Good Times (Chic song)
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP | "Good Times" | ||||
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Single by Chic | ||||
| from the album Risqué | ||||
| B-side | "A Warm Summer Night" | |||
| Released | June 30, 1979 | |||
| Format |
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| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Genre | Disco | |||
| Length | 8:08 (LP version) 3:42 (7" edit) | |||
| Label | Atlantic (3584) | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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Chic singles chronology | ||||
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| Audio sample | ||||
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"Good Times" is a song by American R&B band Chic from their third album Risqué (1979). The disco song, ranked No. 229 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, has become one of the most sampled tunes in music history, most notably in hip hop music.
Contents
1 Lyrics
2 Chart performance
3 Track listing and formats
4 Personnel
5 Charts
5.1 Weekly charts
5.2 Year-end charts
6 Disco Montego version
6.1 Track listing
6.2 Charts
7 Sampling and motifs
7.1 Cover versions
8 References
9 External links
Lyrics
The lyrics include a reference to Milton Ager's "Happy Days Are Here Again". It also contains lines based on lyrics featured in "About a Quarter to Nine" made famous by Al Jolson. Nile Rodgers has stated that these Great Depression-era lyrics were used as a hidden way to comment on the then-current economic conditions in the United States.[1]
Chart performance
In August 1979, it became the band's second number-one single on both the pop and soul chart.[2] Along with the songs "My Forbidden Lover" and "My Feet Keep Dancing", "Good Times" reached #3 on the disco chart.[3] It reportedly sold 5 million copies, making it, at the time, the best-selling 45 rpm single in the history of Atlantic Records.[4]Billboard magazine named "Good Times" the number one soul single of 1979.
Track listing and formats
7" vinyl single
- A. "Good Times" – 3:42
- B. "A Warm Summer Night" – 6:08
12" vinyl single
- A. "Good Times" – 8:10
- B. "A Warm Summer Night" – 6:08
Promo 12" vinyl single
- A. "Good Times" – 8:10
- B. "Good Times" – 3:42
Personnel
- Guitar – Nile Rodgers
- Bass – Bernard Edwards
- Acoustic piano – Rob Sabino
- Fender Rhodes electric piano – Raymond Jones
- Drums – Tony Thompson
- String arrangements – Harold Wheeler or Nile Rogers/Bernard Edwards
Charts
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| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 48 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 2 |
| Canada Top Disco Singles (RPM) | 1 |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[5] | 36 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 21 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[6] | 17 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] | 8 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company) | 5 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 26 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) | 1 |
| US Dance Club Songs (Billboard) | 3 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1979) | Rank |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] | 40 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[9] | 20 |
| US Cash Box [10] | 12 |
Disco Montego version
| "Good Times" | ||||
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Single by Disco Montego featuring Selwyn, Katie Underwood, Peta Morris and Jeremy Gregory | ||||
| Released | 4 November 2002 (2002-11-04) | |||
| Format | CD Single | |||
| Recorded | 2002 | |||
| Label | Warner Music | |||
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Disco Montego singles chronology | ||||
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Selwyn singles chronology | ||||
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Katie Underwood singles chronology | ||||
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| Peta Morris singles chronology | ||||
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Jeremy Gregory singles chronology | ||||
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"Good Times" was covered by Australian musicians Disco Montego, Selwyn, Katie Underwood, Peta Morris and Jeremy Gregory and released in November 2002.
It was released as part of Australia's largest pop music festival Rumba which took place in November and December 2002, across Australia.[11][12]
The song peaked at number 52 on the ARIA Singles Chart in December 2002 in its sixth week.
Track listing
CD single
- "Good Times"
- "Good Times" (Karaoke version)
- "Disco Montego Megamix"
- "Good Times" (Extended Mix)
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[13] | 52 |
Sampling and motifs
The backing track of "Good Times" was notably recreated in The Sugarhill Gang's 1979 single "Rapper's Delight," a key track in the development of hip hop. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards threatened legal action over copyright, which resulted in a settlement and their being credited as co-writers.[14] Rodgers admitted that he was originally upset with the song, but would later declare it to be "one of his favorite songs of all time" and his favorite of all the tracks that sampled Chic[15] (although the song did not actually use samples).[citation needed] He also stated that "as innovative and important as 'Good Times' was, 'Rapper's Delight' was just as much, if not more so."[16] Traditionally, Chic's live performances of "Good Times" incorporate a portion of "Rapper's Delight" including audience participation call-and-response.
This is a list of songs that either use direct samples from "Good Times" or feature an original recording inspired by the song.
- "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang (Sugarhill Gang, 1979)
- "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" by Vaughn Mason & Crew (1980)
- "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen (The Game, 1980)
- "Try It Out" by Gino Soccio (1981)
- "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" by Grandmaster Flash (1981)
- "Wikka Wrap," by The Evasions (1981)[17]
- "Wot" by Captain Sensible (Women and Captains First, 1982)
- "Wat" by Willem (1983)[18]
- "Happy Just To Be With You" by Michelle Gayle (1995)
- "Around the World" by Daft Punk (Homework, 1997)
- "On & On" by Proper Dos ("Heat," 1998)
- "Hot Hot Hot!!!" by The Cure (Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, 1987)
- "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by Father MC (Close to You, 1992)
- "Triple Trouble" by Beastie Boys
- "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground
- "The Reverend" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
- "Just The Two Of Us" by Chubb Rock
- "13 And Good" by Boogie Down Productions
- "2345meia78" by Gabriel o Pensador
- "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" by Coolio
- "Made It Back 99" by Beverley Knight
- "Give Life Back to Music" by Daft Punk
- "The Crown" by Gary Byrd and the GB Experience, 1983
- "Christmas Rappin'" by Kurtis Blow, 1979
- "Good Rhymes" by Da Click, 1998
- "Promises, Promises" by Naked Eyes, 1983
- "She Wolf" by Shakira, 2009
- "Sip Sip" by Jasmine Sandlas, 2018
- "Muuvon" by Styles of Beyond (2000 Fold, 1998)
Cover versions
- "Good Times" was covered in concert by John Taylor of Duran Duran during his solo days, and released in a medley with "Planet Earth" on his live album 5.30.98.
Seamus Haji vs. Mark Knight & Funkagenda released a dance-floor version in 2009.[19]- "Good Times" was covered in concert by Wham! in 1983.
- The original song was covered by R&B duo Zhane from Saturday Night in 1997.
- The song was sampled by Michelle Gayle for her 1995 hit "Happy Just To Be With You."
- The song was modified on the game Rayman Raving Rabbids.
- The song was covered and modified by Defunkt as "In the Good Times."
- The song is covered for a 2017 TV commercial for Amazon.com's Black Friday Deals week.[20]
References
^ EMP Museum, "Happy Days Are Here Again" Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine., EMP Oral History Videos, Category: Black History Month. Nile Rodgers interviewed June 25, 2002, Seattle, Washington.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 116..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 56.
^ George, Nelson (1988). The Death of Rhythm & Blues. New York, NY: Pantheon Books. p. 157. ISBN 0142004081. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Chic – Good Times". GfK Entertainment Charts.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Chic" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
^ "Charts.nz – Chic – Good Times". Top 40 Singles.
^ "Top 100 Singles (1979)". RPM. Retrieved 2017-07-29.
^ Musicoutfitters.com
^ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 29, 1979
^ "Rumba kicks off in Australia". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 December 2002. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
^ "RUMBA 2002 - RUMBA 2002". Frontier Touring. 2002. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
^ "The ARIA Report issue 668" (PDF). The ARIA Report. 17 January 2003. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
^ "The Story of Rapper's Delight by Nile Rodgers". RapProject.tv. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
^ "Nile Rodgers interviewed by Peter Paphides". Twentyfirstcenturymusic.blogspot.com. November 10, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
^ [1] Archived October 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
^ "The Evasions, Wikka Wrap - Chic, Good Times". Who Sampled. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
^ Video on YouTube
^ "Seamus Haji V Mark Knight & Funkagenda - Good Times". Missspelt Music. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
^ "Amazon Black Friday Deals Week TV Commercial, 'Every Department' Song By Chic". ispot.tv. Retrieved 2017-01-01.
External links
- chictribute.com: Chic Emulators
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics