Good Days
by SZA

Album: SOS (2020)
Charted: 13 9
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Here, SZA sings of the feeling that she's losing control of her life. She considers ending her relationship with her lover so she can grow.

    You be heavy in my mind, can you get the heck out?
    I need rest now, got me bummed out


    Having wasted herself on someone else, SZA is trying to move away from her negativity by remembering better times.

    Still wanna try, still believe in good days, good days
    Always inside
    Good day living in my mind


    The song is a continuation of the singer's debut CTRL album, which was inspired by the Top Dawg artist's lack of control in her life.
  • SZA first teased the dreamy ballad on July 15, 2020 via her Instagram story. She previewed the track again six weeks later when it played at the end of her "Hit Different" music video. Top Dawg eventually released the song on Christmas Day 2020.
  • London musician Jacob Collier joins SZA on the chorus. Collier's 2020 release Djesse, Vol. 3 was the first record in Grammy history to receive an Album of the Year nomination before making the Billboard 200.
  • SZA and Jacob Collier wrote the chill track with Christopher Ruelas. It was produced by:

    Chicago multi-instrumentalist Carter Lang, who produced eight tracks on SZA's CTRL album, including "Love Galore." His other credits include Rihanna's "Consideration" and Post Malone's "Sunflower."

    Mexican-American producer Nascent, who is best known for his work with Chance the Rapper ("Grown Ass Kid") and Brent Faiyaz ("Clouded").

    LA producer LosHendrix Productions, who worked with Nascent on "Clouded." His other credits include NLE Choppa's "Walk Em Down."
  • LosHendrix told Genius he birthed the song back in 2018 during a session with another artist. Though another co-writer dug his guitar idea, the artist wasn't interested, so LosHendrix sent it to Nascent, who added drums. He tried the artist again, but she still wasn't feeling it and wanted to move on.

    LosHendrix stored the beat on his hard drive for a few months. Several artists were interested and tried writing lyrics for his instrumentation, and it finally found a home when Carter Lang played his track to SZA. She cut a verse, but for the next year and a half he heard nothing until at the beginning of 2020 the producer was told she'd written a hook to it. By the time the pandemic started, SZA had almost completed the track but was struggling with the harmonies, so she sent her demo to Jacob Collier. When the songstress got it back, she was so thrilled she started teasing it on her social media.
  • SZA directed the Alice in Wonderland-inspired video, which shows her experiencing a magic mushroom-induced psychedelic experience.
  • SZA discovered Jacob Collier through Instagram and asked him to co-write and provide backing vocals for "Good Days."

    "I knew he could elevate it because he did that with everything," she told Billboard. "I asked him to section it, and he sent it back literally in no time. He was like, 'I don't know if this is what you were thinking of,' and I was like, 'Ahhh! Don't do anything, it's perfect!'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Gary Louris of The Jayhawks

Gary Louris of The JayhawksSongwriter Interviews

The Jayhawks' song "Big Star" has special meaning to Gary, who explains how longevity and inspiration have trumped adulation.

Weezer

WeezerFact or Fiction

Did Rivers Cuomo grow up on a commune? Why did they name their albums after colors? See how well you know your Weezer in this Fact or Fiction.

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TV

90210 to Buffy to Glee: How Songs Transformed TVSong Writing

Shows like Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer changed the way songs were heard on TV, and produced some hits in the process.