‘(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)’ (shortened to ‘Fight for Your Right’ on album releases) is a song by American hip hop group the Beastie Boys, released as the fourth single from their debut album Licensed to Ill (1986). This is the song that got the Beastie Boys on MTV and exposed them to a huge audience. It rose to #7 in America on March 7, 1987, which is the same date the Licensed To Ill album hit #1, becoming the first rap album to top the chart. The song was later named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
The song, written by Adam Yauch and band friend Tom "Tommy Triphammer" Cushman (who appears in the video), was intended as an ironic parody of "party" and "attitude"-themed songs, such as "Smokin' in the Boys Room" and "I Wanna Rock". However, the irony was lost on most listeners. Mike D commented that, "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 Boys producer Rick Rubin had a lot to do with this song, injecting a rock sound into it. Rubin was the first to mash-up a major rap act with a rock superstar when he teamed Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith for the updated "Walk This Way" earlier in 1986. Rubin is credit as a co-writer on "Fight for Your Right" along with the three Beastie Boys.
The music video for ‘Fight for Your Right’ begins as a mother and father tell their two sons to stay out of trouble while they are away. When they leave, the two boys decide to have a party including soda and pie, hoping "no bad people show up"; this prompts the arrival of Ad-Rock, Mike D, and MCA at the party. The trio start all kinds of trouble within the house, such as chasing and kissing girls, starting fires, bringing more troublesome people into the house, spiking the punch, smashing things, and starting a massive pie fight.
Labels – Def Jam, Columbia
Songwriters – Adam Yauch, Rick Rubin, Adam Horovitz
Producer – Rick Rubin
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Yeah
Kick it
[Verse 1: Mike D, MCA, Mike D & MCA, Ad-Rock & *Mike D & Ad-Rock*]
You wake up late for school, man, you don't wanna go
You ask your mom “Please?”, but she still says “No”
You missed two classes and no homework
But your teacher preaches class like you're some kind of *jerk*
[Chorus: All]
You gotta fight for your right to party
[Verse 2: MCA & Ad-Rock]
Your pop caught you smoking, and he said “No way”
That hypocrite smokes two packs a day
Man, living at home is such a drag
Now your mom threw away your best porno mag (Busted)
[Chorus: All]
You gotta fight for your right to party
You gotta fight
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3: Mike D, MCA, Ad-Rock & All]
Don't step out of this house if that's the clothes you're gonna wear
I'll kick you out of my home if you cut that hair
Your mom busted in and said, “What's that noise?”
Aw, Mom, you're just jealous it's the Beastie Boys
[Chorus: All]
You gotta fight for your right to party
You gotta fight for your right to party
[Outro: All]
Party
Party