Just Be Good to Me

Not to be confused with Dub Be Good to Me or Just Be Good to Green.

"Just Be Good to Me"
Single by The S.O.S. Band
from the album On the Rise
B-side"Just Be Good to Me (Instrumental Version)"
Released1983
RecordedJune 1983
StudioMaster Sound Studio
(Atlanta, Georgia)
Genre
Length
  • 9:10 (album version)
  • 4:10 (radio edit)
LabelTabu
Songwriter(s)
  • James Harris III
  • Terry Lewis
Producer(s)Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
The S.O.S. Band singles chronology
"Groovin' (That's What We're Doin')"
(1983) 		"Just Be Good to Me"
(1983) 		"Tell Me If You Still Care"
(1983)

"Just Be Good to Me" is a song by the S.O.S. Band, written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for their fourth studio album, On the Rise (1983).[3] "Just Be Good to Me" was released as the lead single from On the Rise in March 1983, by Tabu Records.

Production

The song's percussion and beats were produced using a Roland TR-808 drum machine.[4][5]

Critical reception

Daryl Easlea of Record Collector called "Just Be Good to Me" a "barnstorming electro-soul anthem".[6] Amy Hanson of AllMusic described the song as "showstopping".[7]

Charts

Covers and samples

The song has subsequently been covered by several artists, including Deborah Cox (whose version reached number eight on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart), Mariah Carey (who performed it live on her 1993 Music Box Tour and 1996 Daydream Tour), Shayne Ward (who recorded it for his 2007 album Breathless), and Faithless in 2008 in a collaboration with Dido. In 2008, Australian artist Seany B released a version of this song, retitled as "B Good 2 Me".[19][20] Cher Lloyd performed it on series seven of The X Factor. In 2011, the song was performed by Simone Battle on series one of The X Factor (US).

Tupac also sampled the track during the making of his 1995 album Me Against the World for track number 7, "Heavy in the Game" featuring Lady Levi and Richie Rich. The song was also sampled by rapper Silkk the Shocker for his 1998 single "Just Be Straight with Me", which also features Destiny's Child. Norman Cook, later known as Fatboy Slim, was involved with a very successful UK version with his band Beats International, who took the song to number one as "Dub Be Good to Me", which features a backing track consisting mainly of a sample of the Clash's "The Guns of Brixton". In 2010, Professor Green and Lily Allen released a cover reminiscent of Beats International's version titled "Just Be Good to Green".[19][21]

In 2014, Usher quoted part of the lyrical melody in the song "She Came to Give It to You". In 1991, MC Lyte also referenced the song on her track "Poor Georgie" from the album Act Like You Know. In 2018, Cyantific released the album Bloodline which contains "Wild Child" featuring lyrics from the song.[22][23]

In 2006, the song was remixed by the band Karmah with a mash-up of a sample of "Every Breath You Take" by the Police.

References

  1. ^ O’Donnell, Mallory (April 21, 2006). "The Singles Jukebox – Jam and Lewis". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Molanphy, Chris (September 27, 2019). "State of the World Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  3. ^ "Flyte Time Official Bio". Flytetyme.com. Archived from the original on May 20, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  4. ^ 808 (documentary film)
  5. ^ "The 808 Drum Machine Changed Music. These 10 Songs Prove It". December 9, 2016.
  6. ^ Waring, Charles. "SOS BAND - SOS BAND ON THE RISE: EXPANDED EDITION". recordcollectormag.com. Record Collector.
  7. ^ Hanson, Amy. On the Rise > review at AllMusic. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 262. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "The S.O.S. Band – Just Be Good To Me" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  10. ^ "IRE Charts Search > The S.O.S. Band". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  11. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – The S.O.S. Band" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  12. ^ "The S.O.S. Band – Just Be Good To Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  13. ^ "The S.O.S. Band – Just Be Good To Me". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  14. ^ "SOS Band: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  15. ^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. October 7, 1983. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  16. ^ "( On the Rise > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )". allmusic. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
  17. ^ "Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 12, 2022 – via Imgur.com.
  18. ^ "End of Year Charts 1984". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  19. ^ a b "The SOS Band: Just Be Good To Me". secondhandsongs.com.
  20. ^ "iTunes - Music - B Good 2 Me - EP by Seany B". Itunes.apple.com. February 2, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  21. ^ "The S.O.S Band: Just Be Good To Me". the-breaks.com.
  22. ^ "Wild Child". Discogs. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  23. ^ Cyantific – Wild Child, retrieved May 30, 2019