Good People

Album: In Between Dreams (2005)
Charted: 50
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Johnson: "It's a little bit about reality TV. A TV show called Boarding House was being done in Hawaii. And the lady who was producing it asked if I wanted to play on the grand finale of the show. I said that I wasn't interested. She came up to me while I was having a conversation at this community gathering, which was a fundraiser for Sunset Elementary School. And then she interrupted me again and said that I didn't understand, that this was for national TV and that it would be a great opportunity for me. So that's where that line, 'You interrupt me from a friendly conversation to tell me how great it's all going to be' comes from. That verse is about how sometimes, even when you're trying not to pay attention to it, television and the entertainment industry and all that still sneaks into your world. It's obviously in jest and just a funny song. But it's about that feeling you get sometimes when you flip through the channels and there isn't one thing on TV that's not sensationalized or just completely about some of the lower parts of humanity. And you just start wondering where all the good people are."

Comments: 7

  • John Lofgren from OrlandoThe song rings even more true in the age of Covid, where Almost everyone Followed the TV scientists and didn’t check the research on the damage The vaccine was doing.
  • Pdy from UtahHonestly, this song is probably my favorite. It just is so true. I feel sad that it has to be the truth though. Why can’t the bad people of the world just learn, the bad will never win, Light and love is the true answer, and God wins.
  • Claude from Blandon, PaMy favorite line is "station to station desensitizing the nation....." so very true.
  • Stef from Chicago, IlI like how he says that the "boob tube" controls you in the verse, "I'm in the mood to obey". It's really true. People just sit around and watch tv actually listening to everything it's saying. It's like everyone out there has an agenda and nothing is done for the good of people anymore. It's all for self-gain. Where DID all those good people go? XD
  • Will from Auburn, InWe need some good people on tv, or maybe some good musicians on music channels
  • Justin from Georgetown, Inthis isn't normally my type of music. but the lyrics ring out so true i can't help but humm it.
  • Jayme from Waipio, Hiso where DID they go?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"They're Playing My Song

It wasn't her biggest hit as a songwriter (that would be "Bette Davis Eyes"), but "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" had a family connection for Jackie.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin Popoff

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.