20 Songs To Liven Your Friday Nights

John Godfrey

Nothing beats the week-long stress more than the long-awaited weekend break. You’ve toiled all week long without much respite and are weary and tired. 

Punching that clock on a Friday morning gives you the encouragement you need to get through the day. Knowing it’s the last day of the week keeps you going through the day.

Tapping on this emotion, artists have created memorable anthems on songs about Fridays over the years. Out of the countless songs written about the upcoming weekend, we’ve handpicked some of the very best.

So put on your headphones and let this playlist uplift your spirits as you go through Friday with a little more enthusiasm and drive!

1. Just Got Paid – Johnny Kemp (1988)

Who doesn’t enjoy the day they get paid? After slogging all week long, Johnny comes home with the paycheck in his leather bag and a swing in his stride!

After throwing his bag and his car keys on the table, the Bahamian singer is all set to start his iconic dance moves. 

His lady has her lipstick on, and the dancers are all waiting outside the house. Could there be a better way to start a Friday night playlist?

2. Friday Night Saturday Morning – Nouvelle Vague (2004)

This Indie tune does what it says on the tin. It outlines the exciting events that occur at the end of every regular workweek.

“I go out on Friday night 

And I come home on Saturday morning.”

Waking up intoxicated, Nouvelle passes through Saturday in a daze. She seems to have seen it all – Flashing lights, drunken stags, groups of dancing women resembling hens, bouncers stopping fights.

She can neither walk nor talk. She is going to see her money go. She’s aware of the routine, and she is okay with it. With an otherwise calm exterior, we only hear her ache for love in the last verses. 

“Wish I had lipstick on my shirt 

Instead of piss stains on my shoes.”

3. Livin’ It Up (Friday Night) – Bell & James (1978)

This hit debut single reached number 15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and 7 on the Black Singles Chart. 

Counting down the hours to Friday, the song starts by describing their boring jobs. The American soul group connect with their audience with the familiar feeling of the weekly grind. 

The funky guitar strums tell us that the night ride is on the way and Friday night is just around the corner.

“Jump in my ride, ooh ooh ooh ooh

It’s Friday night, yeah yeah yeah yeah.”

4. Friday Fish Fry – Kelis (2014)

The song starts with 25 seconds of ‘Aaah-Aaah’ as if Kelis has eaten something too hot. The backing vocals sympathise with her by singing:

“She needs ice, cold water 

She needs ice, cold water.”

Kelis is begging for cold water after eating a hot fish fry in the latter part of the song. The studio album ‘Food’ title does justice to the lyrics.

Loosely mentioning an older lover who isn’t her type, Kelis does bring up love in the song once. But besides that, the music is all about hot spicy fish and cold water!

5. Friday I’m In Love – The Cure (1992)

If you’ve heard The Cure or Robert Smith, this song might seem way out of character. This song’s cheerful glee is poles apart from the band’s Goth-Punk style. 

The simple lyrics focus on the feelings that each day of the week provides. Blue Mondays, grey Tuesdays and Wednesdays and un-loved Thursdays precede the chorus: “It’s Friday, I’m in love.” 

Robert Smith comments on the Hit, “It is a dumb pop song. Genuinely dumb pop lyrics are much more difficult to write than my usual outpourings through the heart.”

6. Friday To Sunday – Justice Crew(2012)

“From Friday to Sunday, I make the girls go wild,

From Friday to Sunday you know they like my style.

From body to body, it’s like a jungle inside,

From Friday to Sunday, F-Friday to Sunday.”

When you hear this chorus spread four times across the song, you know where you need to be this Friday!

It’s a 72-hour party marathon! The college teens have it all figured out, from freestyle headstands to booze to ample attention from the opposite gender. 

7. Friday Night – The Darkness (2003)

As a song that goes back to the late 60s, this tune makes us relive the hippie party culture of that era. 

“Monday rowing 

Tuesday badminton 

Dancing on a Friday night 

I got ping pong on Wednesday 

Needlework on Thursday 

Dancing on a Friday night.”

Even the activities across the regular work week seem to quote the 60s. Bridge Club on Wednesday and needlework on Thursday are more relevant to the 60s than now. 

A fun-filled party anthem takes us back to the good old days.

8. Friday – Ice Cube (1995)

Friday, starring Ice Cube, is one of the funniest stoner comedies made in the last 25 years. With the negative depiction of black neighbourhoods in 90s songs and films, Ice Cube and DJ Pooh wanted to change that.

This low-budget film made for $3.5M grossed $28M worldwide. The movie’s Hip Hop song ‘Friday’ outlines all the fun events in a typical black neighbourhood.

9. Gypsy Friday – Townes van Zandt (2003)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iow9n6ex3w

This Nashville country song adds more depth to our Fridays and drifts away from the party songs listed previously. Speaking of a revered place called ‘Gypsy Friday’, Townes makes it sound like it is ‘Hotel California’!

Though similar in intention, the mood set is quite different. The country singer describes ‘Gypsy Friday’ as a place to come once you’ve dried your tears. 

“If a dream’s enough to ease your hungry sorrow

And a song’s enough to blow your tears away

And all you need are a rhyme

To help you pass your time

Well, meet me down the line on gypsy Friday.”

10. Friday On My Mind – David Bowie (1973)

“Monday morning feels so bad

Everybody seems to nag me

Coming Tuesday, I feel better

Even my old man looks good

Wednesday, don’t go

Thursday goes too slow

I’ve got Friday on my mind.”

Quite self-descriptive, there seem to be no hidden gems in this David Bowie track.  Generally known for his avant-garde vision, this tune does what it says on the tin. It is a song describing the problems of each day of the week till Friday.  

As Bowie reaches Friday, we hear the unstoppable feeling of excitement with the background singers getting out of control.

11. Thank God It’s Friday- Nikki Williams (2013)

As one of the popular party songs on our playlist, this one is about partying till the sun comes out the following day! Being super excited about getting paid, Nikki announces that all the drinks are on her. 

There are no twists to the plot, heartbreaks or surprise boyfriends. This song is pure fun. 

With a D.J. playing her favourite songs and a backup team ready to cover any shortfalls, this is no ordinary party!

12. Black Friday Rule – Flogging Molly (1997)

This Irish-American seven-piece Celtic punk band formed in Los Angeles in 1997 makes a surprising entry onto our list. As the lyrics pass at lightning speeds, we’re subject to a blast of angry guitars.

The story began when the Irish vocalist migrated to California. Due to visa regulations, he couldn’t find a way to go back. They cite the bombings on Friday, May 17th 1974, in Ireland, along with homesickness. 

They end with a Celtic folk dance with accordion and bagpipes. This is a tribute to those who died in the bombings.

13. Party People… Friday Night – 911(1998)

This fun-filled party anthem by the British boy band 911 makes its way into our playlist in grand style. 

“Forget Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 

hey, it’s Friday night.”

What makes this 90s anthem different from the others is its motivational spirit. Instead of asking us to enjoy every Friday, 911 asks us to transform our whole life in the spirit of Fridays. 

“But I swear that ship is coming my way 

I’m gonna kiss this place goodbye 

I’m gonna chase my destiny 

I’m gonna make it Friday every day.”

14. Friday’s Angels – Generation X (1979)

This alternative rock song breaks the spell of the party tune and asks us to question the idea of dressing up on a Friday night. 

Stating that one can never be like their heroes by only dressing up like them, this excellent band points a mirror at our faces.

“Your heroes stare with glossy smiles (Friday’s Angels)

They always had that special style (Friday’s Angels)

Standing naked dressings at trial (Friday’s Angels)

You’d give anything to be there for a while (Friday’s Angels)

You’re made up, played up and feeling great.

But the mirror knows

You’re a proper state.”

15. Friday – Rascal Flatts (2012)

“Coffee, cigarette, blue-collar breakfast

Hard hat, forklift, dragging through a swing shift

Stacking up the boxes, watching that clock.”

This country song describes an average middle-class blue-collar worker’s regular workweek. 

Unlike the other party songs on the list, this one is a sigh of relief on a Friday. Instead of partying, he wants to unwind with a quiet drink and sing along with a few close mates. 

16. Friday – Rebecca Black (2011)

It’s Friday, and it’s time to party again! This time around with teen pop sensation Rebecca Black. This pop hit connects with teenagers who feel the pressures of school, homework and deadlines. 

Hopping onto her friend’s car on a Friday morning, the school-goers seem excited about the weekend ahead. 

“It’s Friday, Friday

Gotta get down on Friday

Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend, weekend

Friday, Friday

Gettin’ down on Friday

Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the weekend.”

17. Working For The Weekend – Loverboy (1981)

We’re sure you might have heard of this 80s song somewhere. This famous party anthem has appeared in countless T.V. shows and films. 

Zoolander, Saturday Night Live, Scrubs, Ladder 49, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, and Click all have this tune in common.

18. Aloha Friday – Kimo Kahoano (2007)

You cannot help but find yourself a recliner to relax once you hear this tune. Kimo Kahoano & Paul Natto seem to have created an absolute stress-buster Friday chill song!

The duo describe the feeling of romanticism that comes along with Fridays in Hawaii. The simple life with cousins coming over for the weekend.

Their children or ‘Keikies’ are running everywhere, and mama is hiding their beers. It is a simple song with a memorable chorus.

“It’s Aloha Friday, no work ’til Monday.

Doo be doo, doo doo be, doo be doo be doo be doo!”

19. I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas (2009)

The Black Eyed Peas describe this song as “A college anthem for people looking forward to escaping life’s pressures by going out and having a ball.”

This mega-hit experienced great commercial success. It replaced “Boom Boom Pow” at #1 on the Hot 100. The Black Eyed Peas thus became the ninth act in the chart’s history to succeed at the summit. 

When this song logged on for its eighth straight week on top of the Hot 100, The Black Eyed Peas broke the record for most consecutive weeks at #1 in the rock era.

20. Friday Is Forever – We The Kings (2013)

The video starts with the band playing their guitars, basses and drums on a boat. 

The boat goes onto the streets, towed by a truck after starting in the water. The band perform the entire song on the same boat, across the city. 

Accompanied by cheering fans, this video seems to be the best way to end this fun-filled playlist. 

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John Godfrey

John Godfrey is a music lover and the guy behind Songpier.com, where you’ll find all kinds of music guides. He picked up the drums in high school, which got him hooked on rock. With a Master’s in music education, he now enjoys writing about music and sharing his passion with others.

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