Ebeneezer Goode

Last updated
"Ebeneezer Goode"
The Shamen - Ebeneezer Goode.jpg
Single by the Shamen
from the album Boss Drum
Released24 August 1992 (1992-08-24) [1]
Genre Rave [2]
Length3:53
Label One Little Indian
Songwriter(s)
The Shamen singles chronology
"LSI (Love Sex Intelligence)"
(1992)		"Ebeneezer Goode"
(1992)		"Phorever People"
(1992)
Music video
"Ebeneezer Goode" on YouTube

"Ebeneezer Goode" is a song by Scottish electronic music group the Shamen which, heavily remixed by the Beatmasters, became their biggest hit when released as a single on 24 August 1992 by One Little Indian. The group's original version featured on the vinyl edition of their fifth album, Boss Drum (1992).

Contents

"Ebeneezer Goode" was one of the most controversial UK number-one hits of the 1990s due to its perceived oblique endorsement of recreational drug use, and it was initially banned by the BBC. It has been claimed the single was eventually withdrawn after the band were hounded by the British tabloid press, [3] though, according to The Shamen themselves, it was deleted while at number one due to its long chart run "messing up our release schedule". [4] Its music video was directed by Richard Heslop. [5]

Lyrics

The song is best known for its chorus, "'Eezer Goode, 'Eezer Goode / He's Ebeneezer Goode", the first part of which is phonetically identical to "Es are good" – 'E' being common slang for the drug ecstasy. [3] However, 'E' is also sung many other times during the song, ostensibly as 'e (i.e. he), such as in "E's sublime, E makes you feel fine". [4] The lyric alludes to the advantages of the drug, though with an admonition against excessive use:

A gentleman of leisure, he's there for your pleasure
But go easy on old 'Eezer, he's a love you could lose
Extraordinary fella, like Mister Punchinella
He's the kind of geezer who must never be abused.

The song also contains references to the use of cannabis with ecstasy, referencing the rolling of a cannabis joint with the lines "Has anybody got any Veras?" ("Vera Lynns" being rhyming slang for "skins" or rolling papers) and "Got any salmon?" ("salmon and trout" being rhyming slang for "snout" or tobacco).

The "A great philosopher once wrote..." sample at the start of the song is Malcolm McDowell from Lindsay Anderson's 1973 film O Lucky Man!

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media said the song "is a thinly disguised tribute to the drug XTC, although some might think it's about nice chocolates". They added, "Whatever the moralists may say – 'naughty, naughty' like the lyrics [sic] in the intro – it's a brilliantly constructed pop song with both radio and club appeal as proved before by other Euro-crossover hits such as 'Move Any Mountain' and 'Love Sex Intelligence'." [6] Andy Beevers from Music Week commented, "Bringing together very authentic old-fashioned acid house sounds and a cheeky rap, this has instant appeal and is going to be a huge hit. A word of warning, however: it will make 'absolutely outrageous, mate' this summer's most irritating catchphrase." [7] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update described it as "pure corny pop with a laddishly spoken and chanted very silly vocal about a geezer what's called Ebeneezer, punctuated by "wicked mate" comments and Sid James-like guffaws" and a "twittery bleeping jaunty bounder". [8]

Chart performance

The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number six in September 1992, climbing to number one two weeks later (ironically during the BBC's drug awareness week) and staying there for four weeks. [9] It was the UK's 13th-biggest-selling single of 1992. [10]

In the U.S., Epic Records did not service the single to radio stations, nor released the single commercially. They did, however, serviced the single to club DJs via two separate white labels: the first one with the U.K. mixes (catalog No. EAS 5001), and the second one with the U.S. mixes (catalog No. AED 4917). The only information on these releases were the artist name, the name of the single, and the catalog number. Ebeneezer Goode received heavy club play on U.S. clubs, but Epic Records did not hire a record club promoter to push the song up the Club Play chart, therefore DJs were not pressured to report the song back to Billboard. Because its lack of promotion, the single charted only for one week, debuting and peaking at No. 2 on the Hot Dance Club Play Breakouts chart (aka No. 52, Hot Dance Club Play chart) for the week ending December 5, 1992.

Music video

The music video for the song consisted of club scenes intermixed with a caped man (ostensibly Ebeneezer Goode himself, played by Jerry Sadowitz) running around parts of a city. It was directed by British director of music videos and films Richard Heslop. [5] Due to the use of flashing images in the video, some TV music channels make epilepsy warnings. Some channels, including VH1, edit the video to reduce the frame rate of these scenes, which deletes each bright frame.

The video was played in episode 5 and 6, season 3 of Beavis and Butt-Head , "Kidnapped".

Performance on Top of the Pops

When the Shamen appeared on BBC1's Top of the Pops , Mr C was expected to tone down the song due to its being broadcast. The group replaced the final lyric "Got any salmon?" with "Has anyone got any underlay?" When later asked about this in a radio interview, he replied it referenced rugs, not drugs. [4] [11]

Charts

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [32] Gold35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [1] Silver200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Shamen</span> Scottish electronic dance music band

The Shamen were a Scottish psychedelic band, formed in 1985 in Aberdeen, who became a chart-topping British electronic dance music act by the early 1990s. The founding members were Colin Angus, Derek McKenzie and Keith McKenzie. Peter Stephenson joined shortly after to take over on keyboards from Angus. Several other people were later in the band. Angus then teamed up with Will Sinnott, and together they found credibility as pioneers of rock/dance crossover. When rapper Mr. C joined, the band moved on to international commercial success with "Ebeneezer Goode" and their 1992 Boss Drum album.

This is a summary of 1992 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

<i>Boss Drum</i> 1992 studio album by The Shamen

Boss Drum is the Shamen's 1992 album, released a year after the death of bassist Will Sinnott. It features their UK number one single "Ebeneezer Goode". Critics gave the album positive feedback and the album reached number three on the UK Albums Chart, and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry in December 1992.

The Beatmasters are an English electronic music group who gained success in the UK in the late 1980s with four top 20 hit singles. They then went on to produce and remix records for other artists, including Pet Shop Boys, Erasure and Marc Almond. The group's string of chart hit singles include "Burn It Up", "Hey DJ! ", "Who's in the House" and "Rok da House". The latter, having been recorded in 1986, is one of the earliest examples of hip house and most likely the first song of the genre. Hip house is a subgenre of house music which features rap vocals performed over a house rhythm track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Move Any Mountain</span> 1991 single by the Shamen

"Move Any Mountain" is a song by Scottish electronic music group the Shamen, first released under the title "Pro›gen". With an official remix by the Beatmasters, the song was re-released in the UK in summer 1991 and was their first top-10 single, reaching number four in the UK Singles Chart. It was included on the band's second album, En-Tact (1990), and is also their only top-40 hit in the US, where the song peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleeping Satellite</span> 1992 single by Tasmin Archer

"Sleeping Satellite" is a song by British singer-songwriter Tasmin Archer, released in September 1992 by EMI and SBK as the first single from her debut album, Great Expectations (1992). The song was written by Archer with John Beck and John Hughes, and produced by Julian Mendelsohn and Paul Wickens. It received favorable reviews from music critics and became an international hit. "Sleeping Satellite" peaked at number one in the United Kingdom, Greece, Ireland, and Israel, and reached the top 20 in 13 other countries, as well as numbers 32 and 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 in June 1993. There were two different music videos produced to promote the single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Are You Ready to Fly</span> 1992 single by Rozalla

"Are You Ready to Fly" is a song by Zambian-born singer Rozalla, released in February 1992 by Pulse 8 as a single from her second album, Everybody's Free (1992). The song was written by Nigel Swanston and Tim Cox, and produced by Band of Gypsies. It achieved a certain success in many countries, including the United States, where it topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The single reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and was also a hit across continental Europe, peaking within the top five in Belgium, Denmark and Spain. New York City-based director Ed Steinberg directed its music video. The song won an award in the category "Best Single of the Year" on the 1993 Hi-NRG Music Awards in New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feeling So Real</span> 1994 single by Moby

"Feeling So Real" is a song by American electronica musician Moby, released on October 1994 by Mute and Elektra, as the second single from the musician's third studio album, Everything Is Wrong (1995). The song, both written and produced by Moby, features the phrases "sound system rocking my....." and "set it up DJ!" spoken by Kochie Banton, who also appears in Moby's following single, "Everytime You Touch Me". The guest vocalist for the song is Rozz Morehead. It peaked at number 30 on the UK Singles Chart, number nine on the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart, and number one on the Finnish Singles Chart. Julie Hermelin directed the song's accompanying music video. Spin ranked "Feeling So Real"/"Everytime You Touch Me" number one in their list of the 20 best singles of 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Next Is the E</span> 1992 single by Moby

"Next Is the E" is a song by American electronica musician Moby, released in October 1992 by Instinct and Equator as the third single from his self-titled debut album (1992).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blow Your Mind (Jamiroquai song)</span> 1993 single by Jamiroquai

"Blow Your Mind" is the third overall single to be released from British funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai's debut studio album, Emergency on Planet Earth (1993). It was released on 24 May 1993 through Sony Soho Square in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was written by frontman Jay Kay with Toby Smith, and produced by Rick Pope. Its accompanying music video was directed by Vaughan Arnell and Anthea Benton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peace (Sabrina Johnston song)</span> 1991 single by Sabrina Johnston

"Peace" (also known as "Peace (In the Valley)") is a song by American singer Sabrina Johnston, originally released in the US on JBR Records in May 1991. It was released as the first single from her debut studio album, Peace (1992). The single reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart and entered the top 30 in Australia, Ireland, Italy and Sweden. It was written and produced by Johnston with help from her husband Ken Johnston. She told in a 1991 interview, that she wrote the song during the Gulf War. "I wanted to create something positive", she said. In 1992, Johnston appeared on the Red Hot Organization's dance compilation album, Red Hot + Dance, contributing a new remix of "Peace", the Nu-Mix, to raise awareness and money in support of the AIDS epidemic. Richard Heslop directed its music video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phorever People</span> 1992 single by the Shamen

"Phorever People" is a song by Scottish electronic dance music band the Shamen. It features vocals by singer Jhelisa Anderson and was released in December 1992 by One Little Indian as a single from their fifth album, Boss Drum (1992). The single topped the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and was another hit for the group in the UK, going to number five on the UK Singles Chart. It also became a top-10 hit in Denmark and Ireland, while reaching the top 20 in Austria, Finland, France and Sweden. A music video, directed by British director Richard Heslop, was made to accompany the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Love I Lost</span> 1973 single by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes

"The Love I Lost" is a song by American R&B group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Group member Teddy Pendergrass sang lead vocals. Originally written as a ballad by Philly soul songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the song was transformed into a funk song and features drummer Earl Young. It was released from the Black & Blue album in late 1973 and sold more than a million copies. In the 21st century, the track has been the subject of extended re-edits by notable remixers Tom Moulton, Theo Parrish, and Dimitri From Paris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's My Life (Dr. Alban song)</span> 1992 single by Dr. Alban

"It's My Life" is a song by Nigerian-Swedish recording artist Dr. Alban. It was released by SweMix in February 1992 in Sweden as the first single from his second studio album, One Love (1992). Produced by Denniz PoP, who also co-wrote the song with Alban, it was a hit in most of the European countries where it was released, peaking at number one in Sweden, Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium and number two in the British countries. In France, the song was marketed twice: first in 1992, then in 1993 because the song was used in a TV advert for Tampax tampons, thus giving to the single a second career. The song had enough airplay on US college radio stations to chart on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in 1992. "It's My Life" was re-released in 1994 in Australia, following the success of "Sing Hallelujah!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LSI (Love Sex Intelligence)</span> 1992 single by the Shamen

"LSI (Love Sex Intelligence)" is a song by Scottish band the Shamen with vocals by Jhelisa Anderson. Having been remixed by the Beatmasters, it was the first single taken from their fifth album, Boss Drum (1992). Released in July 1992, it achieved success in Finland, where it reached number one, Sweden, where it peaked at number four, and the United Kingdom, where it rose to number six. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "LSI" peaked at number 16. Its music video was directed by Mathew Glamorre. The CD single also contains a remix of "Make It Mine", a song from the En-Tact album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven Knows (Luther Vandross song)</span> 1993 single by Luther Vandross

"Heaven Knows" is a song by American singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, released in September 1993 by Epic and Sony as the second single from his eight studio album, Never Let Me Go (1993). The song was written by Vandross with Reed Vertelney and produced by Marcus Miller. It peaked in the top 30 on both the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles and Hot Dance Club Play charts, and also at thirty-three on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Singles chart. "Heaven Knows" was nominated for Best R&B Song alongside "Little Miracles " at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards in March 1994, losing to "That's the Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Deeper Love</span> 1991 single by Clivillés & Cole

"A Deeper Love" is a song written by American producers Robert Clivillés and David Cole, and performed by them as Clivillés & Cole featuring vocals by Deborah Cooper. Released by Columbia in 1991, the song was the duo's fifth number-one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. On other US charts, "A Deeper Love" peaked at number 83 on the soul singles chart and number 44 on the pop chart. Overseas, especially in Europe the single charted higher, going to number 15 in the UK and number eight on the Dutch Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carry On (Martha Wash song)</span> 1992 single by Martha Wash

"Carry On" is a song by American singer Martha Wash, released on October 30, 1992 through RCA Records as the lead single from her debut solo self-titled studio album, Martha Wash (1993). It was written by Eric Beall, who also composed the instrumentation in collaboration with Steve Skinner and peaked at number-one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

"Move Me No Mountain" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Aaron Schroeder. It was originally recorded in 1974 by Love Unlimited, a group organized and produced by Barry White. In 1975, Ragovoy arranged and produced a recording of the song by American singer Dionne Warwick. Warwick's version used a slightly different melody in the song's chorus than the melody sung by Love Unlimited, and this variation has been used on subsequent recordings of the song. In 1980, American singer Chaka Khan recorded a version of the song with production by Arif Mardin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destination Eschaton</span> 1995 single by the Shamen

"Destination Eschaton" is a song recorded by Scottish band the Shamen, released in August 1995 by One Little Indian as the first single from the band's sixth album, Axis Mutatis (1995). The song was written by Colin Angus and Richard West, and features vocals by American guest vocalist Victoria Wilson James. It was a hit in several countries in Europe, peaking within the top 10 in Finland (6) and Scotland (9). In the UK, it peaked at number 15 in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on 13 August 1995. In the US, "Destination Eschaton" reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by German director Nico Beyer and William Latham, featuring the band performing aboard a spaceship.

References

  1. 1 2 "British single certifications – Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "Best of Rave [Westwood] – Various Artists – Songs, Reviews, Credits – AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Top of the Pops 2 – Top 5 Drug Songs". BBC. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Interviews by Dave Simpson (5 March 2012). "How we made ... Ebeneezer Goode by the Shamen". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  5. 1 2 "The Shamen - Ebeneezer Goode (1992) - IMVDb". IMVDb. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  6. ↑ "The Shamen Deceive The Censors" (PDF). Music & Media . 31 October 1992. p. 15. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  7. ↑ Beevers, Andy (15 August 1992). "Dance: Pick of the Week" (PDF). Music Week . p. 10. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  8. ↑ Hamilton, James (29 August 1992). "DJ Directory: Out On Monday" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Year End Charts: Top Singles". Music Week. 16 January 1993. p. 8.
  11. ↑ Bussmann, Jane: Once In A Lifetime: The Crazy Days of Acid House ( ISBN   0-7535-0260-7)
  12. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  13. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  14. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. ↑ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 48. 28 November 1992. p. 24. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  16. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 41. 10 October 1992. p. 39. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  17. ↑ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 42. 17 October 1992. p. 32. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  18. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
  19. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode" (in French). Les classement single.
  20. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  21. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Ebeneezer Goode". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  22. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Shamen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  23. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  24. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode". Top 40 Singles.
  25. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode". VG-lista.
  26. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode". Singles Top 100.
  27. ↑ "Shamen – Ebeneezer Goode". Swiss Singles Chart.
  28. ↑ "Dance Club Songs" (PDF). Billboard. 5 December 1992. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  29. ↑ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 5 September 1992. p. 22. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  30. ↑ "1992 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 51/52. 19 December 1992. p. 17. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  31. ↑ "1992 Year-End Airplay Charts: European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 9, no. 51/52. 19 December 1992. p. 20. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  32. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
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