From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1964 single by Sam Cooke
"
Ain't That Good News
", also known as "
Good News
", is a song written and performed by
soul
singer
Sam Cooke
, released on
RCA Records
in 1964.
[1]
The song was recorded in three takes for the 1964
album of the same name
[2]
and reached number eleven on the
pop chart
, and number one on the
Cashbox Magazine
's R&B charts as a single.
[3]
Cooke performed the song live on
American Bandstand
on April 4 of the same year. It is a modern adaptation of an older
gospel
song of the same title.
Music
[
edit
]
The song was the first piece of new material that Cooke had recorded in the six months following the drowning death of his 18-month-old son Vincent. After reaching a new deal with
RCA Records
, Sam Cooke received more creative freedom in his work and had chosen a fine line of session musicians to accompany him.
[4]
Known for his gospel roots, Sam Cooke often used church influences in his music. "Ain't That Good News" is a
secular
reworking of an old
spiritual
. The spiritual's lyrics proclaimed the singer's faith and love for Jesus, built around gospel themes and a slow gospel tempo with an underlying pulsating drive.
[5]
Sam Cooke, however, transformed the song into an uptempo soulful number with an upbeat horn and rhythm section. Cooke's version has the same feel, passion, and soul as the original, but is about the faith and love of a woman.
Reception
[
edit
]
Cash Box
said that Cooke "lashes out with expected polish and vigor on this happy-sounding affair" and said that the song "has that top ten sound."
[7]
Personnel
[
edit
]
Credits for the song adapted from album liner notes.
[8]
- Horn Section
- Rhythm Section
Cover Versions
[
edit
]
Cooke's version was later covered by many acts, such as:
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Sam Cooke: Good News
at
Discogs
(list of releases)
- ^
"Ain't That Good News album information"
. Songsofsamcooke.com
. Retrieved
2011-11-13
.
- ^
Whitburn, Joel
(2004).
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004
. Record Research. p. 134.
- ^
Guralnick, Peter
(2005).
Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke
.
Little, Brown and Company
. pp.
500
, 528.
ISBN
0-316-37794-5
.
- ^
Work, J. W. (1940).
"Ain't That Good News"
.
negrospirituals.com
. Retrieved
February 2,
2016
.
From
American Negro Songs
.
- ^
"CashBox Record Reviews"
(PDF)
.
Cash Box
. January 25, 1964. p. 8
. Retrieved
2022-01-12
.
- ^
Ain't That Good News reissue liner notes by Hugo & Luigi, Lenne Allik
. ABKCO Music & Records, Inc. 2003.
- ^
Winkler, Kevin (21 May 2015).
"(Ain't That) Good News: The Supremes Remastered"
.
Huffington Post
. Retrieved
9 June
2017
.
External links
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]
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Studio albums
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Live albums
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Collaboration albums
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Compilations
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Singles
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Related articles
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