Good Times Bad Times
Encyclopedia
"Good Times Bad Times" is a song by the English
rock
band Led Zeppelin
, featured as the opening track on their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin
.
For the lead guitar solo, guitar
ist Jimmy Page
passed his Fender Telecaster
guitar through a Leslie speaker
to create a swirling effect. This type of speaker
contains a rotating paddle
and was designed for a Hammond organ
. However, guitars could be used with it. George Harrison
and Eric Clapton
employed this technique on the Cream
song "Badge
", and Harrison used it in several of The Beatles
' recordings. In an interview he gave to Guitar World
magazine in 1993, Page explained that:
Page, also the band's producer
, placed microphone
s all over the recording studio
to capture a live sound when this song was recorded.
This song is also notable for drummer
John Bonham
's repeated use of a series of two sixteenth-note triplets on a single bass drum
, an effect many subsequent rock drummers have imitated, and as well as keeping the hi-hat playing quarter notes throughout almost the entire song with his left foot. Bonham had reportedly developed this technique after listening to Vanilla Fudge
. He was unaware that drummer Carmine Appice
was actually playing on a double bass set. As Page has stated:
Bass guitar
ist player John Paul Jones
has also remarked on his own contribution to the track:
Jones says that the riff he wrote for this song was the most difficult one he ever wrote.
"Good Times Bad Times" was rarely played live at Led Zeppelin concerts
in its entirety. In a few instances in 1969 it was used as an introduction to "Communication Breakdown
". It also appeared in almost complete form within the "Communication Breakdown" medley performed at the LA Forum on 4 September 1970, where it included a bass solo by Jones (as can be heard on the Led Zeppelin bootleg recording
Live on Blueberry Hill
), and several Whole Lotta Love
medleys in 1971. It was also the opening song for Led Zeppelin's reunion show
at the O2 Arena
, London
on 10 December 2007.
The TV & Radio presenter Fearne Cotton
has said that this is her favourite song of all time.
The song is played in the film, The Fighter. This is one of the rare occasions where the band's songs are used in films.
(*) designates unordered lists.
1969 7" single (South Africa: Atlantic ATS410)
1969 7" EP (Mexico: Atlantic EPA 1577)
1972 7" EP (Argentina: Music Hall 186)
Notes:
(*) B-side by Yes
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, featured as the opening track on their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin (album)
Led Zeppelin is the debut album of the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was recorded in October 1968 at Olympic Studios in London and released on Atlantic Records on 12 January 1969 in the United States and 31 March 1969 in the United Kingdom. The album featured integral contributions from each...
.
For the lead guitar solo, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
passed his Fender Telecaster
Fender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
guitar through a Leslie speaker
Leslie speaker
The Leslie speaker is a specially constructed amplifier/loudspeaker used to create special audio effects using the Doppler effect. Named after its inventor, Donald Leslie, it is particularly associated with the Hammond organ but is used with a variety of instruments as well as vocals. The...
to create a swirling effect. This type of speaker
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
contains a rotating paddle
Paddle
A paddle is a tool used for pushing against liquids, either as a form of propulsion in a boat or as an implement for mixing.-Materials and designs:...
and was designed for a Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
. However, guitars could be used with it. George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
and Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
employed this technique on the Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
song "Badge
Badge (song)
"Badge" is a song performed by Cream, written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison. It was included as a track on Cream's final album, Goodbye. Peaking at number 60 on Billboard's Hot 100, "Badge" was a minor hit after its release as a single in April 1969...
", and Harrison used it in several of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' recordings. In an interview he gave to Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
magazine in 1993, Page explained that:
Page, also the band's producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, placed microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
s all over the recording studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
to capture a live sound when this song was recorded.
This song is also notable for drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
's repeated use of a series of two sixteenth-note triplets on a single bass drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, an effect many subsequent rock drummers have imitated, and as well as keeping the hi-hat playing quarter notes throughout almost the entire song with his left foot. Bonham had reportedly developed this technique after listening to Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
. He was unaware that drummer Carmine Appice
Carmine Appice
Carmine Appice is an American rock drummer of Italian background and is the older brother of drummer Vinny Appice by 12 years. He received a classical music training and was influenced by the jazz drumming of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa early on...
was actually playing on a double bass set. As Page has stated:
Bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist player John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
has also remarked on his own contribution to the track:
Jones says that the riff he wrote for this song was the most difficult one he ever wrote.
"Good Times Bad Times" was rarely played live at Led Zeppelin concerts
Led Zeppelin concerts
From September 1968 through the summer of 1980, English rock group Led Zeppelin were one of the world's most popular live music attractions, performing hundreds of sold-out concerts around the world.-History:...
in its entirety. In a few instances in 1969 it was used as an introduction to "Communication Breakdown
Communication Breakdown
"Communication Breakdown" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, from their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin.- Structure :The pounding guitar riff was played by Page through a small, miked Supro amplifier throughout; and ran his Fender Telecaster through a fully closed Vox wah pedal to...
". It also appeared in almost complete form within the "Communication Breakdown" medley performed at the LA Forum on 4 September 1970, where it included a bass solo by Jones (as can be heard on the Led Zeppelin bootleg recording
Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings
The Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings are a collection of audio and video recordings of musical performances by English rock band Led Zeppelin which were never officially released by the band, or under other legal authority. The recordings consist of both live concert performances and outtakes from...
Live on Blueberry Hill
Live on Blueberry Hill
Live on Blueberry Hill is a bootleg recording of the English rock group Led Zeppelin's performance at the Los Angeles Forum on September 4, 1970, which took place during their Summer 1970 North American Tour....
), and several Whole Lotta Love
Whole Lotta Love
"Whole Lotta Love" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is featured as the opening track on the band's second album, Led Zeppelin II, and was released in the United States and Japan as a single. The US release became their first hit single, it was certified Gold on 13 April 1970, when it...
medleys in 1971. It was also the opening song for Led Zeppelin's reunion show
Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert
The Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert was a benefit concert held in memory of music executive Ahmet Ertegün at The O2 in London on December 10, 2007. The headline act was the English rock band, Led Zeppelin, who performed their first full-length concert since the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980,...
at the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 10 December 2007.
The TV & Radio presenter Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
has said that this is her favourite song of all time.
The song is played in the film, The Fighter. This is one of the rare occasions where the band's songs are used in films.
Accolades
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blender Blender (magazine) Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities.... |
United States | "The 1001 Greatest Songs to Download Right Now!" | 2003 | * |
(*) designates unordered lists.
Formats and tracklistings
1969 7" single (UK: Atlantic 584269, US/New Zealand: Atlantic 45-2613, Australia: Atlantic AK 2914, Canada: Atlantic AT 2613X, France: Atlantic 650 153, Germany: Atlantic ATL 70369, Greece: Atlantic 255 002, Italy: Atlantic ATL NP 03117, Japan: Nihon Gramophone DT-1105, Philippines: Atlantic 45-3734, Sweden: Atlantic ATL 70.369)- A. "Good Times Bad Times" (Bonham/Jones/Page) 2:47
- B. "Communication Breakdown" (Bonham/Jones/Page) 2:28
1969 7" single (South Africa: Atlantic ATS410)
- A. "Good Times Bad Times" 2:47
- B. "Black Mountain SideBlack Mountain Side"Black Mountain Side" is an instrumental by English rock band Led Zeppelin, featured on the band's 1969 début album Led Zeppelin. It was recorded at Olympic Studios, London during October 1968.-Song structure:...
" (Page) 2:12
1969 7" EP (Mexico: Atlantic EPA 1577)
- A1. "Good Times Bad Times" 2:47
- A2. "Communication Breakdown" 2:28
- B. "Dazed and Confused" (Page) 6:26
1972 7" EP (Argentina: Music Hall 186)
- A1. "Good Times Bad Times" 2:47
- A2. "Communication Breakdown" 2:28
- B1. "RoundaboutRoundabout (song)"Roundabout" is the opening track for the 1971 album Fragile by British progressive rock band Yes. The song was written by singer Jon Anderson and bassist Chris Squire. In January 1972, an edited version of the song was released as a single with "Long Distance Runaround" on the B-side. "Roundabout"...
" (Anderson/Howe) 3:27 - B2. "Long Distance RunaroundLong Distance Runaround"Long Distance Runaround" is a song by the progressive rock group Yes first recorded for their 1971 album, Fragile. Written by lead singer Jon Anderson, the song was released as a B-side to "Roundabout" but became a surprise hit in its own right as a staple of album-oriented rock radio...
" (Anderson) 3:30
Notes:
(*) B-side by Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
Peak chart positions
| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart | 64 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart | 80 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles Chart | 66 |
| US Record World 100 Top Pops | 65 |
| Japanese Singles Chart | 84 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 17 |
Personnel
- Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, backing vocals - Robert PlantRobert PlantRobert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
- lead vocals - John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocals
Cover versions
- AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
(at Nipmuc Regional Middle/High School at their first gig) - 1988: Nuclear AssaultNuclear AssaultNuclear Assault is an American thrash metal/crossover thrash band formed in 1984.-History:After the release of Anthrax's debut album Fistful of Metal, bass player Danny Lilker, a founding member of the group, was fired by the band...
(SurviveSurvive (Nuclear Assault album)Survive is an album by Nuclear Assault released in 1988 on vinyl, compact disc and cassette. As of 2010, it has yet to be reissued on CD, unlike Nuclear Assault's other albums."Good Times Bad Times" is a Led Zeppelin cover.-Track listing:...
) - 1989: The Dalai Lamas (The Song Retains the Name)
- 1993: Dread ZeppelinDread ZeppelinDread Zeppelin is an American band best known for performing the songs of Led Zeppelin in a reggae style as sung by a 300 pound Vegas Elvis impersonator. Over the years they would also perform songs originally by Elvis Presley, Bob Marley and The Yardbirds. The group toured extensively around the...
(Hot & Spicy BeanburgerHot & Spicy BeanburgerHot and Spicy Beanburger, released in 1993, is the fourth studio album by Dread Zeppelin. This album marks the return of Tortelvis, the lead singer who left the band and was not on the previous album, It's Not Unusual, which was criticized by many fans due to its focus on disco songs.On Hot and...
) - 1995: CrackerCracker (band)Cracker is an American alternative rock band featuring founders/songwriters singer David Lowery and guitarist Johnny Hickman. They are best known for their platinum-selling 1993 album, Kerosene Hat, featuring the hit songs "Low", "Euro-Trash Girl", and "Get Off This".Founders Lowery and Hickman...
(Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin) - 1998: CandleboxCandleboxCandlebox is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since their debut, the group has released four studio albums, which have achieved multi-platinum and gold certification, as well as numerous charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD....
(Live In Boston: Mama Kins [live bootleg]) - 1999: Carl WeathersbyCarl WeathersbyCarl Weathersby is a electric blues vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter...
(Whole Lotta Blues: Songs of Led Zeppelin) - 2000: Billy JoelBilly JoelWilliam Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
(Brief live cover) - 2002: AxxisAxxisAxxis is a German power metal band that was founded in 1988. Their debut album, "Kingdom of the Night", became the best-selling debut album ever by a hard rock band in Germany in 1989.-Biography:...
(The Music Remains the Same: A Tribute to Led ZeppelinThe Music Remains the Same: A Tribute to Led ZeppelinThe Music Remains the Same is a tribute album of Led Zeppelin songs. It was released on 25 November 2002 by American record label Locomotive Music.-Track listing:#"Kashmir" – Angra#"Dazed and Confused" – Blaze...
) - 2002: The Section (The String Quartet Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
- 2002: Bug Funny Foundation (The Electronic Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
- 2003: PhishPhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
(Live Phish Volume 20Live Phish Volume 20Live Phish Vol. 20 was recorded live at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island, on December 29, 1994.This concert is best known for its experimental, 35-minute version of "David Bowie," widely considered one of the greatest Phish jams of all time...
[recorded live 29 December 1994]) - 2004: Joe Lesté (Stairway to Rock: (Not Just) a Led Zeppelin Tribute)
- 2004: Robert Randolph and the Family Band (Bonnaroo: That Tent [live bootleg])
- 2005: Tracy GTracy GTracy G is an American heavy metal guitarist best known for his time with Dio from 1993 to 1999.His first band was with his father. It was called the Grijalva Brothers....
(Hip Hop Tribute to Led Zeppelin) - 2006: Studio 99 (Led Zeppelin: A Tribute)
- 2006: Bustle In Your Hedgerow (Live at Abbey Pub, 8.6.06)
- 2007: GodsmackGodsmackGodsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
(Good Times, Bad Times... Ten Years of Godsmack) - 2008: Eric BloomEric BloomEric Bloom is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the main vocalist, and "stunt guitar" for the long-running band Blue Öyster Cult, with work on over 20 albums...
(Led Box: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Tribute) - 2009: The Opposables (The Hideout 23 May 2009)
- 2009: Ben Harper and Relentless 7Relentless7Relentless7 is an American rock band formed in 2008 by singer/guitarist Ben Harper. The current members are Harper , Jason Mozersky , Jesse Ingalls , and Jordan Richardson .-History:...
(Unreleased, also played at live shows) - 2009: Root Mean SquareRoot mean squareIn mathematics, the root mean square , also known as the quadratic mean, is a statistical measure of the magnitude of a varying quantity. It is especially useful when variates are positive and negative, e.g., sinusoids...
(Unreleased) - 2011: Dave Matthews BandDave Matthews BandDave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
(DMB Caravan in Atlantic City, 24 June 2011)
Sources
- Lewis, Dave (2004) The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9
- Welch, Chris (1998) Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song, ISBN 1-56025-818-7