Good Thing (Fine Young Cannibals song)

"Good Thing" is a song recorded by Fine Young Cannibals, the second single from their album from 1989, The Raw & the Cooked. The song was their second and most recent U.S. #1, topping the Billboard Hot 100 on 8 July 1989.[1] It also peaked at #7 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]

"Good Thing"
Single by Fine Young Cannibals
from the album The Raw & the Cooked
B-side	"Social Security"
Released	14 April 1989
Recorded	1987
Length	3:24
Label	London Records
Songwriter(s)	Roland Gift, David Steele
Producer(s)	Fine Young Cannibals
Fine Young Cannibals singles chronology
"She Drives Me Crazy" (1989) "Good Thing" (1989) "Don't Look Back" (1989)

The song made its first appearance in Tin Men (1987). Fine Young Cannibals portrayed a nightclub band in the movie, performing this song and three others (including the single's b-side "Social Security").[3] The film is set in Baltimore in 1963, and the song's retro soul style is consistent with that setting.

Jools Holland played piano on the track, noting that it was "one of the biggest selling records I've ever played on".[4]

Track listings

7" Single

1. "Good Thing" – 3:22
2. "Social Security" – 3:26

12" Maxi

1. "Good Thing" (Prince Paul remix) – 5:30
2. "Good Thing" (7" mix) – 3:22
3. "Good Thing" (Nothing Like the Single Mix - Instrumental) – 4:38

10" Limited Edition

1. "Good Thing" – 3:22
2. "Good Thing (Double Groove Alternate)" – 3:22
3. "Social Security" – 3:26

CD maxi

1. "Good Thing" (7" mix) – 3:25
2. "Good Thing" (Nothing Like the Single Mix) – 4:42
3. "She Drives Me Crazy" (Monie Love Remix) – 5:59

Music video

The video features many scenes with the Orribly Good Scooter Club, the Jokers and A41 Eagles displaying their motor scooters, both at rest and in motion, as part of Mod revival culture. The scooters featured include stock scooters, as well as highly stylised scooters and minimalist cutdown scooters.[5][6]

In popular culture

The song was featured in the trailer for Mad Dog and Glory (1993).

Twice during 1998, the song was featured in episodes of Top Gear, first in a used car review of the Volkswagen Golf, with a voiceover by presenter Quentin Willson, the second in the beginning of the review of the Alfa Romeo 166, with scenes showing Alfa Romeo 156s. In 2007, the song was used in adverts for the Chevrolet Captiva (United Kingdom).[4]

The song appears in Doomsday (2008), starring Rhona Mitra, in a surreal scene involving the film's main antagonist. It was also used in the film It's Complicated (2009), in the scene at the graduation party. It plays as Alec Baldwin walks towards Meryl Streep and Steve Martin, after noticing the two are obviously high.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1989) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 7 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 12 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 13 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 1 France (SNEP)[11] 29 Ireland (IRMA)[12] 4 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 4 Poland (LP3)[14] 15 Spain (AFYVE)[15] 16 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 12 UK Singles (OCC)[17] 7 US Billboard Hot 100[1] 1 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[18] 12 US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[19] 2 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[20] 20 West Germany (Official German Charts)[21] 8

Year-end charts Chart (1989) Position Australia (ARIA)[22] 53 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[23] 5 United States (Billboard)[24][25] 40

References

1. "Billboard > Fine Young Cannibals Chart History > Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 200. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
3. "Tin Men (1987) Soundtracks". IMDb.com. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
4. Holland, Jools (2007). Barefaces Lies and Boogie-woogie Boasts (1st ed.). London, England: Penguin Books. p. 192. ISBN 9780718149154.
5. Fine Young Cannibals. "Good Thing". Music Video. London Records. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
6. A41 Eagles SC. "Fine Young Cannibals - Good Thing". Biography. A41 Eagles SC. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
7. "Australian-charts.com – Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
8. "Austriancharts.at – Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
9. "Ultratop.be – Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
10. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 19 January 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
11. "Lescharts.com – Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing" (in French). Les classement single.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Good Thing". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
13. "Charts.nz – Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing". Top 40 Singles.
14. "Notowanie nr 381" (in Polish). 10 June 1989. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
15. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
16. "Swisscharts.com – Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing". Swiss Singles Chart.
17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
18. "Billboard > Fine Young Cannibals Chart History > Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
19. "Billboard > Fine Young Cannibals Chart History > Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
20. "Billboard > Fine Young Cannibals Chart History > Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
21. "Offiziellecharts.de – Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
22. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – 1989". ARIA, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
23. "Top Singles - Volume 51, No. 8, December 23, 1989". RPM. 23 December 1999. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
24. "1989 The Year in Music: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 101 (51): Y-22. 23 December 1989.
25. "Billboard Top 100 – 1989".

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics