| "Ebeneezer Goode" | ||||
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| File:The Shamen - Ebeneezer Goode.jpg | ||||
| Single by The Shamen | ||||
| from the album Boss Drum | ||||
| Released | September 1992 | |||
| Format | Multiple | |||
| Genre | House | |||
| Length | 3:53 (beat edit) | |||
| Label | One Little Indian | |||
| The Shamen singles chronology | ||||
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"Ebeneezer Goode" is a song by Scottish electronic music group The Shamen, which, after being heavily remixed by The Beatmasters, became their biggest hit when released as a single in September 1992. The band's original version also featured on the vinyl edition of their album Boss Drum. "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. The song was initially banned by the BBC, and the single was eventually withdrawn after the band were hounded by the British tabloid press.[1]
Contents |
Lyrics [link]
The song is best known for its chorus, "'Eezer Goode, 'Eezer Goode/He's Ebeneezer Goode", the first part of which is audibly identical to, "E's are good" - 'E' being common slang for the drug ecstasy.[2] The lyrics allude 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 the 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 rolling a 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!
Music video [link]
The video consisted of club scenes intermixed with a caped man (played by Jerry Sadowitz) running round a wasteland. Because of flashing images in the video, some music channels include epilepsy warnings over the video. Some channels, including VH1, edit the video to reduce the frame rate of these scenes which deletes each bright frame.
The music video was played with favorable commentary in episode 3, season 4 of Beavis and Butt-head, "Kidnapped".
Performance on Top of the Pops [link]
When the Shamen appeared on Top of the Pops, it was expected that Mr C should tone down the song due to its being broadcast. The group replaced the final lyrics: "Got any Salmon?" - with "Has anyone got any underlay?" The BBC were furious, and dragged Mr C into a room off-camera, to explain himself, only to be told that it was simply a gratuitous rug reference.[3]
Chart performance [link]
The song entered the British charts at number six in September 1992, before climbing to number one two weeks later (ironically during the BBC's drug awareness week), staying there for four weeks. It was the 13th biggest selling single of 1992, selling 278,000 copies. It is the group's biggest seller.
Charts and sales [link]
Peak positions [link]
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Certifications [link]
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Chart successions [link]
| Preceded by "Rhythm is a Dancer" by Snap! |
UK number-one single 19 September 1992 - 10 October, 1992 (4 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Sleeping Satellite" by Tasmin Archer |
| Irish IRMA number-one single 8 October 1992 (1 week) |
References [link]
- ^ "Top 5 Drug Songs", BBC Top of the Pops 2
- ^ "Top 5 Drug Songs", BBC Top of the Pops 2
- ^ Bussmann, Jane: Once In A Lifetime: The Crazy Days of Acid House (ISBN 0-7535-0260-7)
- ^ a b c d e f g ""Ebeneezer Goode" in various singles charts". lescharts. https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Shamen&titel=Ebeneezer+Goode&cat=s. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 45, 1987". https://www.radio538.nl/web/show/id=44685/chartid=5888. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ^ "The Shamen singles, German Singles Chart" (in German). musicline. https://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Shamen/single. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ "Irish Single Chart, database". irishcharts. https://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ ""Ebeneezer Goode", UK Singles Chart". chartstats. https://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=20129. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ "UK certifications, database". Bpi. https://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
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This 1990s pop song-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
https://wn.com/Ebeneezer_Goode
Podcasts:
-
by Shamen
Ebeneezer Goode
by: ShamenThere's a guy in the place who's got a bittersweet face
And he goes by the name of Ebeneezer Goode
His friends call him 'Ezeer and he is the main geezer
And he'll vibe up the place like no other man could
He's refined, sublime, he makes you feel fine
Though very much maligned and misunderstood
But if you know 'Ezeer he's a real crowd pleaser
He's ever so good - he's Ebeneezer Goode
You can see that he's mischievous, mysterious and devious
As he circulates amongst the people in the place
But once you know he's fun, and something of a genius
He gives a grin that goes around from face to face to face
Backwards and then forwards, forwards and then backwards
'Eezer is the geezer who loves to muscle in
That's about the time the crowd all shout the name of 'Eezer
As he's kotcheled in the corner, laughing by the bass bin
'Eezer Goode 'Eezer Goode He's Ebeneezer Goode
'Eezer Goode 'Eezer Goode He's Ebeneezer Goode
'Eezer Goode 'Eezer Goode He's Ebeneezer Goode
'Eezer Goode 'Eezer Goode He's Ebeneezer Goode
"Has anyone got any Vera's ?"
Lovely ... Ya Ha Ha Ha
A Great Philospher once wrote...
Naughty Naughty, Very Naughty
Ha Ha Ha Ha
Ebeneezer Goode, leading light of the scene, know what I mean?
He created the vibe - He takes you for a ride as if by Design
The party ignites like it's comin' alive
He takes you to the top, shakes you all around
Then back down - you know as he gets mellow
Then as smooth as the groove that is making you move
He glides into your mind with a sunny "Hello!"
A gentleman of leisure he's there for your pleasure
But go easy on old 'Ezeer he's the love you could lose
Extraordinary fellow, like Mr Punchinello
He's the kind of geezer who must never be abused
When you're in town and Ebeneezer is around
You can sense a presence in the sound of the crowd
He gets them all at it - the party starts rocking - the people get excited
It's time to shout LOUD!
'Eezer Goode 'Eezer Goode He's Ebeneezer Goode
'Eezer Goode 'Eezer Goode He's Ebeneezer Goode
'Eezer Goode 'Eezer Goode He's Ebeneezer Goode
'Eezer Goode 'Eezer Goode He's Ebeneezer Goode
He's Ebeneezer Goode
He's Ebeneezer Goode
Got any Salmon --- sorted
Ya Ha Ha Ha
Ya Ha Ha Ha
Ya Ha Ha Ha
'Eezer Goode, 'Eeezer Goode, 'Eezer Goode
Oh what a carry on
'Eezer Goode, 'Eeezer Goode, 'Eezer Goode
Wicked
'Eezer Goode, 'Eeezer Goode, 'Eezer Goode
He's Ebeneezer Goode
oh what a carry on