"Good Times" (aka "Gonna Have a Good Time") is a song by the Australian rock band the Easybeats, written by George Young and Harry Vanda. It was released in June 1968 on their album Vigil, and as a single in July 1968 through Parlophone. It features guest vocals by Steve Marriott of Small Faces, and piano by Nicky Hopkins. The original Easybeats recording reached #22 in Australia. When broadcast by BBC radio, it was reportedly heard by Paul McCartney on his car radio; McCartney apparently rang the station immediately to request a repeat playing.[1]
The song has been covered by Australian and international artists; in 1987, a version by INXS, featuring Jimmy Barnes, was included on the soundtrack of the film The Lost Boys and was a top 50 hit in the United States. It was also interpolated by Meat Loaf on his 1995 song "Runnin' for the Red Light (I Got a Life)".
"Good Times" was recorded and released in 1969 as "Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight" by the Clingers, a Utah band comprising four Mormon sisters. The song was produced by Kim Fowley for Columbia Records but failed to chart. The Clingers are regarded as the first all female rock band that played their own instruments.
The NWOBHM heavy metal band Quartz released a live cover version of this song on their 1980 released live album Live Quartz. In 2013 the band also released a studio version of the song on their self-produced compilation Back in the Band – Live and Revisited.
INXS & Jimmy Barnes
Australians INXS and Jimmy Barnes released a version in December 1986, which was engineered by Al Wright and appeared in the Joel Schumacher film The Lost Boys. This version reached number one in New Zealand and number two in Australia, as well as obtaining chart positions in the US (where it peaked at number 47), Canada (number 74),[2] and UK (where it peaked at number 18 in 1991). A video clip was produced featuring INXS and Jimmy Barnes performing the song, with scenes intercut from The Lost Boys. This version was also used to promote the national Australian Made series of concerts that took place between Boxing Day 1986 and Australia Day 1987.
Barnes later said, "We spent a day and a half in the studio. Michael Hutchence and myself didn't sleep the whole time we were there. It was a booze- and drug-fuelled couple of days."[3]
Australian Idol 2004 cover
The song was performed on the Top 12 Results Show of the second season of Australian Idol in 2004. This version of the song was then released by the Top 10 finalists nearly four months after the live show. It was released as a one-track CD single and reached a peak of #53 on the ARIA singles chart.
Meat Loaf cover version
"Good Times" was covered by the American rock singer Meat Loaf on his 1995 album Welcome to the Neighbourhood. This new version, credited to Vanda/Young/Durkee/Loaf/Russo, was titled "Runnin' for the Red Light (I Got a Life)" and featured significantly different lyrics.
