I Just Want to Celebrate

Recorded in April and May 1971 for Rare Earth's One World album, with Pete Rivera on lead vocals and drums alongside Gil Bridges, Ray Monette, Mark Olson, John Persh and Ed Guzman. The album was produced by Rare Earth and Tom Baird, with Robert Olhsson credited as recording engineer and Russ Terrana as mastering engineer. Released as the lead single from One World, “I Just Want to Celebrate” became one of Rare Earth's defining hits and reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. It marked the band's third and final Top 10 pop single during Motown's Rare Earth label era. The song remained Rare Earth's best-known recording and became a recurring catalogue staple on compilations, live albums, film soundtracks and advertising. Its celebratory refrain also supported later covers and sampled uses across rock, rap and pop contexts.