Good Times (Sam Cooke song)

"Good Times" is a song written and recorded by Sam Cooke, released as single in 1964.

"Good Times"
Single by Sam Cooke
B-side	"Tennessee Waltz"
Released	July 9, 1964
Recorded	December 20 and 21, 1963 and February 2, 1964, RCA Studio CA
Label	RCA 8368
Songwriter(s)	Sam Cooke
Producer(s)	Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore
Sam Cooke singles chronology
"(Ain't That) Good News" (1964) "Good Times" (1964) "That's Where It's At" (1964)

Featured musicians are John Ewing (trombone), Edward Hall (drums and percussion), John Pisano (guitar), Clifton White (guitar) and Johnnie Taylor (back-up vocals). In 2011, Nike used the song in a commercial featuring Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant during their "Basketball Never Stops" ad campaign during the 2011 NBA lockout.[1]

Critical reception

In a retrospective review in 1971, music critic Dave Marsh wrote that "at his very best, Cooke utilized a perfect lyrical sentimentality... listen to 'Good Times' – It might be one o'clock and it might be three/Time don't mean that much to me/Ain't felt this good since I don't know when/And I might not feel this good again/So come on baby, let the good times roll/We gonna stay here til we soothe our soul. That summed up perfectly what rock and roll was about, and still is, in so many ways."[2]

Cover versions

The song has been covered by others artists.

• Ike & Tina Turner covered the song in 1964; released on their album Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show in January 1965.
• Aretha Franklin covered the song on her record I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You in 1967.
• The Rolling Stones released their version of "Good Times" on the album Out of Our Heads. It was released in the US on 30 July 1965 and in the UK on 24 September 1965.
• Phoebe Snow covered the song on her self-titled record.
• The Grateful Dead covered the song numerous times live, most famously as the show opener at Alpine Valley 1989
• Ian Moss recorded a version for his sixth studio album, Soul on West 53rd (2009).
• Eleanor McEvoy covered the song on the album I'd Rather Go Blonde (2010)
• Journey released a previously unreleased version for their Time3 CD box set. (1992).

Chart positions

Sam Cooke

The Sam Cooke version of the song hit number one on the Cash Box R&B chart and number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100.[3]

Chart (1964)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100[4]	11

Dan Seals version

"Good Times"
Single by Dan Seals
from the album On Arrival
B-side	"Bop"[5]
Released	March 25, 1990
Genre	Country
Length	3:51
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Sam Cooke
Producer(s)	Kyle Lehning
Dan Seals singles chronology
"Love on Arrival" (1990) "Good Times" (1990) "Bordertown" (1990)

Dan Seals' version was a Number One hit on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in mid-1990, and is the second single from his 1990 album On Arrival. His version stayed at number 1 for two weeks, and was his last number 1 hit, as well as his last top 40 hit of his career.[5]

Chart performance

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[6]	1
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[7]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1990)	Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[8]	32
US Country Songs (Billboard)[9]	25

References

1. Video on Vimeo
2. Marsh, Dave (March 1971). "Sam Cooke: 'This is Sam Cooke'". Creem. Retrieved June 22, 2018 – via Rock's Backpages.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 134.
4. "Sam Cooke Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
5. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 372. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
6. "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 7997." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. August 18, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
7. "Dan Seals Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
8. "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1990". RPM. December 22, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
9. "Best of 1990: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.