1001 Songs Challenge #514: Good Times (1979)

On 11 February 2019 I set myself the challenge of reading 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die by Robert Dimery (ed.) and following the book’s advice to the letter. I’ve previously read 1001 Films… and started 1001 Albums… but felt 1001 Songs… would be a sensible place to start for what I have in mind here.

My challenge is to read about one song per day and listen to it (YouTube and Spotify, I need you tonight!) before sharing my own thoughts. Some songs I will love, others I’ll hate, and I’m sure there will be those that leave me perplexed but listen to them I shall.

I’ll also try, and most likely fail, to pinpoint the best song from the 1001 on offer but I’m nothing if not foolhardy. Instead of one song, I’m predicting I’ll have about 100 favourites by the end and may have to resort to a Top 10 so far to maintain any semblance of sanity.

So long as I post every day (including Christmas) then this challenge should come to an end on Wednesday 8 November 2021. Staying with the Barney Stinson theme I am hoping that the whole experience will prove to be… legendary!

 

Chic – Good Times (1979)

Farewell to the UK and hello once more to the US. To New York we must go, dear reader, and I feel the need for a spot of dance and a catch up with old friends. We’re checking in again with Chic who previously appeared in 1978 with the track, Le Freak, which had been a big success. Now, in 1979, the group released their third album, Risque, and from that record 1001 Songs have decided it’s time for all of us to have some Good Times. 

Good Times is all about living in the moment without regrets and trying to leave life’s stresses and troubles well behind. The song suggests a group of friends on a night out, maybe at the end of a working week, the chance to let one’s hair down and just enjoy yourself for a time. Later on the song seems to hint that time is against us all no matter what we do so it’s best to enjoy ourselves with what years we have in this world and refrain from holding ourselves back. That would just lead to disappointment and lamentation in our twilight years. 

I don’t recall if I have heard Good Times before but it did sound familiar. The reason for that may be the music which has been sampled dozens of times by many artists including the Sugarhill Gang, while also inspiring the likes of Queen and Daft Punk with their own material. It’s a long and soothing number with a sincere message about embracing the good that life has to offer and trying to put aside the negatives, as best we can, not always easy depending on one’s personal circumstances, of course, but the song means well.

 

Favourite songs so far:

The Animals – House of the Rising Sun (1964)

Simon & Garfunkel – The Sounds of Silence (1965)

The Doors – The End (1967)

The Beatles – A Day in the Life (1967)

Rod Stewart – Maggie May (1971)

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)

Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way (1977)

Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977)

Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now (1978)

The Police – Roxanne (1978)