It Was a Good Day
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| “It Was a Good Day” | ||||||||||||
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| Single by Ice Cube from the album The Predator |
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| Released | March, 1993 | |||||||||||
| Format | CD single & 12" single | |||||||||||
| Recorded | 1992 | |||||||||||
| Genre | West Coast Hip Hop | |||||||||||
| Length | 4:20 | |||||||||||
| Label | Priority | |||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Jackson, O. | |||||||||||
| Producer | DJ Pooh | |||||||||||
| Ice Cube singles chronology | ||||||||||||
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"It Was a Good Day" is a 1993 single by American gangsta rapper Ice Cube from his third solo album, The Predator. It is the second single from the album and it peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also a hit in the UK Charts, peaking at number 27. It was ranked as the 81st greatest rap song of all time by About.com and number 77 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s.
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[edit] Background
Ice Cube originally recorded a demo of the track in his home studio and went on to record the album version in Los Angeles at Echo Sound Studios during 1992, and it was one of the first ideas for the album sessions.[1] Ice Cube commented on the concept behind the song stating,
The inspiration was my life at the time ... I was at the top of the rap game. It was the summer of ’92 and I was in a hotel room, really in a state of euphoria. I had all the money I had dreamed of. I was in a good frame of mind. And I remember thinking, ‘Okay, there’s been the riots, people know I will deal with that. That’s a given. But I rap all this gangsta stuff — what about all the good days I had?[1]
Ice Cube initially went into the studio with a sample of the Isley Brothers’ “Footsteps in the Dark" and DJ Pooh enhanced the production with bass and vocals.[1] The song been re-released multiple times, including on Ice Cube's Greatest Hits album, on the highly successful and controversial videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on West Coast hip hop radio station Radio Los Santos. A remixed version, sampling "Let's Do It Again" by The Staple Singers, appeared on his Bootlegs & B-Sides as well as The N.W.A. Legacy, Vol. 1: 1988-1999.
[edit] Music and reception
This is perhaps Ice Cube's most well-known song and his most successful. The song's music video and the lyrics itself tell the story of how Ice Cube has a good day in South Central Los Angeles. Throughout the song he enjoys playing basketball, having sex, smoking marijuana, getting drunk, going to his friend Short Dog's house to watch Yo! MTV Raps and later play Craps, eating fast food at 2 A.M., and cruising the streets of South Central undisturbed.[2][1] The song samples multiple songs, including the Isley Brothers' "Footsteps in the Dark" and "Come on Sexy Mama" by The Moments.[3]
The song received generally very positive reviews from critics. Blender magazine writer, Michael Odel, stated it contained a "chilled-out, feel-good vibe"[1] All Music Guide's Jason Birchmeier noted that even though it was The Predator's "most laid-back moment, [It] emits a quiet sense of violent anxiety." and went on to say "It's a truly beautiful moment, a career highlight for sure"[4] Entertainment Weekly mention that he rapped over a "partly melancholy, partly swaggering beat [and] glories in good luck, South Central style".[5] Vibe magazine described DJ Pooh's beat as a "smoothed-out production".[6] It reached number 77 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's.[7] It was included in About.com's Top 100 Rap Songs, at number 81.[8]
[edit] Chart performance
The song performed well in the United States, becoming Ice Cube's highest charting single to date. It reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 7 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and peaked at number 1 on the Hot Rap Singles. It also reached number 13 on the Rhythmic Top 40.[9] It sold over 500,000 units and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it Gold on June 1, 1993.[10] It was also successful in the U.K., where it peaked at number 27 on single charts.[11]
[edit] Music video
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The music video was directed by F. Gary Gray and was first aired during March 1993.[12] Each scene follows and depicts the respective lyrics.
At the end of the accompanying music video, police are depicted surrounding Ice Cube's house in order to arrest him. It then states "To Be Continued", a segue to his next music video and single "Check Yo Self," which was released the following August. The shirt Cube was wearing in the video was the same one he later wore in the 1995 movie Friday.
[edit] Charts
| Chart (1993) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[11] | 27 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100[9] | 15 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Singles[9] | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles[9] | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[9] | 13 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Michael Odell (April 2005). The Greatest Songs Ever! It Was a Good Day. Blender. Accessed May 16, 2008.
- ^ It Was a Good Day Lyrics. MTV. Accessed May 21, 2008.
- ^ It Was a Good Day sample search The-breaks. Accessed May 21, 2008.
- ^ Jason Birchmeier. The Predator > Overview All Music Guide. Accessed May 16, 2008.
- ^ Greg Sandow (November 20, 1992). The Predator | Music Review Entertainment Weekly. Accessed May 16, 2008.
- ^ Vibe 150: West Coast Vibe. Accessed May 16, 2008.
- ^ 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s. VH1. Accessed May 16, 2008.
- ^ 100 Greatest Rap Songs. About.com. Accessed May 16, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Ice Cube - Billboard Singles. All Music Guide. Accessed May 16, 2008.
- ^ RIAA Searchable database - Ice Cube Singles. RIAA. Accessed May 16, 2008.
- ^ a b UK Top 40 Hit Database. EveryHit.com. Accessed May 16, 2008. Note: User must define search parameters, i.e. "Ice Cube".
- ^ Ice Cube - "It Was a Good Day" mvdbase. Accessed May 16, 2008.
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