Good Times | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: Em7 | E7sus4 | Asus4 | A6 :||
Chorus 1
||: Em7 | E7sus4 | Asus4 | A6 :||
Good times, these are the good times,
leave your cares behind, these are the good times.
Good times, these are the good times,
our new state of mind, these are the good times.
Verse 1
||: Em7 | Em7 (E7sus4) | Asus4 | Asus4 (A6) :||
Happy days are here again.
The time is right for makin’ friends.
Let’s get together, how ’bout a quarter to ten?
Come tomorrow, let’s all do it again.
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.
Chorus 2
||: Em7 | E7sus4 | Asus4 | A6 :||
Good times, these are the good times,
leave your cares behind, these are the good times.
Good times, these are the good times,
our new state of mind, these are the good times.
Verse 2
||: Em7 | Em7 (E7sus4) | Asus4 | Asus4 (A6) :||
A rumor has it that it’s getting late.
Time marches on, just can’t wait.
The clock keeps turning, why hesitate?
You silly fool; you can’t change your fate.
Let’s cut a rug, a little jive and jitterbug.
We want the best, we won’t settle for less.
Don’t be a drag, participate.
Clams on the half shell, and roller skates, roller skates.
Chorus 3
||: Em7 | E7sus4 | Asus4 | A6 :||
Good times, these are the good times,
leave your cares behind, these are the good times.
Good times, these are the good times,
our new state of mind, these are the good times.
Good times.
Instrumental
||: Em7 | E7sus4 | Asus4 | A6 :|| x6 (bass only)
||: Em7 | E7sus4 | Asus4 | A6 :|| x8 (keyboards)
||: Em7 | E7sus4 | Asus4 | A6 :|| x6 (guitar)
Verse 3
||: Em7 | Em7 (E7sus4) | Asus4 | Asus4 (A6) :||
A rumor has it that it’s getting late.
Time marches on, just can’t wait.
The clock keeps turning, why hesitate?
You silly fool; you can’t change your fate.
Let’s cut a rug, a little jive, and jitterbug.
We want the best, we won’t settle for less.
Don’t be a drag, participate.
Clams on the half shell, and roller skates, roller skates.
Chorus 4
||: Em7 | E7sus4 | Asus4 | A6 :||
Good times, these are the good times,
leave your cares behind, these are the good times.
Good times, these are the good times,
our new state of mind, these are the good times.
Good times, these are the good times,
leave your cares behind, these are the good times.
Good times, these are the good times,
our new state of mind, these are the good times.
Good times, these are the good times,
leave your cares behind, these are the good times.
Good times, these are the good times.
Good Times’ chords and progressions
All that happens with Good Times chords is that we move between Em and A. This is a II – V, the classic dance chord progression. Since Em feels like home, we can say that Good Times is in Dorian, just like I Wish.
The chords are extended, and the extensions create the riff. For the chorus, we play Em7 – Em7sus4. Then Asus4 – A6.
During the verse, these extensions kind of appear again, although much more sparsely, and mainly we are moving between Em7 – Asus4.
Good Times is a perfect song to play at a party when you want people to dance as the progression is easy to learn, you can drag it out for ages and use dynamics in the arrangement, rather than worry about chord progressions – happy days!
One of the most sampled songs in the history of music
Good Times reached the #1 spot in 1979 and became one of Chic and Nile Rodgers‘s signature songs.
Still played on the radio, by DJs and Disco/Soul bands today, its lasting legacy is remarkable.
It is also one of the most sampled songs in the history of music, thanks to that huge breakdown section. Most notably in Rapper’s Delight by Sugarhill Gang.
Study the chords and lyrics for Good TImes carefully to see how Mr. Nile and the gang built this classic.
Good Times chords | Related pages
Five similar tunes
Chic
Nile Rodgers’ Chic has many well-known Disco hits, but it’s perhaps his work as a producer and writer that he is best known for.
Producing Madonna, Sister Sledge, David Bowie, Diana Ross, Daft Punk, Duran Duran, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Nile is a legend in the business.