"When ya look around at Carnival time, no
matter what was in the news the week before,
people come out to have a good time. It’s like
nothing else matters for the moment."
The melody of this song was composed on the
pan, with Chris Morris working with me once
again to write the lyrics of the tune. The
lyrics complemented the melody perfectly,
bringing to life what Carnival meant to many.
Denyse did a great job singing the tune, and
eventually the song was the 3rd most
selected song for the Panorama. Combined with
the success of my other song released for 2006,
Colours Again, there may have been about 25
bands playing my music in 2006. I certainly did
not write the songs knowing this was going to
happen.
I was simply putting out music that
flowed, knowing that sometimes it may be a good
year, and sometimes not.
It was interesting to hear Merrytones practicing
Colours Again, and in the same panyard listen to
their single pan band, Ice Water Ensemble,
rehearsing Good Times. The reward for composing
is to see the impact on the players’ faces,
enjoying the music, and to see them really
getting into the music and having a good time. It was a great feeling to know that the young
players of both Junior Panorama Finals Under 13
and Under 16 categories had won with Good
Times. Darren Sheppard did a fantastic
arrangement of the song for NLCB Fonclaire,
despite his wanting to choose Colours Again for
the band that year.
Thanks to all the bands and arrangers who
selected this piece for the Panorama.
Lyrics:
Verse When last did you have a good time,
Where de music blowing ya mind
When last did you go out and lime,
With ya friends and ya feeling fine
When de big truck passing, people jumping
People waving, misbehaving, what ah feeling
Wining and jamming, getting on bad,
Is mas in sweet Trinidad
Interlude Jumping up in de burning sun, we jumping up in de band
Jumping up and we having fun... waving we hand
Chorus Come and have a good time, for de Carnival
Come and have a good time, where de love does always feel
natural
Come and have a good time, for de festival
Come and have a good time, where de feeling always feel special
Jumping up to de sweet pan, playing mas with a steelband
Every man and dey woman, wining up in de hot sun
Come and have a good time, for de Carnival
Come and have a good time, in de heat of it all
Verse Whole year, look ya working real hard,
Take some time out to get on bad
So sweet, here in we Trinidad,
Play ya self like ya going mad
Tell de boss man "look is J'ouvert morning"
You not working, with so much happening, it so exciting
Powder throwing, horn blowing, and drum beating
Look de whole nation heating up
Interlude
Chorus
Verse Colours, how dey blaze in a rage
As de brass bands cross de stage
Every section, is like a new page,
Just to play is a privilege
See dem strong men and dem, in dey section
With pretty woman, dis explosion, a combination
Dey flexing, de next ting, dey wining low
Carnival, well is heat for so
