“Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” is a song originally recorded by English musician Elton John. John composed it with his long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. It was released on John’s best-selling album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
It has been covered by many artists and featured on motion picture, video game, and television soundtracks.
Billboard found the song to be a cross between John’s earlier single “Crocodile Rock” and the Rolling Stones’ single “Street Fighting Man”, suggesting that it may be a parody of the Rolling Stones but regardless is a “great fun record.”
Background
“Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” is a lively throwback to early rock and roll with a glam edge. The lyrics discuss a night out in town in which the narrator plans to “get about as oiled as a diesel train”. Taupin has said that the song was meant to be an American rock and roll song set in Britain. It was inspired by his raucous teenage days and in particular, the fistfights in his local pub, the Aston Arms in Market Rasen.