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Talk about the Good Times

Rating:
4.1 / 5

Words & Music: Jerry Reed

Well I remember when I was as children
The time the people used to treat the neighbor like a fellow man
And all their singin' and big prayer meetin's
When a man was proud to walk up and shake his neighbors hand

Oh you talk about the good times,
Talk about the good times
Oh if you ever needed help a friend was there
Some good neighbor
Help lift your burden
Mmm, and the simple joys of life a friend would share

Times are harder and the people are changin'
Now most folks couldn't tell you who their neighbors are
All their guns are loaded, the front doors are bolted
Ain't this ol' world takin' hate and fear just a little too far

Oh you talk about the good times,
Talk about the good times
I wish I could go back to the days I'm speakin of
When a friend would meet you
And a smile would greet you
What this ol' world needs now is a little old fashioned love

My granddaddy God rest his soul now
Well we had a big long talk together the day he died
Said son this world is full of hate and venom
An' I can't wait to leave this ol' place and rest on the other side

Oh you talk about the good times, talk about the good times
Talk about the good times
I'm gonna see all the friends I knew in the good ol' days
We'll have a big hand shakin'
An' sit and talk together
Sit down by the river Jordan and sing our blues away

Oh you talk about the good times, talk about the good times
Talk about the good times
I'm gonna see all the friends I knew in the good ol' days
We'll have a big hand shakin'
An' sit and talk together
Sit down by the river Jordan and sing our blues away

Oh you talk about the good times, talk about the good times
Talk about the good times
I'm gonna see all the friends I knew in the good ol' days
We'll have a big hand shakin'
An' sit and talk together
Sit down by the river Jordan and sing our blues away

Recordingdate: 1973/12/14, first released on: Good Times (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Talk about the Good Times:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
(organ)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)

Others*

(guitar)
(guitar)
(piano)
(organ)
(vocals)
(percussion)

*Orchestra, overdubs

Availability

Find available albums with Talk about the Good Times.

Lex wrote on August 06, 2008
Great catchy tune, one of the better attempts in the 70s!
My boy, my boy wrote on August 08, 2008
I prefer by far Jerry's "Guitar man" and "U.S male"...
JLpResLey wrote on August 08, 2008
A song I like. It was never going to be a hit, but I liked the song immediately. It was a relief to hear the song after a recording session where Elvis almost only did slow songs or ballads
old shep wrote on August 08, 2008
A song I never really cared for the first time round. But on recent plays I have come to like it.
dressingroomrehearsa wrote on August 08, 2008
this was my favourite song on the record. really catchy, unfortunately he never took it to the stage, or did he? among all the heavier and sader tunes this one is quite a relief
Steve V wrote on August 08, 2008
A welcome relief on the Good Times album which seemed to be burderned with too many sad & slow songs. Although Loving Arms is the best on the LP, I like this one a lot.
JerryNodak wrote on August 08, 2008
Real catchy, uptempo country/pop/gospel-like tune. I've always enjoyed it a lot.
jb4elvis wrote on August 08, 2008
Elvis provides us with a solid performance with this song! A timely message (for 1974 and even today if you think about it) and a swfit moving song. Elvis seems to be having a really good time with this one. Might have been a good single. It would have made a really good concert number, IMHO.
Deano1 wrote on July 09, 2010
A nice uptempo, semi-sacred song warbled off nicely by Elvis. Not one of his better "efforts" as some try to claim (Elvis had a lot of great tracks in the 70's) and not even one of the ten best from the two Stax sessions of '73, but still good. Out of place on the LP "Good Times" and it should have been included on a rock/uptempo LP that combined the uptempo selections from those two sessions. Think about it...realizing they don't have enough material for a great LP after the July recording sessions, RCA releases a 5th volume of gold records in place of "Raised On Rock", Then in early '74 after the Dec sessions, they release an album called "Raised On Rock" with the following 12 tunes. Promised Land, If You Don't Come Back, "I've Got A Thing About You Baby", Talk About The Good Times, I Got A Feelin' In My Body, Just A Little Bit, Find Out What's Happening, If You Talk In Your Sleep, Raised On Rock, and throw in three ballads to balance it out, Are You Sincere, Sweet Angeline and It's Midnight. This could have been followed up by a 12 track LP called Elvis Country 2 featuring My Boy, Lovin' Arms, For Ol Times Sake, Help Me, etc. How much better would these two LP's have been rec'd over the three that were released???
Guitar Man 1967 wrote on October 24, 2010
Not real crazy about the LP but I really like this song. The kind of song that was made for Elvis and he really got into it.
SatninTCB wrote on October 24, 2010
I LOVE THIS SONG! I think that Elvis gives a passionate performance and his vocals are superb-plus this song's lyrics were so incredibly relevant back then and it still continues to be ESPECIALLY in today's world. My mother listens to it and always nods her head in agreement everytime she hears it(i do as well by the way). Also i might be in the minority here but i really like the "Good Times" LP and rather enjoy it too...
sugartummy wrote on May 17, 2013
Jerry Reed wrote songs that suited Elvis perfectly. Sadly enough he only did 4 songs by Reed. Everything works just perfect on this record. I love it.
Gorse wrote on July 10, 2013
Never been totally concvinced by this one, as it seems someone ordered Elvis to go and sing fast for the up tempo lovers, and come up with something a bit wooden like I Was Born About 10000 years ago. Nevertheless I never skip this number and am beginning to appreciate it more than I once did.
shawnrw wrote on April 09, 2016
Strongly sung in what otherwise might have been just another ponderous country ditty, but Elvis elevates it to something well beyond that.
Cruiser621 wrote on February 27, 2018
Not really enamored by this song. An also ran.
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