(Support us at / whatdidtheysay ) Watch enough Good Times and you eventually wonder what they were saying during the opening credits. Here are the actual dyn-o-mite lyrics!
This theme song is timeless. The raw energy of fighting everyday for a place in this world. Doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from. Life is a struggle and having family and friends to get you through, is priceless. Thank You GOODTIMES!
Brought tears to my eyes because I remember the times me and my family struggled.. even in the midst, we still managed to make happy memories. #GoodTimes
I saw a documentary that showed people around the world that lived in poverty, and horrible conditions, yet, they were the happiest people you would ever meet. Why? The ONE thing they all had in common was a loving family. God Bless. :)
Man, it’s such a great theme song. The intro had the energy you felt when you stopped by a friend’s house, and the outro gave you the feeling that it was time to go home. It complimented the show so beautifully. These characters didn’t just feel real; they felt like your neighbors.
I am an Italian American. I remember watching these shows. It always made me think about the struggles of life and how we all have to find ways out to survive!
@@dianarochelle3869 And YOU'RE BLACK, NAMED AFTER THE PREMIER MOTOWN ARTIST HERSELF, AND...both of them signed to Motown Records. A company you should be WELL VERSED IN. You need to change affiliations...NOW! Even I knew the words!
The theme of good times still resonates to this day...we're still s÷ing inflation, struggles to keep a roof over our heads, barely paying the bills,trying to stay on the right track..yet the spirit and happy memories we make with our loved ones the best we can...God bless you everyone stay strong and safe
My Dad was very similar to James Evans. Very strict and you did get a spanking when you did something wrong. He, too, had a few different construction jobs to keep us going.
I'm 21, born in 2000, 40 years after the show ended. My dad loved this show growing up and he would always show it to us kids growing up, I'm so thankful for this show and my dad's appreciation and love for it too. Taught us many lessons and to always appreciate what you have and WHO you have!
Though some of the lyrics are utterly depressing, the composer ends each line with "Good times!" Reminding us there's always a way to dance through the fire. I loved this song as a child, and I cherish it as an adult ❤
it reminds me of my dad who passed away in 2019. I was 8 and SCN ( southern command network) started showing Good Times. I remenber him laughing, but most of all I remember the song, the intro, the faces.
Man I just had to listen to this again. It came to memory when I saw JayJay Walker on that commercial lol. Remember my childhood watching this, The Jefferson's, Sanford & Son, The Redd Foxx Show etc. I miss those days. They were so much better than nowadays. These shows were awesome then. They'll always be awesome!
Don't forget All in the Family, Emergency, Adam - 12, Mission Impossible, Star Trek, and a bunch more. The 70s kicked ass, musically and in Television!
I just now notice how sarcastic the song was but it was good times when u were going through rough times thats when family stuck together. Those time u had to have good times to lighten the mood of going through the rough times.
Any time you meet a payment, any time you meet a friend, you're out from under, not gettin' hassled, not gettin' hustled.....all sounds pretty good to me!
Although I didn't grow up in a ghetto, grew up middle class poor in the Pittsburgh suburbs, my white family, mainly my father went through similar circumstances of layoffs, quitting & firings. My mother worked a minimum wage job @ K Mart & held the family financially together!
From Wikipedia: Theme song and opening sequence The gospel-styled theme song was composed by Dave Grusin with lyrics written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman. It was sung by Jim Gilstrap and Motown singer Blinky Williams with a gospel choir providing background vocals. The lyrics to the theme song are notorious for being hard to discern, notably the line "Hangin' in a chow line"/"Hangin' in and jivin'" (depending on the source used). Dave Chappelle used this part of the lyrics as a quiz in his "I Know Black People" skit on Chappelle's Show in which the former was claimed as the answer.The insert for the Season One DVD box set has the lyric as "Hangin' in a chow line". However, the Bergmans confirmed that the lyric is actually "Hangin' in and jivin'." Slightly different lyrics were used for the closing credits, with the song beginning on a verse instead of the chorus.
yeah, I could never get that line. I thought it sounded like "hangin in a jara" no idea what that would mean. but hangin in and jivin makes much more sense
So I *WAS RIGHT!* ...Mostly; I always heard: "Hangin' and ah jivin'!" Which is pretty dang close to: "Hangin' *IN* and jivin'!" I *KNEW* that mess about a "chow line" just didn't set right with me! *THANK YOU* for finally clearing this up!! I used to watch this early in the morning, right before Gumby, in the late 1980s when I was in Jr. High, in Cook County, Illinois, just outside of Chicago's West Side...just a few miles from where the intro was filmed, and where it was supposed to take place (though I'm guessing the interior shots were likely filmed in Hollywood, CA?). I had an ex that actually grew up in one of Chicago's more infamous projects, and she absolutely hated this program as it wasn't "true to life," but as I told her, it *IS* a fictional sitcom, that was mostly marketed towards an audience that not only had probably never even driven past a housing project, but had probably never lived in or near Chicago, or any other large Amerrican city....I mean do you think that "Leave it to Beaver" was a "realistic representation" of most families in the suburbs?! Absolutely not! This is why it's a fictional sitcom and not a real-life documentary!
Born in 61, I was still very young when Good Times was on the air. That song, oh that song, has always brought out something special in my soul. The memories just bring me back to a time in life which I call carefree. There were many problems I had while growing up a black male in America, problems of development accompanied by race and segregation for male children. Sometimes it hurt listening to this song, a soul sickness, the smell of enchantment with melancholy sickness flavor. The pain of being a black child in the 70s for some of us still hurt very much today, especially when you daydream of past memories.
I always thought it was "hanging in a Joliet" - as in the nearby city of Joliet where the shows takes place in Chicago... It makes no dang sense... but that's what I honestly thought... go figure...!!! (LOL) ... I still say this was one of the all-time best TV theme songs ever made.
This is the greatest TV theme song ever (although the Maude theme song is a very close second.) The lyrics are evocative and tenderly descriptive of the experiences of people determined to be happy in the face of constant adversity. "Just looking out of the window watching the asphalt grow" is the type of abstract imagery someone like Laura Nyro would write. I think the Bergmans absorbed a lot of different influences. Their songs were very diverse.
This just takes me back to when life was great. Most didn't care who or where you came from as long as you were good people with a good heart you were always welcome. Love all my brothers and sisters from every dam where
Still one of my very favorites… still watching it !! I loved everything about this show… the theme song story lines etc! So raw real and really funny!! Perfect cast… I loved every season but always missed John Amos ! He was such a big part of the show… I always loved the line… Junior I brought you in this world and I can take you out! 😅😂🤣😆 SUCH A CLASSIC SHOW!! 💙
“Daddy, can I have a raise in my allowance?” “Well how much am I giving you now, Junior?” “Nothin.” “Ok. I’ll double it.” “Yes! I’m gettin double allowance!”
Surprised myself with the "hangin' in and jivin' ", but on the Outro credits, "Watching the escargot/Thinking how they’re almost hand-me-downs," was a BIG swing-and-a-miss when I was six (and this was long in syndication). But hey -- Moms happened to love escargot! 😂 Wonderful theme song -- thanks for the memories!!
Finally looked this up because of the Chappelle skit 12 years after I first saw it and even though I’ve never even seen this show, this intro/outro radiates a nostalgia that I’ve had about the Chicago I never got to see but have heard so much of. Everything about this song and the footage that it’s paired with is perfect.
I’m glad to learn what the words really are. As a kid, I thought they were singing “hangin’ in a toilet “ and I wasn’t sure what that meant. Thanks to “Black-ish” for their “Good-ish Times” episode, which caused me to want to look it up and learn the truth after all these years.
it reminds me of my dad who passed away in 2019. I was 8 and SCN ( southern command network) started showing Good Times. I remenber him laughing, but most of all I remember the song, the intro, the faces.
I’m just gonna say if the people that actually wrote the song say it’s “hangin and a Jivin’ then damn it.. it’s hangin and a jivin’!! End of discussion.. period!!
Cubbie 410 well I did studio work and have song lyrics wrong and they kept it to keep down recording cost and it sounded great so it was ok but a lyrics sheet had opposite of what I said
I never realized how depressing this theme song was, especially for a family was in low of socioeconomic status. The lyrics really dampen the nostalgia of such a rememberable theme song.
What kind of professional recording artist, being paid to record a specific song, with specific lyrics, would “take a little creative license” and just sing their own line? Also, the “chow line” thing makes NO sense. It’s a song about hard working blu collar families, not about homeless people in a shelter.
@@trekkiejunk because a chow line isn't just for homeless...its for anyone in need...they don't discriminate..sort of like the salvation army..all are welcome..and based on low income family in Chicago struggling to pay bills and put food on table..chow line makes sense
That's my late Grandfather Leon on the bicycle in the closing credits of the show. He used to talk about that all the time, being a TV star because he was in the show lol. RIP G Leon.
Absolutely awesome! Thank you for posting this! You are DY-NO-MITE!! I've waited almost FIFTY YEARS to get the correct and complete lyrics to this theme! They say all things come to those who wait, so it's lucky I'm a patient man!
Yes it did change drastically. You notice on the video, that the John Hancock tower is shown but no Sears Tower 'or as of recent, the Willis Tower' and that's because this sitcom must have debut in the few years between the completion of the Hancock tower and the Sears Tower. Here's something that blew my mind when I found out it was true. Cleveland's Terminal Tower was the tallest building in the world outside of New York City between 1928 when construction was completed, until 1964 when the Prudential Building was built in Boston. Back then Chicago did have a huge downtown. But it's buildings weren't the towering mega tall buildings that exist there today.
The recent showing of All in the Family and The Jeffersons made me remember the fact that I never knew all of the words to Good Times. I had no idea of a lot of what they were saying. Thanks for posting because if I had not seen these subtitles, I NEVER would have figured out some parts of what was being said.
loved this hook. This songs reminds you of all the good times you experience growing up. Many of us have forgotten these must have experiences. I never knew all the words, thank you'll for solving my mystery, temporary layoff, a good time
One of the most underrated and greatest show to be on TV. The cast was Dynamite. Every episode had a positive message and values. Crazy thing is you can actually apply those lessons today. I can't believe Amazon Prime has all the episodes.
@@eaqua56 , And that show dealt with some of the most difficult subjects that were unheard of speaking about (taboo) in the 1970's, but they did-racism, declining economy, teen pregnancy and even "heroin" opioid addiction, etc.! We should have "Listened" 45-50 years ago! God Bless You and Happy Birthday in Heaven, Esther Rolle!
The lyrics to this theme song might be one of the greatest mysteries/urban legends in all of pop culture. I’m still not convinced. I think the fact that the vocalist appears to deviate from the lyrics as written may leave the solution open to debate for years to come.
To be a pillar of a black family . Husband and Wife . Father and Mother together . To have children , the children being siblings . The Mother and I rear our sons and daughters up to be righteous and to prepare them all for life beyond without us . I wanted 3 boys and 5 daughters .
Hahahahha and not even questioning what "jordin" was right went right on singing it hahahaha. I did the same. Making up or thinking it was saying different words hahaha.
Man, this takes me back to junior high school! This and the Welcome Back Kotter theme song. Yeah, and Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley. You always knew what evening of the week it was back then.
My Mom who is 91 years old with dementia sent me here to be in a happy place with a great theme song like Good Times! Ain’t we lucky we got them, Good Times ohhhh yeah. There’s got to be a way of coping with Caregiving.
This was the story of black( some say brown)people in the USA Ghettos.. govt gave us nothing .. we didn’t complain. We found good times despite the overwhelming hardship place on us
