Nothin' but a Good Time
"Nothin' but a Good Time" is the first single from the glam metal band Poison's second studio album Open Up and Say... Ahh! The B-sides are "Livin' For the Minute" and "Look But You Can't Touch".
"Nothin' but a Good Time" | ||||
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Single by Poison | ||||
from the album Open Up and Say... Ahh! | ||||
B-side | "Look But You Cant Touch Livin' For The Minute (UK 1989 re-release)" | |||
Released | April 6, 1988 | |||
Recorded | 1987 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:46 | |||
Label | Enigma | |||
Songwriter(s) | Dall; Deville; Michaels; Rockett; Bombilla (Jordi Carretero) | |||
Producer(s) | Tom Werman | |||
Poison singles chronology | ||||
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The song was released as a single in 1988 on Enigma Records and reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #19 on the Mainstream rock charts.[2] It also charted at number 10 on the Australian charts and number 35 on the UK Singles chart.[3]
Music video
The music video features a restaurant employee, played by the same actor who appeared in the video for Mötley Crüe's "You're All I Need", washing dishes while listening to the Kiss hit single "Rock and Roll All Nite", performed by Poison. The manager enters, turns off the radio, and delivers to the employee a scathing reprimand, reminding the employee that he is being paid "to wash dishes, not to listen to that... that rock 'n' roll," and accusing him of "moving in two speeds: slow, and stop." The manager exits, whereupon the employee abandons the dishes and kicks open a nearby door to reveal a concert hall stage, upon which the band then performs the song. When the song is over, the manager returns, discovering, to his surprise, that all the dishes are washed.
Albums
"Nothin' but a Good Time" is on the following albums:
- Open Up and Say...Ahh!
- Swallow This Live (live version)
- Poison's Greatest Hits: 1986-1996
- Power to the People (live version)
- Show Me Your Hits (Alternate version)
- The Best of Poison: 20 Years of Rock
- Open Up and Say...Ahh! - 20th Anniversary Edition
- Good Songs & Great Friends (feat. Ace Frehley, Michael Anthony) - released as a single
Other appearances
"Nothin' but a Good Time" was performed by Poison, with the cast of Rock of Ages, at the 63rd Tony Awards on June 7, 2009. After the performance, as the band made their way backstage, a piece of the stage scenery collapsed on Bret Michaels.
The riff is similar to the opening riff from ”Deuce” by Kiss
It appears in a 2017 TV commercial for Nissan's Heisman House and ESPN, featuring Eddie George and other Heisman Trophy winners.
Charts
Chart (1988) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[4] | 10 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] | 36 |
UK Singles (OCC)[6] | 35 |
US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 6 |
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[8] | 19 |
Cover versions
Reel Big Fish covered the song on their 2009 album Fame, Fortune and Fornication.
The song used in the movie The Rocker where it was covered by the fictional band A.D.D. The actual recording was mostly done by Chad Fischer with Teddy Geiger singing lead vocals. This version was released on the film's soundtrack album.
Adam Brand and the Outlaws covered the song on the 2016 album Adam Brand and the Outlaws.
Appearances in other media
- A cover of the song is featured in the game Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s (erroneously credited as "Ain't Nothin' But a Good Time"), while the master track is featured in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits (this time correctly credited) and was featured as a downloadable track for the Rock Band series.
- The song is featured in the movies Grind, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Friday Night Lights, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith as well as the TV show Hindsight.
- The NHL's Washington Capitals play this song after every home victory.
- In The Simpsons season 11 episode "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge", Otto hires a Poison tribute band called Cyanide to play this song at his wedding. However, the band can only play the intro before Otto's fiancé, Becky, stops them.
- The song is featured in the trailers for the 2008 film Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Balls of Fury and the teaser trailer for the film Grown Ups 2.
- The song is referenced in the game Mercenaries 2: World in Flames as the name of an achievement.
- The song is played in the Regular Show episode "My Mom" during a montage sequence where Mordecai, Rigby, High-Five Ghost and Muscle Man blow off work.
- The song is played in the movie Yogi Bear when Yogi and Boo-Boo water ski.
- The song, plus two other Poison songs are downloadable for Rock Band 3.
- Professional wrestling tag team Dunn & Marcos, The Ring Crew Express, used the song as their entrance theme while in Ring of Honor.
- The song is combined with "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger and "Just Like Paradise" by David Lee Roth in the 2012 film adaptation of Rock of Ages.
- "Nothin' but a Good Time" is available since October 14, 2014, as a purchasable and downloadable song for the music video game Rocksmith 2014, featuring guitar and bass parts as well as authentic tones.
- The song plays in the first episode of web television series Cobra Kai, when protagonist Johnny Lawrence works as a handyman, before being fired by his boss.
References
- "Readers' Poll: The 10 Greatest Hair Metal Songs". Rolling Stone. February 5, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
- "Allmusic (Poison charts and awards) Billboard singles".
- "Poison The Official Charts Company".
- "Australian-charts.com – Poison – Nothin' But A Good Time". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
- "RPM - Library and Archives Canada - RPM - Bibliothèque et Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
- "Poison Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
- "Poison Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
- "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1988". Kent Music Report. ARIA Charts. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
- "1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 100 (52): Y-20. December 24, 1988.
- "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Retrieved October 3, 2016.