13 Really GOOD Songs … It’s That Simple

Reading Time: 13 min read

13 Really GOOD Songs … It’s That Simple features music courtesy of Chic, John Mellencamp, Mary J. Blige, Olivia Rodrigo, and Wrabel.

Ah, be prepared for the GOOD – #FACTS! 🎧 13 Really GOOD Songs … It’s That Simple serves as sequel to three previous GOOD playlists on The Musical Hype: 🎧 15 Really ‘Good’ Songs… It’s That Simple (2019), 🎧 11 More Really ‘Good’ Songs… It’s That Simple (2020), and 🎧 15 Stellar Good or Bad Songs (2021). Furthermore, previewing the goodness of this third musical compendium was the mini playlist 🎧 Good: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 23 (2023). The keyword should be blatantly obvious – GOOD! 🎧 13 Really GOOD Songs … It’s That Simple features music courtesy of 🎙 Chic, 🎙 John Mellencamp, 🎙 Mary J. Blige, 🎙 Olivia Rodrigo, and 🎙 Wrabel among others. So, without further ado, let’s dive right into this goodness, shall we!

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1. Chic, “Good Times”

💿 Risqué • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1979

“Good times / These are the good times.” Woo! Say that, 🎙 Chic! “Leave your cares behind / These are the good times / … Our new state of mind / These are the good times,” the tuneful chorus of 🎵 “Good Times” continues. This beloved no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 commences the funk/soul collective’s 1979 LP, 💿 Risqué. Risqué also experienced success on the Billboard 200, peaking at no. 5. “Good Times” is kind of a big deal, and definitely a great means to lift the spirit, even north of four decades after its arrival.

“Good Times” was written and produced by the one-and-only 🎼 ✍ 🎛 Nile Rodgers (guitar) and Bernard Edwards (bass). The record features vocals by Edwards in addition to five other vocalists. The vocals, hence, are performed by committee, which is intriguing. The vocals carry those GOOD lyrics, including lifting the famous lyric, “Happy days are here again.” In the same verse, verse one, the singers assert, “Boys will be boys, better let them have their toys / Girls will be girls, cute ponytails and curls / Must put an end to this stress and strife / I think I want to live the sporting life.” Woo! Besides the lyrics, the backdrop of this disco record is incredibly impressive, featuring a tight rhythm section – specifically that bass line – as well as soaring strings 🎻. A popular source of sampling, 🎵 “Good Times” is not only a funky dance joint but a highly influential one. No GOOD list is complete without this gem – PERIOD!

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Appears in 🔻:

Chic, “Good Times”: Dance Gemz 🕺 💎 🎶 5 (2023)

2. Mary J. Blige, “Good Morning Gorgeous”

💿 Good Morning Gorgeous • 🏷 Mary Jane Productions Inc • 📅 2022

🎵 “Good Morning Gorgeous”, released in December 2021, represents the crowning achievement of 💿 Good Morning Gorgeous, the 2022, 🏆 Grammy-nominated studio album by 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter, 🎙 Mary J. Blige. Blige delivers commanding vocals and has a fine melody to work with. Melodically, it’s rhythmic, particularly in the second verse. Thematically, she reflects on past pain and vows not to let it bring her down now. She’s resolved to uplift herself, exemplified in the chorus, where she’s supported by superb backing vocals, upping the ante.

“I wake up every morning and tell myself

‘Good morning gorgeous’

Sometimes you gotta look in the mirror and say,

‘Good morning gorgeous’

No one else can make me feel this way

‘Good morning gorgeous.’”

Worth noting, “Good Morning Gorgeous” was written by an elite team, including Blige, 🎼 ✍  D’Mile, and H.E.R..  As far as the production (D’Mile and H.E.R.), the sound embodies slow, soulful R&B with old-school vibes.  I love the use of a lilting, six-eight meter as well as a robust bass line. Blige sounds potent and powerful as ever.  This song plays to her strengths, reminding us why she’s among the best in the game.

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3. Pastor Mike Jr., “So Good”

💿 Impossible • 🏷 Worldwide Music • 📅 2023

“I’m only here because He made a way.” Hallelujah 🙌! 🎙 Pastor Mike Jr. gives all the praise to The Most High, God, on the spirited contemporary gospel record, 🎵 “So Good”. “If you only knew where I started from / You would understand the praise,” the choir testifies early on, urging everyone to “Put respect on His name.” Amen 👏 👏 👏! “So Good” appears as the third track on the Alabama pastor’s 2023 album, 💿 Impossible. “So Good” is aimed at a younger demographic, incorporating hip-hop and contemporary R&B cues within the backdrop. Even if the record is hype and a surefire vibe, it clearly ministers the goodness of God. “So Good” is a testimony speaking to deliverance from the depths, as well as exhibiting faith even when things aren’t working out. Pastor Mike Jr. and choir sing faithfully at one point, “If it’s a no or a yes / You’re still good.” Woo! This is a part of faith that is hard for many to grasp, regardless of how devout or pious. Even in the worst of times, it’s important to continue to praise and serve Almighty God. Even if you take religion out of the picture, the importance of faith – believing that that NO can eventually become a YES, or something better will happen eventually – shouldn’t be underestimated. 🎵 “So Good” is just that – SOOO GOOD!!!

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4. Olivia Rodrigo, “good 4 u”

💿 Sour • 🏷 Geffen • 📅 2021

🎵 “good 4 u” gives 🎵 “drivers license” – the crowning achievement of 💿 SOUR, the debut album by 🎙 Olivia Rodrigo – a run for its money. Written by Rodrigo and 🎼 ✍ Dan Nigro, Nigro also produces alongside 🎛 Alexander 23. Nigro and Alexander 23 craft a lit punk-pop oriented backdrop filled with angst. Rodrigo matches the intensity, bringing ample personality via her angst-filled Gen-Z teenage persona! Furthermore, she has the songwriting to sell via her performance, dabbling in that ever-relatable topic of heartbreak. The best moment is the chorus where she’s “Cryin’ on the floor of my bathroom / But you’re so unaffected, I really don’t get it / but I guess good for you.”

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5. twenty one pilots, “Good Day”

💿 Scaled & Icy • 🏷 Fueled By Ramen • 📅 2021

“My sunshine / Is a buzz and a light, I’ll be singing out / I know it’s hard to believe me, it’s a good day.” Despite the fact that opener 🎵 “Good Day” is in a bright, major key, and 🎙 Tyler Joseph asserts “it’s a good day,” listening and reading the lyrics, the goodness is questionable – SUS – on this 🎙 twenty one pilots number. “Lost my job, my wife and child / Homie just sued me,” Joseph sings in the second verse. Even given the adversity, ultimately, he seems to take all his losses in stride and remain positive. A surprising start to the 🏆 Grammy-winning duo’s 2021 album, 💿 Scaled and Icy, “Good Day” is intriguing. Sunny sounding vocals and production certainly make you feel, well, happy.

6. City Girls, “Good Love” (Ft. Usher)

🎵 “Good Love” • 🏷 Quality Control Music / UMG Recordings, Inc. • 🗓 2022

Don’t ever doubt 🎙 Usher. He assists 🎙 City Girls on 🎵 “Good Love” and absolutely kills it. Even in his 40s, the superstar still has the vocals, swagger, and yes, the sex appeal. He is the perfect match for 🎙 JT and 🎙 Yung Miami. It doesn’t hurt that 🎛 Mr. Hanky serves up an energetic, rhythmic backdrop – ample fuel for the fire!

Usher gets it started, hyping things up on the intro, before dropping the centerpiece, the chorus. Expectedly, the chorus is sexed-up, as he clearly thinks with his pants: “Wanna lay down, make you fall in love / All the freaky things that I can do / I can freak you ‘til the mornin’ / Get on top and ride on it.” Woo! Of course, both City Girls aren’t overdone when it comes to sex. Yung Miami asserts she’s “Showin’ my coochie print / Crop top, no bra, bitch.” As for JT, in the second verse, she makes it clear, “We ain’t shakin’ ass for niggas with no cheese / And we ain’t pullin’ up for niggas with no keys.” Shallow, but true! She’s truly lit at the end of her verse, asserting, “He want a good girl, that’s too bad / I’m so cunty, I’m too bad.” Day-um!!! “Good Love” is a surefire vibe and a surefire winner!

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7. Pink Sweat$, “I Feel Good”

🎵 “I Feel Good” • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 2021

“Livin’ life in color / Everything around me looks so beautiful and sweet.” In need of a vibe? Look no further than 🎵 “I Feel Good”, the two-and-a-quarter-minute gem courtesy of Philly standout, 🎙 Pink Sweat$ (David Bowden)! You are sure to feel good (or feel better) after listening to this bright, mellow single. What makes “I Feel Good” such a bop? It starts with the production, courtesy of Pink Sweat$, 🎛 Dante Bowden, and 🎛 Ruffin. The sound is colorful, lush, warm, and ear catching. David has a terrific canvas to paint upon with his smooth vocals.

Pink Sweat$ sings with ease, never forcing things. He does, however, rise to the occasion on the best part of the song, the high-flying chorus:

“I feel good

When there’s a million stars in the sky

I feel good

When the sun is shining so bright

I feel good, yeah

When the world keeps goin’ ‘round

Goin’ ‘round

I feel good.”

The positivity of the chorus is infectious – we need those feel-good vibes! Even prior to the centerpiece, the verses radiate with goodness, as does the pre-chorus, where “All the immersive colors” are “picture perfect.” Awesome!

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Appears in 🔻:

Awesome Songs: October 2021

8. Rufus, “Tell Me Something Good” (Ft. Chaka Khan)

💿 Rags to Rufus • 🏷 MCA • 🗓 1974

“You ain’t got no kind of feeling inside / I got something that’ll sho nuff set yo stuff on fire.” Oh, really, 🎙 Chaka Khan? Please, continue diva! “You refuse to put anything before your pride / What I got will knock all your pride aside.” Oh, snap! 🎵 “Tell Me Something Good” is one of the best funk/R&B records of all-time, period. Chaka is the lead vocalist, but “Tell Me Something Good” preceded her solo career. This no. 3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, hence, is attributed to 🎙 Rufus.

Khan electrifies from a vocal perspective. She brings plenty of attitude, personality, and power behind her pipes. Beyond her superb vocals during the tuneful verses, her ad-libs during the crowd-pleasing chorus are equally impressive. Of course, when talking about “Tell Me Something Good,” you can’t omit the playful, breathy, nonsensical vocals that precede the chorus.

“Tell me something good

Tell me that you love me, yeah

Tell me something good

Tell me that you like it, yeah.”

So, beyond great vocals and memorable songwriting, you must commend the musicians and the lit backdrop on 🎵 “Tell Me Something Good”. The riffs are tight, the groove is cooking, and the nostalgia of this 1974 classic (💿 Rags to Rufus) makes you yearn for music that sounds like this again.

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9. Wrabel, “good”

💿 these words are all for you • 🏷 Big Gay / Nettwerk Music Group • 📅 2021

“Baby, let a good thing, day be good / … Don’t you let a good thing go bad.” Talented openly gay singer/songwriter 🎙 Wrabel (Stephen Wrabel) discourages those bad vibes on 🎵 “good” (💿 these words are all for you, 2021). On this thoughtful record, he acknowledges a relationship with plenty of good – positives galore. The problem is that good can easily be destroyed by getting inside one’s head or allowing the past to hinder the present or future. Wrabel sets the tone on the first verse, which begins abruptly and initially, a cappella. He wows with his gorgeous instrument sounding expressive, nuanced, and authentic. Eventually, “good” expands, including warm backing vocals, prominent piano, and truly rich studio trickery (🎛 STINT produces).

“You see the end before the thing get started,” Wrabel sings in the second verse, adding, “You always bracing for the fall.” Often, if we’ve experienced adversity, particularly with love, we anticipate the worst. Wrabel wants to dissuade his partner against this – ruining what they’re building: “I know you still see him in your apartment / Let me in, I’ll paint the walls.” By the second chorus in particular, “good” has grown much grander, as Wrabel masterfully delivers a message filled with prudence and the utmost dedication. The “ooh-ooh(s)” of the post-chorus only amplify the excellence of this utterly sublime gem from this pop standout.

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10. The Brothers Johnson, “I’ll Be Good To You”

💿 Look Out For #1 • 🏷 A&M • 🗓 1976

“I want to love you, girl / In a special way.” Oh really, 🎙 The Brothers Johnson??? Tell us more, please 😍! “We’ve been together / For so very long / I would hate to break up / Break up our happy home.” True dat! The R&B collective scored a surefire hit – a gold certified single to be precise – with 🎵 “I’ll Be Good To You”. Furthermore, “I’ll Be Good To You” performed well on the pop charts, peaking at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The silky smooth cut hailed from a one of four platinum albums by Brothers, 💿 Look Out For #1, released in 1976.

“I’ll Be Good To You” doesn’t require extensive analysis. Clearly, these Bros – 🎙 George Johnson and 🎙 Louis Johnson – are willing to “be good to you, good to you, good to you.” The repetitive chorus, in all its good glory, is the centerpiece. This record is all about love ❤️ – a dedicated, monogamous relationship. The production – by the one and only, 🎛️ Quincy Jones (!) – is silky smooth, which is idiomatic of the 1970s soul aesthetic and sound. Likewise, the vocals are buttery smooth and never forced in the least. No bad vibes whatsoever, love never sounded better than it does on 🎵 “I’ll Be Good To You”, PERIOD!

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Appears in 🔻:

The Brothers Johnson, “I’ll Be Good To You”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 45 (2023)

11. John Mellencamp, “Hurts So Good”

💿 American Fool • 🏷 John Mellencamp / The Island Def Jam Music Group • 📅 1982

“When I was a young boy / Said put away those young boy ways / Now that I’m getting older, so much older / I long for those young boy days.” Oh, the nostalgia! 🎙 John Mellencamp is rightfully considered to be one of the rock greats 🤘. He truly shined on his 🏆 Grammy-winning rock classic, 🎵 “Hurts So Good”, from his 1982 album, 💿 American Fool. Notably, “Hurts So Good” is the only 🏆 Grammy that Mellencamp has ever won 🤯! Also, worth noting, it peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Hurts So Good” features an electrifying rock groove. The instrumental backdrop is marvelous, including the guitar riffs, which are a major selling point. The music serves up no shortage of exuberance or spirit. Likewise, Mellencamp serves up plenty of exuberance, spirit, and personality. His vocals are expressive, nuanced, and playful; he possesses a one-of-a-kind instrument. The best moment of “Hurts So Good,” unsurprisingly, is the tuneful, memorable chorus: “Hurts so good / Come on, baby, make it hurt so good / Sometimes love don’t feel like it should / You make it hurt so good.” The songwriting is just one of many reasons why 🎵 “Hurts So Good” is a surefire classic – one of Mellencamp’s best!

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Appears in 🔻:

John Mellencamp, “Hurts So Good”: FIERCE Pop + Rock 🔥🤘 15 (2023)

12. Andy Grammer, “Damn It Feels Good To Be Me”

🎵 “Damn It Feels Good To Be Me” • 🏷 Giant Soul / S-Curve • 📅 2021

Being true to self is the way to go, and nobody – and I mean NOBODY – should ever forget that! Pop singer/songwriter 🎙 Andy Grammer has learned this valuable life lesson. He shares it on the brief, but positive, uplifting record, 🎵 “Damn It Feels Good To Be Me”. Profanity may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but, in this case, his damn is an exuberant one, coming from a good place.

Before now, Grammer was trying to be/emulate others, which didn’t cut it. “I said stop tryna be the things that I’m not / Tryna be like everyone else / Tryna fit inside of that box,” he sings in the pre-chorus. He adds, “Copycatting’s dirty, nothing worse than being thirsty.” Woo! True dat, Andy! Throughout the verses, he serves up marvelous, prudent advice, such as, “You’re only shining when you act yourself” (verse one) and “You don’t start living ‘til you kill that shade” (verse two). Ultimately, it is the chorus, backed by spirited production (🎛 Jon Levine), that solidifies the sheer excellence of 🎵 “Damn It Feels Good To Be Me”: “I’m no good at being you / My philosophy, damn, it feels good to be me /…Ain’t got nothing left to prove / Man, I’m finally free / Damn, it feels good to be me.” ABSOLUTELY!

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13. Smokie Norful, “Um Good”

💿 Life Changing • 🏷 Motown Gospel • 📅 2006

“If I never see the ruins / Of that city they call ancient Rome / I’m not worried because I can still say / God, I know that you been good.” 💿 Life Changing. That is the title of the 2006 album by pastor and gospel singer, 🎙 Smokie Norful. One of the best, most moving, and most uplifting songs from Life Changing is 🎵 “Um Good”. What makes “Um Good” so good is the messaging, the vocals, the spiritedness, and the production. “If I never own a mansion / Way out on the hills / If I never see riches / Lord, I’ll serve you still.” Honestly, everything about “Um Good” is um good, with God being primary!

Essentially, what the 🏆 Grammy-winner ministers to us is, despite what happens in his life, whether its attainment of material things, or the loss of everything, he will still praise God (“In the midst of my despair / I can still say, Lord, you been good”). On this utterly sublime 🎼 ✍ Percy Bady– penned gem, there’s great balance. This is a gospel record, but the R&B cues and sensibilities made it sound incredibly fresh in the aughts – and still marvelous in the 2020s for that matter. Smokie sings with incredible authenticity, truly selling this message of never giving up on God despite the circumstances. There are no more high-flying moments than the chorus, where Smokie is backed by a truly anointed choir, while he riffs and ad-libs along the main melody. His faith sounds unshakable!

“You been good

Good, um good

So as long as I live I’ll tell the world, God is good

Good, um good

I’m so glad to say right now

God is good.”

Appears in 🔻:

Smokie Norful, “Um Good”: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 12 (2023)

13 Really GOOD Songs … It’s That Simple [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; A&M, Atlantic, Big Gay / Nettwerk Music Group, Fueled By Ramen, Geffen, Giant Soul / S-Curve, John Mellencamp, Mary Jane Productions, MCA, Motown Gospel, Quality Control Music / UMG Recordings, Inc., The Island Def Jam Music Group, Worldwide Music; Gustavo Fring, William Fortunato via Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, NoName_13, Robin Higgins via Pixabay]

13 Really GOOD Songs … It’s That Simple | Playlist 🎧

Published by the musical hype on March 27, 2023March 27, 2023