Feel Good Inc.

Feel Good Inc.
Song Credits
Author(s)	Gorillaz
Featured Artist(s)	De La Soul
Songwriter(s)	Noodle • Damon Albarn • Jamie Hewlett • David Jolicoeur
Producer(s)	Gorillaz • Danger Mouse
Additonal Information	Additional Guitar: Simon Tong Additional production: Jason Cox • James Dring Engineering: Jason Cox Programming: Danger Mouse • James Dring Mastering: Howie Weinberg Mix: Jason Cox • Gorillaz • Danger Mouse
Artwork	Jamie Hewlett • Zombie Flesh Eaters
Overview
Type	Single/A-side track
Album	Demon Days
B-side(s)	Spitting Out The Demons Bill Murray 68 State Murdoc Is God (Japan)
Edits	Radio Edit
Phase	2
Released	11 April 2005 (Ltd. 7") 9 May 2005 (worldwide)
Recorded	March 3rd-Nov 28th 2004
Studio(s)	Kong Studios, Essex Studio 13, London
Format	CD • DVD • Cassette • Vinyl • Streaming
Genre	Alternative Rock • Hip Hop • Rap Rock • Funk Rock
Length	3:41 (Album Version) 3:28 (Radio Edit)
Language	English
Track Listing
← Previous	Dirty Harry
Next →	El Mañana
Singles Chronology
← Previous	Lil' Dub Chefin'
Next →	DARE

Feel Good Inc. is the sixth track and the lead single from Gorillaz's second studio album Demon Days. The song features hip hop group De La Soul.

Information

Gorillaz Feel Good Inc. Apple iPod + iTunes - mai 2005

"Feel Good Inc." charted high in most European countries (including an at-the-time career best of #2 in England, accompanied by a chart run to rival Clint Eastwood's 4 years before). In the US, aided by an iPod commercial featuring the song, and presence on the latest successful "Now" compilation, "Feel Good Inc." took Gorillaz to a whole new level - the track peaked just outside the top 10 in the Billboard Top 100, and it was also top of the Modern Rock charts for a 3-week spell.

In the UK, due to a loophole in the chart rules, "Feel Good Inc." was able to enter the charts before its official release because the record company released 300 copies of the 7-inch single format, meaning that legal downloads would count towards a chart placing for the single (this was because, according to UK chart rules at that time, download sales contributed to charting placements, but only if a physical format was also available).

A total of 4 new and original songs were available across formats, although the song Murdoc Is God was only included on the Japanese CD, where it was released as an EP instead of as a single, similar to other songs from Phase 2. The feel of the B-sides was more free and experimental than that of those that had appeared on 'Demon Days' - showcasing another side to the Gorillaz sound. Two digital-exclusive EPs were released: the iTunes Feel Good Inc. EP Series, which released on 26 December 2006 and featured it's previously unreleased demo, and the Feel Good Inc. EP, released a month later.

"Feel Good Inc." makes an appearance in Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 3 on Wii, Sing Star Pop! on PlayStation 2 and Grand Theft Auto 5 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC Versions, Guitar Hero 5 on Xbox 360, the 2006 movie Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker, and was part of Weird Al Yankovic^W's "Polkarama". It was also one of the songs covered by Kidz Bop for the ninth album, and the only Gorillaz song covered by the group, although it was controversial among fans.

Recording

Real Life Backstory

Feel Good Inc. was one of the first songs Damon worked on with Danger Mouse, describing the process as "very instinctive". The windmill imagery in the lyrics was inspired by the Palm Springs windmills^W Damon saw during a trip to his first Coachella^W performance with Blur in 2003.

De La Soul, who provided the rap for the song, were brought in by Burton, who was good friends with them. Although Pos initially wanted to work on Kids With Guns, they eventually settled on this track after hearing the demo.

Virtual Band Backstory

According to Noodle, the song started out as an upbeat 80s track. Eventually she moved towards a more acoustic sound, reminiscent of the countryside. The 'windmills' were one of the key words to help with the visual imagery and also a reference to the 'dark, satanic mills^W' that William Blake^W wrote about in his verse of "Jerusalem^W". They also represent a "note of optimism, a reminder of a simpler time. Like maybe, a snapshot of an older world, more innocent."

“	I had the main tune, the bit that 2-D sings. But I'd left a big space for where a rapper would do their part. It was Danger Mouse that originally suggested De La Soul. He was good friends with them and sent them the track and they agreed to fly over. Although at first when they arrived they were just messing around, trying to make each other laugh. Fortunately, we recorded most of that, and that's how we got the crazy-sounding laugh that you hear on the track. The whole thing worked amazingly, but most of it was an accident.	„
	~ Noodle

The production on 2-D's vocals also reflect that sensibility "like an image beaming at you from the past… a ghost of a memory."

Music Video

Main Article: Feel Good Inc. (Music Video)

The music video for Feel Good Inc. was released on 9 May 2005 along with the single itself. It was directed by Jamie Hewlett & Pete Candeland and was produced and animated by film production company Passion Pictures.

The video shows 2-D trying to wake up the attendants of the Feel Good Inc. Tower with a megaphone while Murdoc and Russel perform. De La Soul later appear rapping on the TVs in the hall. Noodle floats by the tower on a Flying Windmill Island playing the guitar, in which 2-D looks longingly at. The video ends with 2-D sitting back on the chair he started in and Noodle’s floating island being followed by helicopters, seemingly leading into the music video for El Mañana.

Lyrics

(Laughing)

Sha, sha ba da, sha ba da ca, feel good (x8)

City's breaking down on a camel's back
They just have to go 'cause they don't know whack
So while you fill the streets
It's appealing to see
You won't get out the county 'cause you're damned and free
You got a new horizon it's ephemeral style
A melancholy town where we never smile
And all I wanna hear is the message beep
My dreams they've got her kissin' 'cause I don't get sleep, no

[Beep]

Windmill, windmill for the land
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is ticking, falling down
Love forever, love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?

Laughing gas, these hazmats
Fast cats, lining them up like ass cracks
Play these ponies at the track
It's my chocolate attack
Shit, I'm stepping in the heart of this here
(Yeah)
Care bear rappin' in harder this year
(Yeah)

Watch me as I gravitate hahahahahaaa

Yo, we gon' ghost town
and smoke town
With your sound you're in the blink
Gonna bite the dust
Can't fight with us
With your sound you kill the inc.

So don't stop get it, get it
Until you're jet ahead
Watch the way I navigate hahahahahaaa

(Laughing)

Sha, sha ba da, sha ba da ca, feel good (x8)

Windmill, windmill for the land
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is ticking, falling down
Love forever, love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?

Don't stop get it, get it
Be proud your captain's in it
Steady, watch me navigate
Hahahahahaaa! (x2)

(Laughing)

Sha, sha ba da, sha ba da ca, feel good (x8)

Single Formats

CD

1. "Feel Good Inc."
2. "Spitting Out The Demons"

DVD

1. "Feel Good Inc. (Music Video)"
2. "Spitting Out The Demons"
3. "Bill Murray"

7"

1. "Feel Good Inc." [A]
2. "68 State" [B]

European maxi-CD

1. "Feel Good Inc."
2. "Spitting Out The Demons"
3. "Bill Murray"
4. "Feel Good Inc. (Music Video)"

Japan Only EP

1. "Feel Good Inc."
2. "Spitting Out The Demons"
3. "Bill Murray"
4. "Murdoc Is God"
5. "Feel Good Inc. (Music Video)"

Release Information

Region	Date	Format(s)	Catalog #	Label	Chart positions
United Kingdom	9 May 2005	CD	CDR 6663	Parlophone / EMI	#2
		DVD	DVDR 6663
		Ltd 7" Picture Disc	12R 6663
	March 2005	CD Promo	CDRDJ 6663
		12" Promo	12RDJ 6663
Japan	27 April 2005	eCD	TOCP-61100	Toshiba / EMI Records Japan	N/A
	2005	eCD Promo
		Cassette Promo	N/A
US		CD Promo	7243 8 68982 2 7	Virgin Records	#14
		12" Promo	7087 6 19305 6 6
Australia	May 2005	CD	8695452	Capitol / EMI Records	#3
Europe			7243 8 69545 2 7		#2 (Eurochart)
			7243 8 69543 2 9
		eCD	7243 8 72842 0 3
Argentina	2005	CD Promo	CDDIF482	EMI Records Argentina	N/A
Brazil			7243 8 68982 2 7	EMI Records Brazil
Israel				EMI Records Israel
Worldwide	March 2005	Download	N/A	Parlophone / EMI
	May 2005	Download "Instrumental"

Video

Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc. (Official Video)

Gallery

Feel Good INC DVD Menu

Front cover for the promo CD.

Back cover for the promo CD.

Back cover art for the DVD release.

Inside cover art for the DVD release.

Full front cover art for the DVD release.

Full front cover art for CD release.

Cover for the Japanese release of the single (as an EP)

Cover for instrumental digital single

CD Disc

Trivia

• "Feel Good Inc." is Russel's favourite song on Demon Days.
• At some point before its release, this track was simply titled "Feel Good".
• The synth riffs in the song are very reminiscent of Tom Tom Club's "Wordy Rappinghood^W".
• The track also features an unidentified "Hawaiian guitar" sample that is only present on 2-D's first verse, starting at 0:39.

References

Notes

Sources