It's the holidays: time to let your hair down, have a swim, give in to your appetite...and have a boogie. From Kings to The Clean, from 'Ten Guitars' to 'Trippin', let NZ On Screen supply the music, with this epic playlist of classic Kiwi party songs. In the backgrounder, music fan and publicity maestro Nicky Harrop takes us through the tracks, before bidding adieu to NZ On Screen.

Continuing the Shortland Street tradition of packing surprises into its Christmas cliffhangers, the 2013 finale featured kidney transplants, mad doctors, marriage talk for Chris and Rachel, and this unexpected antidote to all the drama: a cast singalong of Mutton Birds classic 'Anchor Me', led by Chris on guitar. Actor Michael Galvin was hardly new to matters musical. In 1990 he won acclaim for a singing/acting role in play Blue Sky Boys. Being Shortland, this moment of tentative bonding as the sun set on the Warner family bach was unlikely to last. Downstairs, a bomb was ticking... 

Pull up a chair and grab your guitar; the Modern Māori Quartet — aka musicians Francis Kora, James Tito, Maaka Pohatu and Matariki Whatarau — are here to reinvigorate a clutch of classic Māori party tunes, helped along by a guest list of young and old. With their laidback style the boys trade jokes and memories, and older generations share the songs that make a room sing. This episode also features a new and improved version of 'Ten Guitars', some seriously sharp suits, and a roof-lifting performance from cultural group Te Waka Huia. 

The hay bales are out and the barn's a bustin' in these excerpts from popular Saturday night music show The Country Touch. There's a group singalong to 'Every Night When the Sun Goes Down', before jocular host Tex Morton (who became famous on both sides of the Tasman as the 'Yodelling Boundary Rider') steps in to introduce twins Carol and Kathleen from Milton, Otago. Morton delivers some choice Dad jokes before the duo sing 'Well Well Well'. Then duo Ken and Kay harmonise on a mournful 'When You Loved Me'.  

In 2009 Māori Television rebooted the Selwyn Toogood-hosted 70s game show, with presenters Pio Terei and Stacey Daniels Morrison giving contestants the immortal choice: the money or the bag? In this episode — complete with web players — the road show comes to Ngāpuhi territory: the Northland town of Waimamaku. The series is bilingual; but how ever you say it be careful what you choose: as Stacey says, “Instead of a TV you might get a can of V!” The show ends with Pio leading a ‘Pokarekare Ana’ singalong. “Too much!”

Director Florian Habicht returns to his Northland home turf to chronicle the annual Snapper Classic Fishing Contest, in this full-length documentary. First prize is $50,000, but the participants chase the joy of the cast as much as the purse. The solitary figures on the epic sweep of Ninety Mile Beach provide poetic images, as Habicht teases out homespun philosophy while fishing for answers on love, the afterlife and whether fish have feelings. The soundtrack features 50s style instrumentals from Habicht regular Marc Chesterman, plus singalongs on the sand and at the local pub.

The follow up to 1989 tour doco The Good, the Bad and the Rugby sees winger John Kirwan narrate an insider’s guide to the All Blacks’ 1990 tour to France: from Michael Jones negotiating a haircut (“how do you say ‘square top’ in French?”) to 19-year-old Simon Mannix leading a ‘Ten Guitars’ singalong. Footy relics of the era include afternoon test matches, four point tries, placed kick-offs, sneaky ciggies and Steinlager. Producer Ric Salizzo later repeated the Pasta Productions’ recipe — sports fandom mixed with schoolboy pratfalls — in the successful Sports Cafe series.

TV personality Jaquie Brown plays (and plays up) herself for delightful comic effect in this hit TV3 satire. Brown plays an egomaniacal reporter looking to climb the media ladder any which way she can. Auckland's aspirational set: a cast of Metro social page alumni and wannabes, are skewered with self-referential glee. The show won Best Comedy at the 2009 Qantas Film and TV Awards. This episode sees Jaquie striving to exit Woman's Day's 'Plump it Hottie' section, appropriating a tampon, and performing in a celeb singalong.

The Consorts were created by musician turned producer Dalvanius, as part of a commission to come up with a Kiwi take on an international trend that took off in the early 80s: medley songs of a certain band or genre. In a 2001 Real Groove profile, Dalvanius said it was a tribute to the party singalongs he’d taken part in as a child. He was floored when the song charted in 1982. “I was asked whether I was going to put my name on it and I said ‘f**k off'". When the song got into the Kiwi top five, Dalvanius "nearly dropped dead.” He went on to mastermind iconic Kiwi song ‘Poi E’, which became a massive hit in 1984.

This 1982 novelty song was made by Dalvanius for a fee. A local take on the Stars on 45 medley single concept, the song (and video) pay tribute to the party singalongs of Dalvanius’ childhood; he told Murray Cammick in a 2001 Real Groove profile, "I was asked whether I was going to put my name on it and I said ‘f**k off'." When the song made the top five of the local charts, he "nearly dropped dead". It was a stepping stone to Dalvanius forming Maui Records – which got off to a flying start when te reo-meets-breakdancing classic ‘Poi E’ became a huge hit in 1984.