Let the Good Times Roll (Shirley and Lee song)
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| "Let the Good Times Roll" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Shirley and Lee | ||||
| from the album Let the Good Times Roll | ||||
| A-side | "Let the Good Times Roll" | |||
| B-side | "Do You Mean to Hurt Me So" | |||
| Released | 1956 | |||
| Recorded | May 1956 | |||
| Studio | Cosimo (New Orleans, Louisiana)[1] | |||
| Genre | Rhythm and blues, Rock and roll | |||
| Length | 2:30 | |||
| Label | Aladdin 3325 | |||
| Songwriters | Shirley Goodman, Leonard Lee | |||
| Shirley & Lee singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Let the Good Times Roll" is a song that was recorded by Shirley and Lee in 1956. This song was written by the duo, Shirley Goodman (later Shirley Pixley) and Leonard Lee.[2]
By September 8, 1956, the Shirley & Lee recording had climbed to number 20 in the US chart, and a 1960 re-recording went to number 47.[3]
Background
The song has a strong steady beat provided by prolific studio drummer Earl Palmer.[4]
Notable cover versions
- Roy Orbison covered the song in 1965; it was included on his album Orbisongs and released as a single in 1966, peaking at #81 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5][6][7] Orbison's version features Nashville session musician Charlie McCoy on harmonica.[8]
- Rising Sons covered it in their 1966 eponymous album, which was only released in 1992 after its founders Taj Majal and Ry Cooder had become independently famous.[9][10]
- Bunny Sigler covered it as a medley along with the song "Feel So Good", peaking at number 20 on the Top Selling R&B Singles chart and number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 (1967)[11]
- Harry Nilsson covered it on his 1971 album Nilsson Schmilsson.[12]
- English rock band Slade covered it on their 1972 album Slayed? and released it as a single in the US in 1973. It reached number 14 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100.[13]
Popular culture
"Let the Good Times Roll" has appeared on numerous compilation albums, and features in the films Apocalypse Now, Stand By Me, October Sky, A Father for Brittany, Nobody, and Manchester by the Sea,[14] as well as the trailer for the film The Monkey.
Bob Dylan references the song in the lyrics of New Danville Girl; "Somethin’ about it reminds me of you, like when she sings “Baby, let the good times roll”." [15] The same year that "New Danville Girl" was released on Knocked Out Loaded, Dylan added "Let the Good Times Roll" to his setlists and played it four times.
