It Was a Good Day

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"It Was a Good Day"
Single by Ice Cube
from the album The Predator
ReleasedFebruary 23, 1993
RecordedMay 1992
Genre
Length4:20
Label
Songwriter(s)O'Shea Jackson
Producer(s)DJ Pooh
Ice Cube singles chronology
"Wicked"
(1992) 		"It Was a Good Day"
(1993) 		"Check Yo Self"
(1993)
Music video
"It Was a Good Day" on
YouTube
Audio sample

"It Was a Good Day" is a song by American rapper

UK Charts. On the Billboard Hot 100, the song peaked at No. 15, making it Ice Cube's highest-charting single on the chart to date. Its music video was directed by F. Gary Gray
. The song's lyrics describe a generic pleasant day from his life; according to Ice Cube, he had no specific date in mind, though several attempts have been made to identify one.

"It Was a Good Day" was ranked at No. 81 on the list of greatest rap songs of all time by

About.com, No. 77 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s, No. 36 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, and No. 352 on the latter's list of Top 500 Best Songs of All Time.[1] In 2008, the song was ranked at No. 28 on VH1's 100 greatest hip-hop songs.[7]

Background

Ice Cube originally recorded a demo of "It Was a Good Day" in his home studio, and later went on to record the album version at Echo Sound Studios in Los Angeles in 1992, where it was one of the first ideas for his upcoming album.

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?'"[8]

Initially, Ice Cube went into the studio with a sample of the

Isley Brothers' song "Footsteps in the Dark". DJ Pooh later enhanced the production with bass and vocals.[8] The song samples "Footsteps in the Dark, Pts. 1 & 2" and The Moments' song "Sexy Mama".[9][failed verification][citation needed] It has been re-released multiple times, including on Ice Cube's Greatest Hits album, Bootlegs & B-Sides, and The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 1: 1988–1998
.

Date of the "Good Day"

In a 2012

pagers were commercially sold, Lakers beat the SuperSonics, and Ice Cube had no filming commitments".[11] Deadspin fact-checked some of the claims.[12]

Online sleuths noted several inconsistencies in Strain's reasoning. For example, it was reported that Yo! MTV Raps did not air that day in 1992 and that "it is unlikely that Ice Cube got 'a beep from Kim' for a

booty call since the likely Kim, Ice Cube's fiancée by 1992, was eight months pregnant at the time".[13] Due to these errors, an alternative date has been calculated by a blogger pointing to November 30, 1988.[14]

Ice Cube himself stated that the lyrics are made up of things that happened on a number of different days: "It's a fictional song. It's basically my interpretation of what a great day would be. Do you know what I'm saying? So, you know, it's a little of this and a little of that. I don't think you can pinpoint the day."[15]

Goodyear Blimp campaign

In 2014, Ice Cube agreed to support a fundraising campaign started by four close friends describing themselves as "diehard rap aficionados" who wanted to raise and donate $25,000 to the South Los Angeles charity and after-school youth center A Place Called Home (APCH) if the

pimp" and instead flew the blimp with messages stating "Today is a Good Day" and "Flying For a Good Cause—A Place Called Home".[16]

Reception

The song was universally acclaimed by critics.

The Predator's "most laid-back moment, [it] emits a quiet sense of violent anxiety." He further stated that the song was, "a truly beautiful moment, a career highlight for sure."[18] Blender magazine writer, Michael Odel, felt that the song contained, "a chilled-out, feel-good vibe".[8] Greg Sandow from Entertainment Weekly mentioned that Ice Cube rapped over a "partly melancholy, partly swaggering beat [and] glories in good luck, South Central style".[19] Robert Hilburn from Los Angeles Times wrote, "Here is another one of pop’s most gifted--and often misunderstood--artists. The images are a bit bawdy, but the track [...] is noteworthy for the way this controversial rapper reveals a welcome tender side."[20] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton said, "Thus it is that when Ice Cube finally crosses over and gets his first UK hit, it is with "It Was a Good Day" a laid-back mellow rap, far removed from his usual uncompromising throwdown and may even stand a chance of crossing over even further."[21]

Jon Selzer from

NME wrote, "A slow, borrowed-from-the-Isley-Brothers groove just jogs along there somehow, and suddenly it's summer in the mean streets of LA."[25] Charles Aaron from Spin commented, "Outta the disastrous, misanthropic morass of The Predator emerges this way-too-real gangsta fairy tale. Cube is firing wildly in the wilderness, but don't toe-tag him yet."[26] Vibe magazine described DJ Pooh's beat as a "smoothed-out production".[27]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "It Was a Good Day" was directed by American director and producer F. Gary Gray and was first aired in March 1993.[28] It was later made available on YouTube in February 2009 and had generated more than 249 million views as of November 2023.[29]

The music video follows the song's lyrics, with Ice Cube waking up in the morning in his house in

To Be Continued...", setting up the plot for the music video to Ice Cube's following single "Check Yo Self". The video contains appearances by WC of WC and the Maad Circle, Jerome "Shorty" Muhammad and J-Dee of Da Lench Mob
, Ron Riser and Robin Power.

Legacy

"It Was a Good Day" reached #77 on

About.com's Top 100 Rap Songs, at number 81.[31]
In 2008, it was ranked #28 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.

Track listing

  • UK 2-track CD single
  1. "It Was a Good Day" (Radio version)
  2. "It Was a Good Day" (Instrumental)
  • 12" vinyl
A1. "It Was a Good Day" (Radio version)
A2. "It Was a Good Day" (Instrumental)
B1. "U Ain't Gonna Take My Life" (LP version)
B2. "U Ain't Gonna Take My Life" (Instrumental)

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[45] Gold 45,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[46]
sales since 2009 		Gold 50,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[47] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[48] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[50] Gold 600,000[49]

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. June 2, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  2. ^ "Ice Cube Promotes "It Was A Good Day" Clothing Line To Benefit Autism Speaks". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  3. ^ Brown, T. M. "The greatest hip-hop songs of all time". www.bbc.com. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  4. ^ "The 30 best G-Funk tracks of all time". Fact Magazine. July 26, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  5. ^ "Ice Cube has launched a charity clothing range to support autism". Fact Magazine. March 2, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  6. ^ "The 20 Best Five-year Runs In Rap". Complex. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "VH1's '100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs'". www.thefutoncritic.com. September 25, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d Michael Odell (April 2005). The Greatest Songs Ever! It Was a Good Day Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Blender. Accessed May 16, 2008.
  9. ^ It Was a Good Day sample searchThe-breaks. Accessed May 21, 2008. Archived December 24, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Murk Avenue | Tumblr MurkAve. National Good Day Day Accessed January, 2012.
  11. ^ "I FOUND ICE CUBES 'GOOD DAY'". MURK AVENUE. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  12. ^ The Internet Has Discovered The Exact Day Featured In Ice Cube’s "It Was A Good Day" DeadSpin.
  13. ^ Gradoni, Dino. "Sadly, January 20, 1992 May Not Be Ice Cube's 'Good Day'". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on December 15, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  14. ^ "Correction to Murk Avenue: Ice Cube's 'Good Day' really was Nov. 30, 1988". Pandemonium. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  15. ^ "Ice Cube finally resolves 'It Was A Good Day' theories: 'It's a fictional song'". EW.com. March 5, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  16. ^ a b "'It Was A Good Day' For Rap Fans Everywhere". HuffPost Canada. January 20, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  17. ^ Fenske, Sarah (January 20, 2014). "Ice Cube Gets His Name on the Goodyear Blimp (For Real)". LA Weekly. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  18. ^ Jason Birchmeier. The Predator > Overview AllMusic. Accessed May 16, 2008.
  19. ^ Greg Sandow (November 20, 1992). The Predator | Music Review Archived December 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Entertainment Weekly. Accessed May 16, 2008.
  20. ^ Hilburn, Robert (December 31, 1992). "Dance Energy Saves Dreary '92: Year-End Review". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  21. ^ Masterton, James (March 21, 1993). "Week Ending March 27th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  22. ^ Selzer, Jon (November 21, 1992). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 30. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  23. ^ Jones, Alan (March 20, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 6. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  24. ^ Beevers, Andy (March 13, 1993). "Market Preview: Dance" (PDF). Music Week. p. 20. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  25. NME
    . p. 19. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  26. ^ Aaron, Charles (June 1993). "Singles". Spin. p. 86. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  27. ^ Vibe 150: West Coast Archived October 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Vibe. Accessed May 16, 2008.
  28. ^ Ice Cube – "It Was a Good Day" mvdbase. Accessed May 16, 2008.
  29. ^ "Ice Cube - It Was A Good Day (Official Video)". YouTube. February 24, 2009. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  30. ^ 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s. VH1. Accessed May 16, 2008.
  31. ^ Top 100 Rap Songs Archived December 1, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. About.com. Accessed May 16, 2008.
  32. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 15. April 10, 1993. p. 21. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  33. ^ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 16. April 17, 1993. p. 25. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  34. ^ "Ice Cube: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  35. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. March 27, 1993. p. 28. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  36. ^ "Ice Cube Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  37. ^ "Ice Cube Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  38. ^ "Ice Cube Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
  39. ^ "Ice Cube Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
  40. ^ "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVI, no. 38. May 29, 1993. p. 12. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  41. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  42. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  43. ISSN 0006-2510
    . Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  44. ISSN 0006-2510
    . Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  45. ^ "Danish single certifications – Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  46. ^ "Italian single certifications – Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved July 31, 2023. Select "2023" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "It Was a Good Day" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  47. ^ "Ice Cube- It Was a Good Day". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  48. ^ "British single certifications – Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  49. ISSN 0006-2510
    . Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  50. ^ "American single certifications – Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

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