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Good Times (Chic song)

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"Good Times"
Song
B-side"A Warm Summer Night"

"Good Times" is a 1979 song composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. It was first recorded by their band, Chic, for their 1979 album, Risqué. In August of that year it became the band's second number one single on both the Billboard Hot 100 and soul singles chart.[1] Along with the tracks, "My Forbidden Lover", and "My Feet Keep Dancing", "Good Times" reached number three on the disco charts.[2] It reportedly sold 5 million copies, making it, at the time, the best-selling 45 rpm single in the history of Atlantic Records.[3] The song has become one of the most sampled tunes in music history, most notably in hip hop music. Billboard named "Good Times" the number one R&B single for 1979.

The song is ranked #229 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Lyrics

The lyrics are largely based on 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 depression-era lyrics were used as a hidden way to comment on the then-current economic depression in the United States.[4]

Track listings

Atlantic 7" 3584, June 4, 1979
  • A. "Good Times" (7" Edit) - 3:24
  • B. "A Warm Summernight" - 6:08
Atlantic 12" DK 4801, 1979
  • A. "Good Times" - 8:13
  • B. "A Warm Summernight" - 6:08
Atlantic promo 12" DSKO 192, 1979
  • A. "Good Times" - 8:13
  • B. "Good Times" (7" Edit) - 3:24

Chart positions

Charts (1979) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 26
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 3
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles 1
UK Singles Chart 5

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. Rodgers and Edwards threatened legal action over copyright, which resulted in a settlement and their being credited as co-writers.[5] 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 (although the song did not actually use samples).[6] He also stated that "as innovative and important as 'Good Times' was, 'Rapper's Delight' was just as much, if not more so."[7] 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.

Covers

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 116.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 56.
  3. ^ George, Nelson (1988). The Death of Rhythm & Blues. New York, NY: Pantheon Books. p. 157. ISBN 0142004081. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  4. ^ EMP Museum, "Happy Days Are Here Again", EMP Oral History Videos, Category: Black History Month, Nile Rodgers interviewed June 25, 2002, Seattle, Washington
  5. ^ "The Story of Rapper's Delight by Nile Rodgers". RapProject.tv. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  6. ^ "Nile Rodgers interviewed by Peter Paphides". Twentyfirstcenturymusic.blogspot.com. November 10, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  7. ^ [1] Archived 2007-10-13 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Video on YouTube
  9. ^ "Seamus Haji V Mark Knight & Funkagenda - Good Times". Missspelt Music. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number one single
August 18, 1979 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Billboard's Hot Soul Singles number one single
July 28 - September 1, 1979 		Succeeded by
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