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No Good (Start the Dance)
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Wikipedia article
"'No Good (Start the Dance)'" is a song by English electronic music group the Prodigy. Written and produced by group member Liam Howlett, it was released on 16 May 1994 as the second single from their second studio album, 'Music for the Jilted Generation' (1994). It is built around a repeated vocal sample from "You're No Good for Me" by Kelly Charles (1987). Howlett initially had doubts whether to use the sample because he thought it was too pop for his taste. The song also contains samples from "Funky Nassau" by Bahamian funk group the Beginning of the End. It was certified Gold in Germany for 250,000 sold copies.
In 2012, 'NME' listed it at number 33 in their list of "100 Best Songs of the 1990s".
Critical reception
John Bush from AllMusic said the song is "excellent". British newspaper 'Lennox Herald' described it as "rough and ready".'Lennox Herald'. 1994-05-27. p. 30. Retrieved 2020-11-27. Music writer James Masterton noted in his weekly UK chart commentary, "No Good uses a previously successful formula of combining their mix of harcore rave beats with an annoyingly commercial sampled hook. The sample in question will annoy me for months". Andy Beevers from 'Music Week' rated it four out of five, calling it "another rough and rugged hardcore track. They still have plenty of grassroot support and will continue to outsell other hardcore acts by a big margin." Brad Beatnik from the magazine's 'RM' Dance Update wrote, "The first Prodigy release for more than a year sees them working up a typically frenetic hard groove with a neat wobbly bassline and standard 'no good for me' vocals." He concluded, "Massive chart action expected". Another editor, James Hamilton deemed it a "typical frantic hardcore 145 2-0bpm [track]". 'NME' picked it as one of The Prodigys "finest singles", with its "scuzzy euphoria and thumping bass." Gareth Grundy from 'Select' stated that Liam Howlett's "jungle and hardcore roots are still present, but he injects some space and gracious melody between the coruscating rhythm."
Music video
The song's music video, directed by Walter Stern combines the humorous flavour of that for the band's previous video for "Out of Space" with the menace of "Firestarter" and "Breathe" videos to come. Filmed in a disused, underground cellar below Spitalfields market in the East End of London, the video features characters dancing to the song whilst the band members prowl around moodily. After Howlett breaks down a plaster wall with a sledgehammer, group member Keith Flint is seen in a straitjacket, eventually being locked into a Plexiglas box-prison which begins to fill with smoke.
Liam Howlett said to Dazed magazine "'No Good... was a response to all that shit Eurodance stuff"', and said that the band had started to make better videos.[http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/20675/1/the-prodigy-select-10-inspirational-jilted-jams THe Prodigy select 10 inspirational Jilted jams - Dazed magazine 4 July 2014] The music video became the last music video to be played on the music channel NME TV directly before its closure at 6:00am on 5 January 2012.
Remixes and samples
Belgian producer CJ Bolland remixed this track on the original release in 1994.
Track listing
XL recordings
12" vinyl record#"No Good (Start the Dance)" (Original Mix) 6:22
#"No Good (Start the Dance)" (Bad for You Mix) 6:52 (remixed by Liam Howlett)
#"No Good (Start the Dance)" (CJ Bolland Museum Mix) 5:14
CD single
#"No Good (Start the Dance)" (Edit) 4:01
#"No Good (Start the Dance)" (Bad for You Mix) 6:52 (remixed by Liam Howlett)
#"No Good (Start the Dance)" (CJ Bolland Museum Mix) 5:14
#"No Good (Start the Dance)" (Original Mix) 6:22
Sony/Dancepool
#"No Good (Start the Dance)" (Edit) 4:01#"No Good (Start the Dance)" (CJ Bolland's Mix) 5:14
#"One Love" (Jonny L Remix) 5:10
#"Jericho" (Genaside II Remix) 5:45
#"G-Force" (Energy Flow) 5:18
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Fedde Le Grand and Sultan & Ned Shepard version
{{Infobox song
| name = No Good
| cover = No-Good-single-Fedde-Le-Grand.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Fedde Le Grand and Sultan & Ned Shepard
| album =
| released = 23 September 2013
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:00
| label = Spinnin' Records
| writer = Liam Howlett
| producer =
| chronology = Fedde Le Grand
| prev_title = Long Way From Home
| prev_year = 2013
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc =
}}
In 2013, Dutch house DJ and producer Fedde le Grand and Canadian electronic music duo Sultan & Ned Shepard released a remake of the hit on Spinnin' Records.
The single charted in SNEP, the official French Singles Chart as well as in the "bubbling under" Ultratip in the Belgian (Wallonia) French market Singles Chart.
'Track list'
#"No Good" (club edit) (3:00)
#"No Good" (extended mix) (5:17)
'Charts'
References
Category:Songs about dancing
Category:The Prodigy songs
Category:1994 singles
Category:XL Recordings singles
Category:Songs written by Liam Howlett
Category:Black-and-white music videos
Category:Music videos directed by Walter Stern
Category:1994 songs
Category:Spinnin' Records singles
Category:Number-one singles in Finland
Category:Number-one singles in Greece
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