Alan Jackson - “Good Time”

Say what you will, but the first time I heard “G with an O, O with a D, T with an I and an M and an E” it really stuck in my mind.

It’s a sweet, fun song. I like it.

A question about list songs: Do we include songs in which each verse (after the first) is essentially a repeat of the prior verses as a “list.”

Example: A.J’s “Gone Country’ Each verse is a bout a singer/artist (las vegas lounge singer; Greenwich village folk singer; LA pop songwriter) who renounces his/her values or past (as a long island girl; an opponent of wealth and privilege; a “serious composer,” respectively) upon learning that money can be made in the country business.

The second and third verses don’t really add much that is new, but including them makes it clear that the Las Vegas singer in the first verse isn’t an exception, but rather the rule. “Everybody’s gone country,” we learn. But otherwise, the 2nd and 3rd verses don’t advance a plot, introduce insights, or do much of anything else.

In a sense, the verses don’t contain lists; rather, each verse is an extended item in a 3 item list.

I wonder if song structures like this deserve to be put in the “lazy songwriting” trashbin or not.

hairandtoenails, I wouldn’t consider “Gone Country” to be a list song and certainly not in the lazy songwriting category. Check out these lyrics from “Good Time:”

Yea, I’ve been workin’ all week
And I’m tired and I don’t wanna sleep
I wanna have fun
It’s time for a good time

I cashed my check, cleaned my truck
Put on my hat, forgot about work
Sun goin’ down, head across town
Pick up my baby and turn it around
Good time,
Aahh, I need a good time

I think there’s a clear difference between something like “Good Time” that’s composed of generic lists in order to appeal to the most people possible and a song like “Gone Country.”

——–

Jonathan, I don’t think anyone is arguing that every song has to be brilliantly written or deep, but the lyrics to this song seem to be especially bad. Can it even be considered in the same league as “Tall, Tall Trees” and “Little Bitty?” Would we let anyone else get away with lyrics like those above?

I’ve really enjoyed some of Alan Jackson’s other light-hearted silly songs in the past, such as “Little Bitty,” “Tall, Tall Trees, ” “Dallas” and “Chattahoochee.” (I do spend a lot of time in my car!) However, I’m not a fan of this one. I can’t put my finger on it. I don’t think it’s the list thing (although I really hate that). I’ll probably just turn the station when it comes on and hope it goes away quickly.

Congratulations, Mr. Smarty Pants — I had to look up “sine qua non.”

Unlike some of you I don’t feel a song has to convey some deep philisophical truth to be considered a great song. There is nothing wrong with a song about a guy looking for a good time.it’s a song that most paople can relate to about life, which is why I love country. However I must agree that this song is not AJ’s best. It has a catchy arraingement and it’s a great sing along but something is missing that I can’t quite isolate. I don’t hate it and it’s certainly better than most of the “deep” songs that get thumbs up from the reviewers here in my opinion.

Todd, I don’t think anyone is arguing that every song has to be “deep or philosophical” to be great. That being said, do you really consider this song to be better than most of the songs we give a thumbs up? And which of those did we claim were good because they were deep?

“I can’t criticize “Good Time” in the same way that I could the latest Bucky Covington single, and that reality make the song at least listenable”

Come on Brady, what happened? You said “If I say I like the song, will it make them stop talking?” Here you go again! :) Just wanted to rag on you a bit!! :)

I gave this song a pretty good review just a couple of weeks ago, but it’s already lost its flavor with me. Like others have said, there’s just something about it that doesn’t maintain my enthusiasm and I can’t put my finger on it either.

By the way, I’ve never liked “Little Bitty”, but love “Tall Tall Trees.”

I like this better than anything Alan has put out in a long long time.

I love this song you people can stick your opinion in you hat. You people have no idea what you are talking about.

The single version is about 3:30 or so … the album version is only played on a few stations (WLJE in Valparaiso, Ind., for example, which almost never receives promo singles so has to rely on playing album cuts exclusively).