Song Clearance Sheet
7 sources citedGood Times
Disco1970s110–115BPM
D majKey
3:24Length
More around 110 BPM → · More in D major → · More “Cleared After Dispute” →
The verdict
Cleared After Dispute
It does clear — but the defining precedent, Rapper's Delight, only settled after Chic threatened suit, with Edwards and Rodgers awarded full composer credit.
Sampled 200+ times
Used by independents?
Yes — used by the Sugarhill Gang, an independent act on Sugar Hill Records, in 1979 (“Rapper’s Delight”).
Listen while you read
Official Vinyl Video upload
Verified source
Get the Audio
Streaming isn't enough to sample from — you need an actual file
Discogs
Original 1979 pressing — for a proper needle-drop rip
Apple Music
Purchasable track (search)
Amazon Music
MP3 download (search)
Collector's Copies
Original pressings, rare editions, and audiophile reissues
Discogs Marketplace
All pressings and editions of Risqué
eBay
Original 7"/12" and reissues
Quick Facts
Released1979
AlbumRisqué
GenreDisco, Funk, R&B
LabelAtlantic Records
ProducerNile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards
Recorded atPower Station, New York
Writer(s)Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The label — Warner Music Group, owns the recording
Discogs → · checked Jul 2026
The songwriters — Nile Rodgers and the Bernard Edwards estate (Chic Music, Inc.)
MusicBrainz → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been cleared before?
Yes — 200+ times — though the landmark case (Rapper's Delight) only settled after a threatened lawsuit
Do they allow sampling?
In practice yes, but not freely — the defining precedent (Rapper's Delight) was settled with full composer credit after Chic threatened suit
What does it cost?
Historically, a co-writing credit and a share of the song — that's how the Rapper's Delight dispute resolved
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
See every song that samples “Good Times” →
Interpolated this bassline and strings without clearance in 1979 — the landmark case; settled with full composer credit to Edwards & Rodgers.
Informal inspiration — John Deacon was reportedly around Chic's sessions; never sampled.
Nile Rodgers has cited its bassline as a partial inspiration for Good Times.
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The recording (the actual audio)Warner Music Group
The song itself (the writing)Chic Music, Inc. (BMI)
Who handles the song todayChic Music, Inc. — a later 12" also credits Warner Bros. Music as co-publisher
The writersBernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
Cleared only after a legal fight
When the Sugarhill Gang looped this for "Rapper's Delight," Nile Rodgers objected and threatened to sue. Rather than litigate, Sugarhill settled — awarding Edwards and Rodgers full composer credit, so they are the only writers listed on "Rapper's Delight."
Songfacts · read it →
Built on what came before
Nile Rodgers has said the walking bassline was partly inspired by Kool & the Gang's "Hollywood Swinging" — one classic feeding the next.
Wikipedia · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Cheaper shortcutReplaying still needs the writers' OK
Sample History
200+
Times sampled
20+
Covers
1979
First flip
Big names who used itSugarhill Gang · Grandmaster Flash · LL Cool J · Beastie Boys
Who to Contact
WMG
Warner Music Group
They own the recording (Atlantic / Warner) — who to ask for a master license
2×
The songwriters (2)
Nile Rodgers and the Bernard Edwards estate both need to agree
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
Find a similar sound that's 100% freeBrowse the catalog →
References
Every source cited on this page — 7 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created
Jul 2026BPM shown as a range (110–115) to reflect variance across pressings, not a single value