Tag Archives: good

My iPod #458: Kanye West – Good Morning

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Kanye West’s third album Graduation, the last in the Dropout Bear/Education trilogy (the latter name I made up myself, probably not a good title), was the one in which the rapper now saw himself to be up there as one of the greatest rappers of this generation. Sure he had released two classics before, but it was the 2007 release where his ultimate goal to become known as one of the greatest of all time was set and established. Though “Stronger” was the first single from it to show the new edgier and focused Kanye, it’s “Good Morning” that starts it all off.

The first thing you hear upon entering the disc into your computer is a brief “Uh”, before the track’s beat kicks in followed by a descending synthesizer which leads into Kanye’s declaratory “Good Morning” and the soulful “oooh” sample that repeats after every time he says the phrase. Can’t get enough of that sample, could listen to that every day. In general the track is Kanye psyching himself up, telling himself to wake up, get focused, and prepare himself for what was coming now that he’d made a name for himself.

The guy never disappoints on his album openers.

My iPod #457: Weezer – The Good Life

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“The Good Life” was released as the second single from Weezer’s second album, one that is considered to be their best too, Pinkerton in 1996. Though reception towards the album was not too great when it first came out. You can read about that for yourselves. The song was somehow meant to save the album’s commercial status but by the point of its rush-release the damage had been done.

The song is written from Rivers Cuomo’s frustration after painful surgery in which one of his legs literally had to be stretched in order to match the length of the other. Times were obviously not too great for the guy, and the experience inspired him to write the track.

In it, he still sees himself as a ‘funky dude’ when he looks at the mirror but things aren’t really funky when you’re broken, beaten down, and can’t go around anywhere without a cane to support you. The man is in clear desperation. Now I wouldn’t say this is the most cathartic track on Pinkerton, because that album is catharsis defined. But it is definitely one in which every element from the lead vocals, the improvisational backing vocals, the whole band performance, the fast breakdown which leads into the slow comedown with the slide guitar……. Everything owns. One of Weezer’s best songs, in my opinion.

I wonder if this had been released as the first single whether that would have done anything for Pinkerton back in its day. Oh well.

My iPod #456: The Beatles – Good Day Sunshine

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Opening up the second side of The Beatles’ 1966 album Revolver is “Good Day Sunshine”, a bouncy Paul McCartney number about the happiness one seems to feel with everything (including the weather) whilst being in love. After the somewhat lyrical subject matter in “She Said, She Said”, the track comes to alleviate the mood and start the second half with positive vibes.

Set to a swinging rhythm established by the vibrant piano work and grounded drums, “Good Day Sunshine” is the song to go to on those days where you feel nothing could go wrong and everything’s going your way. The vocal work ain’t too bad. McCartney takes sole lead vocal during the verses, but it’s in the choruses where he is joined by George and John on the harmonies to produce to a simple, repetitive, but memorably catchy melody – one that also gets a sudden key change treatment right at the end of the song.

Only just over two minutes, “Good Day Sunshine” is of the happiest tracks you’ll hear today. I once made it the alarm song on my phone if that’s of any use to you. Made for a good way to start the day.

My iPod #365: Muse – Feeling Good

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Muse’s take on the Anthony Newley and Lesley Briscusse original was released on the band’s second album “Origin of Symmetry” thirteen years ago. As well as being the second to last track on that, it was released as a single alongside another album track “Hyper Music”. As a result, both videos made for the tracks are set in the same location albeit there are a few differences in the colour palette here and there. The three members perform in front of their fans who have had their faces digitally altered in order to look like freaks, petals fall slowly from the sky, and Matt Bellamy fiddles around with a megaphone during a verse.

“Feeling Good” is recognised for being an actually very good cover of an old track. Probably one of the best covers of the 21st century. Why? Not really sure. I guess that it’s because it was the first modern rock cover that had been done for the track, and Matt, Chris and Dom pulled it off very well. It is a cover that is so, so simple but still rocks. And you can’t blame someone who, listening to it for the first time, would think it was their own original song because they adapt it to their own style so easily.

I rate it.

My iPod #363: Gorillaz – Feel Good Inc.

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Yeeaaaahh. I remember seeing the video for “Feel Good Inc.” when it was an exclusive, brand new, never before seen thing getting its debut on music television. Nine years later, people know it as being Gorillaz’s signature track (either that or “Clint Eastwood“) but even then, at the age of ten, I knew Gorillaz was onto something.

2D, Noodle, Murdoc & Russell were looking better and more badass than before. One thing that was clearly noticeable was the improvement in animation. Four years gives you a lot of time to get shit done. But the track was so funky and dark with that phat, iconic bassline and manic laughter provided by Maseo of De La Soul. I liked it, my sister liked it. Every time the video ended on TV, we waited for the coming of the next hour so we could see it again. We searched on the ‘Windows Media Guide’ on the Windows Media Player to try and find an mp3 of the thing we thought it was the shit. This was the best ‘new’ song that I had heard for a very long time. The song would be played everywhere – it featured on an iPod advert, the group performed it on stage at 2005 EMA Awards… this was really the song of the year.

The track comes in around the middle of “Demon Days” fading in from the children’s laughter from the previous track. 2D wants us to feel good and also sings about a magical windmill in the chorus, Murdoc plays that bass, Russell provides the solid drum beat and De La Soul (well, Dave from the hip hop trio) come in for the killer rap bridge, sounding very grimy and intimidating. The video reinforces this. Witness 2D’s suffering when the rapping starts. It’s brutal.

And it still sounds as good today as it did then. Almost a decade, Dios Mío.

If you haven’t heard the song before….. where have you been? Under a rock? In a cave? I joke. You’ve heard it. You know you have.