Backdated, archival post
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link to original on tumblr]
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A couple days ago, I finally listened to
Good Times! I noticed something interesting about the title track, written by Harry Nilsson. There are the recurring lines "I can tell it won't be long / Till there's dancing in the streets again / And music everywhere." I'm pretty sure this is an allusion to the song "Dancing in the Street." It's originally by Martha and the Vandellas, but the only versions I have in my collection are by the Mamas & the Papas and by the Who (live on the BBC).
In any case, "Dancing in the Street" has the lines:
There'll be music ev'rywhere
There'll be swingin' and swayin'
And records playin'
And dancin' in the street
As quoted above, "Good Times" also has "music everywhere" and "dancing in the street." Those two phrases match exactly and are in close proximity to each other in both songs, so I can't think this is anything other than Nilsson's referencing "Dancing in the Street."
