a Flavor Flav saying:

Oh, let me show you the poster in my office-

It's time for the song my friend, let's rock.

Beastie Boys '(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)'

Listen to B101.7 Friday at 5pm for the Flashback Friday Spotlight with Greg Thomas. Get more flashbacks with the B101.7 Saturday Night Party, 8pm-1am, with Louie Linguini.