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Good Life (Inner City song)

"Good Life"
Good Life (Inner City song).jpg
Single by Inner City
from the album Paradise
Released 28 November 1988 (UK)
Format CD single
CD maxi
Genre techno, electronica, tech house
Length 4:03
Writer(s) Kevin Saunderson
Paris Grey
Ann Saunderson
Roy Holmon
Producer(s) Kevin Saunderson
Inner City singles chronology
"Big Fun"
(1988)
"Good Life"
(1988)
"Ain't Nobody Better"
(1989)
Music video
"Good Life" on YouTube

"Good Life" is a song by American electronic music group Inner City, featuring vocals by Paris Grey. The song was written and produced by Kevin Saunderson. It is often remembered for being played at dance clubs and on the radio.

The group was formed in 1987 when Saunderson, still in college and recording out of his basement studio, produced a track he felt needed lyrics. After Chicago vocalist Paris Grey (b. Shanna Jackson) was recommended by Chicago producer Terry Baldwin. Originally a gospel singer in Chicago, Grey began doing vocal tracks for house singles during the 80s, and after she was invited to Detroit to put vocals over some tracks that Saunderson had made, they collaborated on "Big Fun". Signed to Virgin soon after, Saunderson and Grey released "Good Life" and it was included on their debut album, Paradise (Big Fun on its American issue).

When working on "Good Life", Saunderson played the main hooky keyboard riff himself, added some drums and a little string part before fleshing it out with the help of a keyboard-playing buddy. Using a Casio CZ-5000 synth, a Roland TR-909 drum machine they laid down the main instrumental part in Saunderson's apartment in a few hours. Then he called upon vocalist Paris Grey. Renting a professional studio for 24 hours to finish it off, Saunderson was instantly happy with the results. In an interview he said:

"The vocals were 100% Paris on ‘Good Life’, I just gave her some direction. I said, ‘Look, I don’t want it to sound like ‘Big Fun’ but I want it to be in the same family, I want to follow up with a feel that’s similar’."

Virgin had asked for a follow-up single after the success of "Big Fun". "Good Life" was chosen right away. The original version was almost like a radio version, and Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Steve "Silk" Hurley made remixes for the single. "Good Life" reached number 4 in the United Kingdom in January 1989, and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry for sales exceeding 200,000 copies. It's their highest charting single and became huge at rave partys and acid house clubs.


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