Good Times Roll
"Good Times Roll" | |
---|---|
Song | |
B-side | "All Mixed Up" |
"Good Times Roll" is a song by American rock band The Cars. It is the first track from their 1978 debut album The Cars. With its slow, lumbering rhythm, the track became a modest hit when it was released as a single in 1979.[1] It has since appeared on many of The Cars' compilation albums.
Background
The track was produced by Roy Thomas Baker. Written and sung by Cars lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, it was released as the album's third single.[2]
"Good Times Roll", along with the rest of the tracks from The Cars, was recorded in just two weeks. However, the album's chart success was so long-lived that the release of its follow-up, 1979's Candy-O, was delayed.[2]
The song begins with electronic drums and a guitar riff, soon joined by Ocasek's lead vocals and synthesizers by keyboardist Greg Hawkes. Despite the up-tempo-sounding title, "Good Times Roll" is a mid-tempo song, with a beat described as "languid," "psychedelic" and "creepy." The lyrics are similarly described as "withering" and Ocasek's vocal style as "clinical."[3]
Release
The song was released as the third and final single from The Cars in February of 1979, backed with "All Mixed Up". It reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, performing slightly worse that its predecessors "Just What I Needed" and "My Best Friend's Girl."[2]
Of the nine tracks on The Cars, "Good Times Roll" was the only song for which no demo recording could be found during the compilation of the 1999 The Cars: Deluxe Edition package. Instead, a live version of "Good Times Roll" is included alongside demo versions of the other eight tracks.[4]
"Good Times Roll" has been featured on several Cars anthologies, including 1985's Greatest Hits, 1995's Just What I Needed: The Cars Anthology, and 2002's Complete Greatest Hits.[3]
Reception
"Good Times Roll" has generally received positive reviews from critics. Greg Prato of AllMusic described the track as one of the "familiar hits" on The Cars and called it a highlight.[5] Donald Guarisco, also of AllMusic, said the track "provides a solid reminder of the Cars' ability to mix pop hooks with thoroughly trenchant irony."[3] The Billboard review of The Cars noted "Good Times Roll" as one of the best cuts, while Jaime Welton, author of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, described the track as a "new wave gem".[1]
Covers and other appearances
- A live version, performed by The New Cars, appears on their 2006 album, It's Alive![6]
- "Good Times Roll" has also been included in the soundtracks of several films, including 2003's Wonderland and 2005's Just Like Heaven.[3]
- In the season four finale of Rescue Me, "Good Times Roll" played in its entirety as episode 13 faded to black.
- The song was covered by Alternative metal band Powerman 5000 on their hit album Tonight the Stars Revolt! and had become a popular cover among fans on the band.
Chart performance
Chart (1979) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canadian Singles Chart | 74 |
French Singles Chart | 5 |
US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 41 |
References
- ^ a b "'The Cars' reviews". www.superseventies.com.
- ^ a b c "The Cars". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Guarisco, Donald A. "The Cars: Good Times Roll". AllMusic. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ Schreiber, Ryan (April 20, 1999). "Pitchfork: Album Reviews: The Cars: The Cars: Deluxe Edition". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ Greg Prato. "The Cars". Allmusic. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- ^ "It's Alive: Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ "The Cars - Charts & Awards - Billboard Singles". AllMusic (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 2009-11-04.