"Good Time"

[blazer]

This is the "Good Time" appreciation thread. I love that song, especially when I listen to it in the context in which it was created, with other early-'70s recordings. I love Al's and Brian's voices. I love how it's goofy. I love the cheesy organs. I love the horns. I love the percussion. I love singing along with all the parts at once (or thinking I am doing so until I realize that's impossible and maybe I've had too much to drink and am actually massacring the song).

"Good Time."

It needs your vote. Vote yes for "Good Time."

Yes. Yes.

I also enjoy the low key "Hey" with 7 seconds left in the song.

[the captain]

The Beach Boys version of "Good Time" would have totally ruined the artistic integrity of Sunflower.  The Beach Boys really needed to be taken seriously when Sunflower was released...

And that effort was so successful, they were able enough to be taken seriously by all 213 people who bought the album. Serious, my ass. Such efforts may well have helped them sell concert tickets and a few albums in the early 70s, but I don't think anyone loves the Beach Boys for their somber outlook or deep ruminations. They should have put out their best music. They failed to do that consistently from 1966 onward (despite plenty of great stuff in those years). Brian was correct when he thought humor was an important part of music and life.

[pixletwin]

The Beach Boys version of "Good Time" would have totally ruined the artistic integrity of Sunflower.  The Beach Boys really needed to be taken seriously when Sunflower was released...

And that effort was so successful, they were able enough to be taken seriously by all 213 people who bought the album. Serious, my ass. Such efforts may well have helped them sell concert tickets and a few albums in the early 70s, but I don't think anyone loves the Beach Boys for their somber outlook or deep ruminations. They should have put out their best music. They failed to do that consistently from 1966 onward (despite plenty of great stuff in those years). Brian was correct when he thought humor was an important part of music and life.

Yup. Its that kind of second guessing that screwed the Beach Boys out of a greater legacy.

[Al Jardine: Pick Up Artist]

Sorry to necro such an old thread, but can anybody give me more info about the version found on Dumb Angel? It's an interesting arrangement, and the booklet tells me nothing. Is it just an alternate take or is it from a different time period or what?

[Micha]

Yes from me too. As a notorious Love You disliker it is the best song on that album.

Someone mentioned Sunflower should have been a double album - so do I think, there was enough material, and I absolutely love the collection of songs commonly referred to as "Landlocked" which could have been the second disk. Minus Til I Die, plus Games Two Can Play. "Good Time" was part of that collection. I don't think a double album would have sold any better, though.

[Dudd]

Oh hells yes, this song is awesome. Probably the best on Love You, next to Johnny Carson.

[stack-o-tracks]

I've been messing around with the settings on my phone's media player (Android) where you can change the speed of the music you're playing for a slight reduction of quality. At 0.7x speed, Good Time sound pretty dope. It adopts a sort of drunk/sinister vibe. Try it out. 

Ding Dang is another one that sounds particularly good at that speed.

 

[No. Fourteen]

Sorry to necro such an old thread, but can anybody give me more info about the version found on Dumb Angel? It's an interesting arrangement, and the booklet tells me nothing. Is it just an alternate take or is it from a different time period or what?

I think the box set would've been a good opportunity to put out this version (this would be the "Landlocked" one?).  The backing vocals being more present make it really come alive compared to the Love You one.

[Andrew G. Doe]

There's only one version, really. The 1970 take, the 1977 take and the Spring version are all remixes of the same basic track.

[Orange Crate Art]

Definitely YES! Great, fun song. I can't think of which Beach Boys album it would appropriate for. I'm used to it being on Love You but I agree that it's out of place on it. What if it wound up on 15 Big Ones instead? Musically would it make more sense there?

[Freddie French-Pounce]

It always seemed to weirdly suit Love You to me... no idea why though

[Bicyclerider]

The album it might have fit best on is Surf's Up - it could be a fourth comedy track after Feet, Don't Go Near the Water and A Day in the Life of a Tree.

It doesn't fit musically on Love You because the bass synth vibe and the non gruff Brian vocal (or non drunk Carl vocal or superraspy Dennis vocal) is not there.  Lyrically it's a good fit though.

[c-man]

The album it might have fit best on is Surf's Up - it could be a fourth comedy track after Feet, Don't Go Near the Water and A Day in the Life of a Tree.

It doesn't fit musically on Love You because the bass synth vibe and the non gruff Brian vocal (or non drunk Carl vocal or superraspy Dennis vocal) is not there.  Lyrically it's a good fit though.

Don't you mean "because...the GRUFF Brian vocal...is not there" ? The vocal that IS there is NON-gruff.  

[Bicyclerider]

The album it might have fit best on is Surf's Up - it could be a fourth comedy track after Feet, Don't Go Near the Water and A Day in the Life of a Tree.

It doesn't fit musically on Love You because the bass synth vibe and the non gruff Brian vocal (or non drunk Carl vocal or superraspy Dennis vocal) is not there.  Lyrically it's a good fit though.

Don't you mean "because...the GRUFF Brian vocal...is not there" ? The vocal that IS there is NON-gruff.  

Yes you are of course correct - I did double negatives . . . It should be gruff Brian vocal or drunk Carl vocal!

[Gabo]

Definitely YES! Great, fun song. I can't think of which Beach Boys album it would appropriate for. I'm used to it being on Love You but I agree that it's out of place on it. What if it wound up on 15 Big Ones instead? Musically would it make more sense there?

I like it on Love You. I think it really fits, even if Brian's vocal sounds so much different. It even has weird organ sounds on it. I don't think Brian threw the song on "just cuz." It fit the project in his mind, even if it was 7 years old by the time it was released (who in the public would know that, anyway?).

[Micha]

I've been messing around with the settings on my phone's media player (Android) where you can change the speed of the music you're playing for a slight reduction of quality. At 0.7x speed, Good Time sound pretty dope. It adopts a sort of drunk/sinister vibe. Try it out. 

Ding Dang is another one that sounds particularly good at that speed.

 

I accidentally played "Our Favorite Recording Sessions" at that speed once and it had definitely a "Smiley Smile album" vibe that way! Try it!

[Joel Goldenberg]

It always seemed to weirdly suit Love You to me... no idea why though

The same type of humor. To me, it totally fits on LY.

[clinikillz]

The production style and the use of horns makes it a fit on Sunflower, in my opinion.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Given it was initially recorded January 1970, that's not such a huge surprise.

[clinikillz]

Given it was initially recorded January 1970, that's not such a huge surprise.

Ah, well that explains it. Thanks.

I'm shocked that it didn't make it onto Sunflower. It's such a good song.

[Andrew G. Doe]

It was on the Add Some Music master assembled 2/18/70... and also, oddly, the "2nd Warner Brothers LP" master assembled 9/1/70 (the alleged Landlocked album).

[Cabinessenceking]

I think the 'Landlocked' mix is better. Especially the instrumental bridge.