Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedFootsteps in the Dark, Pts. 1 & 2
R&B1970s81BPM
B minKey
More around 80 BPM → · More in B minor →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (the full Isley Brothers collective), no dispute found — the primary sample source for Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day.”
Quick Facts
Released1977
AlbumGo for Your Guns
GenreR&B, Soul, Funk
LabelT-Neck / Epic Records
ProducerThe Isley Brothers, Malcolm Cecil & Robert Margouleff
Recorded atBearsville Studios, NY
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — The full Isley Brothers collective
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally T-Neck/Epic; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — the primary sample source for Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day” (this batch); also sampled by Slum Village (“Call Me”) and J Dilla (“The Shining”).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
This is its primary sample source (this batch)
Same Isley collective (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)The full Isley Brothers collective (Marvin, Rudolph, O’Kelly, Ernest, Ronald Isley & Chris Jasper)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A direct line to rock history
Ernie Isley wrote the lyrics and played guitar, bass, drums and congas on the track — his guitar playing was directly influenced by Jimi Hendrix, whose very first professional recording session was actually with the Isley Brothers themselves, in 1964, on “Testify.” No lyrics reproduced.
Wikipedia · read it →
A hip-hop foundational source
Most famously sampled in Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day,” it was also sampled on Slum Village’s 2005 self-titled album (“Call Me”) and J Dilla’s album “The Shining.”
HipHopHero · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
The sample source for Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day”
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itIce Cube · J Dilla · Slum Village
Who to Contact
FD
The Isley Brothers (T-Neck/Epic)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 3 updates
Jul 2026BPM set to 81 (feel tempo) — the two-source pass agreed at the 162 double-time octave; halved to the natural tempo of this slow-jam. Key B min confirmed.
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 12)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass