Good Times (Chic song)

"Good Times"
Single by Chic
from the album Risqué
B-side "A Warm Summer Night"
Released June 30, 1979
Format
Recorded 1979
Genre Disco
Length 8:08 (LP version)
3:24 (7" edit)
Label Atlantic (3584)
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
  • Bernard Edwards
  • Nile Rodgers
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Chic singles chronology
"I Want Your Love"
(1979)		 “Good Times”
(1979)		 "My Forbidden Lover"
(1979)
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 #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.

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.[1]

Chart performance

In August of 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
12" vinyl single
Promo 12" vinyl single

Charts

Weekly charts

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

Disco Montego version

"Good Times"
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

Disco Montego singles chronology
"Magic"
(2002)		 “Good Times”
(2002)		 "U Talkin' to Me"
(2002)
Selwyn singles chronology
"Like This, Like That"
(2002)		 “Good Times”
(2002)		 "Boomin'"
(2004)
Katie Underwood singles chronology
"Magic"
(2002)		 “Good Times”
(2002)		 "Danger"
(2003)
Peta Morris singles chronology
"The Sound of Breaking Up"
(2001)		 “Good Times”
(2002)		 "Sunshine Eyes"
(2005)
Jeremy Gregory singles chronology
“Good Times”
(2002)		 "That's What's Goin' Down"
(2003)

"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. [8][9]

The song peaked at number 52 on the ARIA chart in December 2002 in its sixth week.

Track listing

CD single
  1. "Good Times"
  2. "Good Times" (Karaoke version)
  3. "Disco Montego Megamix"
  4. "Good Times" (Extended Mix)

Charts

Chart (2002) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 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.[11] 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 [12] (although the song did not actually use samples) . He also stated that "as innovative and important as 'Good Times' was, 'Rapper's Delight' was just as much, if not more so."[13] 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.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Covers

References

  1. ↑ EMP Museum, "Happy Days Are Here Again", EMP Oral History Videos, Category: Black History Month. Nile Rodgers interviewed June 25, 2002, Seattle, Washington.
  2. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 116.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 56.
  4. ↑ George, Nelson (1988). The Death of Rhythm & Blues. New York, NY: Pantheon Books. p. 157. ISBN 0142004081. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Chic – Good Times". GfK Entertainment Charts.
  6. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Chic search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  7. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Chic – Good Times". Top 40 Singles.
  8. ↑ "Rumba kicks off in Australia". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 December 2002. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "RUMBA 2002 - RUMBA 2002". Frontier Touring. 2002. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "The ARIA Report issue 668" (PDF). The ARIA Report. 17 January 2003. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "The Story of Rapper's Delight by Nile Rodgers". RapProject.tv. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  12. ↑ "Nile Rodgers interviewed by Peter Paphides". Twentyfirstcenturymusic.blogspot.com. November 10, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  13. ↑ Archived October 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ "The Evasions, Wikka Wrap - Chic, Good Times". Who Sampled. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  15. ↑ Video on YouTube
  16. ↑ "Seamus Haji V Mark Knight & Funkagenda - Good Times". Missspelt Music. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
Preceded by
"Bad Girls" by Donna Summer		 Billboard Hot 100 number one single
August 18, 1979 		Succeeded by
"My Sharona" by The Knack
Preceded by
"Bad Girls" by Donna Summer		 Billboard's Hot Soul Singles number one single
July 28 - September 1, 1979 		Succeeded by
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson
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