That's Good

Song Name: That's Good

Artist:   DEVO

Appears On:

• oh,no! it's DEVO,
  Greatest Hits,   Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The Anthology,   this is the DEVO box (album version)

• E-Z Listening Cassette Volume 2,   E-Z Listening Disc (EZ version)

• Now It Can Be Told - Devo At The Palace,   Butch Devo And The Sundance Gig
    Live at the Observatory, Santa Ana, CA (live versions)

Run Time:   3:23 (album version)

Year Released:   1982 (album version)

Years Performed:   1982, 1988-1991, 1996-1999, 2001, 2003-2014, 2019, 2021-present ^{setlist.fm stats}

Writing Credits:   Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald V. Casale

Sung By:   Mark Mothersbaugh (lead), Gerald V. Casale (backing)

Alternate Versions: 
   
   7” Single Edit (2:59),
   12” Extended Version (5:06), ^Discogs  
   12” Disconet Remix AKA Extended Edit,  
   E-Z Listening Version (3:36),  
   Live "TechnoDEVO" Version (4:13),  
   Devo 2.0 Version (3:22)

Demo Versions:  

Demo and rough mix versions of “That's Good” are unreleased.

Song Connections:  

In Heaven Everything is Fine,  cover song - (similar lyrics)

Trivia / Info:

• The music video for this song was banned by MTV due to the visual juxtaposition of a french-fry penetrating a Donut, and a smiling girl. MTV would only air an edited version.

• Jerry sings backing vocals on the lyrics "that's good" and "everybody."

• The french fry and donut are discussed in Jerry’s 1972 treatise “Polymer Love.”

• The french fry and donut appear on a 1983 picture disc. This 12” promo is the only single release of the 3:23 album version.

• A version of this song was re-recorded for Devo 2.0, and includes some small lyric changes.

Onstage Behavior:

• During the 1982 tour, DEVO performed the song in front of a backdrop featuring the background visuals from the music video, and used similar stage choreography.

• Alan stands at his drum pads with a wide stance, as in the music video.

• During the 1982 tour, Mark Mothersbaugh thrusted his hips during the "explosion" sound effect. In performances from 1988 to present Mark pretended to "fire" his microphone at the audience.

Lyrics:

everybody  it's a good thing

everybody  wants a good thing

everybody  ain't it true that

everybody's looking for the same thing

ain't it true there's just no doubt

there's some things that you can’t do without

and (that's good)

ain't it true as the sun that shines

you got yours, and you got mine

and (that's good)

everybody's just like (you - it's true)

everybody wants a (good thing, too)

everybody  it's a good thing

everybody  wants a good thing

everybody  ain't it true that

everybody's looking for the same thing

ain't it true  there's room for doubt

maybe some things that you could do without

and (that's) good

everybody's just like (you - it's true)

everybody wants a (good thing, too)

now let's have a great big hand

for everybody that can understand

life's a bee without a buzz

it's going great 'til you get stung

and let us not forget to toast

everyone who might have missed the boat

and to everybody else who waits

until the next one sails in again

  (instrumental break)

(everybody)  it's a good thing

ain't it true it's a monumental good thing

(everybody)  it's a good thing

ain't it true it's a monumental good thing

(everybody)  it's a good thing

ain't it true it's a monumental good thing

Video:

Film Short / Music Video

Appears on   We're All DEVO,   The Complete Truth About De-Evolution

The restored music video was released in HD and stereo at DEVOvision.

Live Video

DEVO performs "That's Good" on Live In The Land Of The Rising Sun

Clips from the "That's Good" music video were incorporated, with other footage, as a tour film projected while DEVO performed this song onstage: YouTube

Fan videos are available online.

Additional Info:

DEVO talks about this video in Episode 6.

The instrumental intro lasts about 00:38" until the first vocals are sung.

The song lyrics are about conspicuous consumption, supply and demand, and the option to think different.

Rare and live versions are available from BBB.

Spelling/Orthography –

The condensed lyrics printed on the album back cover are set in a lowercase, sans-serif font.

References:

External Links:

• That's Good b/w What I Must Do -- single edit (7” master release) -- Discogs

• That’s Good -- album and extended version (12” master release) – Discogs

• That's Good b/w What I Must Do (WB US single) -- 45cat

• That's Good (recording) -- MusicBrainz

• That's Good (overview) -- AllMusic

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ain't it true  there's room for doubt maybe some things that you could do without and that's good