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Good Times Theme Song

This is dating me, but I used to watch the show Good Times. It’s a comedy-drama, created by Norman Lear, about a poor family living in the projects of New York.

I remember the opening credits song as happy one, upbeat and peppy. I have come to realize that I didn’t actually know the lyrics. Coincidentally, I just saw them and they made my eyes pop open. Here they are:

Good Times.
Any time you meet a payment.
Good Times.
Any time you need a friend.
Good Times.
Any time you’re out from under.

Not getting hassled, not getting hustled.
Keepin’ your head above water,
Making a wave when you can.

Temporary lay offs.
Good Times.
Easy credit rip offs.
Good Times.
Scratchin’ and survivin’.
Good Times.
Hangin’ in and jivin’
Good Times.
Ain’t we lucky we got ’em
Good Times.

[Closing Theme]

Mmmmmm
Just lookin’ out of the window
Watchin’ the asphalt grow
Thinkin’ how it all looks hand-me-down
Good Times, yeah, yeah Good Times

Keepin’ your head above water
Makin’ a wave when you can
Temporary lay offs
Good Times
Ain’t we lucky we got ’em
Good Times

This is pretty distressing to me now. I can’t believe I never noticed it as a kid. “Watching the asphalt grow” – that is rough. I think maybe I was just too young to know what was happening.

Comments

18 responses to “Good Times Theme Song”

  1. Dan Avatar
    Dan

    I’ve been watching the show community and one day I had the captions on for theme. What the hell does it mean and how does this have anything to do with this show. https://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/communitylyrics.html

    Reply
    1. Glen Lipka Avatar
      Glen Lipka

      🤷🏻‍♂️

      Reply
      1. Skye Avatar
        Skye

        That is not the theme song to Good Times.
        Chic is a dusco band who sang the song, Goid Times

        Reply
        1. Skye Avatar
          Skye

          *Disco
          *Good

          Reply
    2. Cara Chapman Avatar
      Cara Chapman

      Living in the ghetto sometimes you don’t have the luxury of watching the grass grow. You live in the projects, asphalt instead of grass.

      Reply
  2. Regina Mosley Avatar
    Regina Mosley

    As a young child, Good Times was one of my favorite shows and I still like watching it today even though I never understood why it was called good times because they never made it out of the ghetto, but loved the show anyway.

    Reply
    1. Skye Avatar
      Skye

      Ohh, yes they did make it out of the Ghetto!!!
      They moved to North Shores on Baker Street,
      The final episode is called; “The end of the rainbow”

      Reply
  3. DK Avatar
    DK

    It was Chicago not New York City. All the exterior shots were of Cabrini Green

    Reply
    1. Ralph A Gleeson jr Avatar
      Ralph A Gleeson jr

      👍

      Reply
    2. Ruth A McLain Avatar
      Ruth A McLain

      Definitely Chicago…Florida said it just yesterday!!”

      Reply
  4. Justin Avatar
    Justin

    Although the show as call “Good Times” and there never seemed to be any, I love the fact that they made the best of what they had, each other. That’s the meaning of “Good Times. Being thankful for having a loving family despite their financial strong hold. I love this show till this day. James Evans reminds me of my Dad, while growing up in the 70’s & 80’s. Ironically, my dads name was James too.

    Reply
  5. Larry Stokes Avatar
    Larry Stokes

    I know all black people loved good time, because we understood the concept of Good Times.

    Reply
    1. Lawyer4hayah Avatar
      Lawyer4hayah

      Actually no, most of us know that a white man wrote that show. It never made you wonder why they got rid of all of the black fathers? Do you think that a white man had our best interest? Oppression starts in the mind!

      Reply
  6. Randy A Cook Avatar
    Randy A Cook

    There’s been a little discrepancy over the years about a line in the opening song hangin in and jivin or hangin in a chow line??….and also original lyrics were changed so as not to embarrass black people…such as lookin into the hallway watchin the roaches crawl and landlord nobody’s fool lives on other side of town…

    Reply
  7. Fred Avatar
    Fred

    Watching it right now. The episode where James died,and Florida was told over the phone..”Damn! Damn! DAMN!!” That was so so SAD to watch! I felt it,she was a good actress.

    Reply
    1. Glen Lipka Avatar
      Glen Lipka

      I remember that. Yeah, heartbreaking.

      Reply
    2. Lisa Lisa Avatar
      Lisa Lisa

      She was told by Telegram message. Most kids don’t know about that, that’s the old school text message haha

      Reply
  8. Alan Mascarenas Avatar
    Alan Mascarenas

    The show was set in Chicago, not New York.

    Reply

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