Help clear this up

What's that noise?


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    11

marvelman

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Ok, me and my roommate are having this argument.

The Gorillaz have a song called "Feel Good Inc." In it, there is a noise that sounds like an organ or a synthesizer. During the music video, Damon Albarn's character, 2D, mouths the words "Feel Good" to the noise. One of us believes he is really saying the words "Feel Good" in the song whenever this noise comes on, while the other believes this is an indeterminate noise to which the words are mouthed in the video.

Lyrics pages and wikipedia state that he is truly saying "Feel Good," but these pages have proven to be unreliable in the past. However, a line from wikipedia states that "The repetition of "Feel Good" represents that 2-D is convincing himself that everything is OK (as if he is brainwashing himself to believe it), instead of facing the harsh truth of the situation." This seems pretty convincing symbollically. In addition, it is easy for vocals to immitate intruments if done correctly (see the Beatles' "I Will"- the "bass" is Paul McCartney making the bass noises).

However, it could simply be the case that it is a noise to which the syllables of the words "Feel Good" match. Then, when we watch the video, we attach those words to the noise through association- a kind of mind trick. Just as John Lennon's "cranberry sauce" at the end of Strawberry Fields Forever was mistaken for "I buried Paul," and still can if you let yourself believe that is what was being said (even though the lyric track shows he states "cranberry sauce"), we could be fooling ourselves into thinking he is saying "Feel Good" over an indeterminate noise. In addition, the consonant sounds do not match up, nor do the vowel sounds match up fully.

So what do you guys think?




(I woulda put this in the music thread, but I wanted to get the poll. sorry bout that)
 
Last edited:
Are you talking about the high pitched sound in the middle and end of the main hook?
 
Are you talking about the high pitched sound in the middle and end of the main hook?

yes. the "oo oo" (or "feel good" or whatever). It first comes in immediately after the opening laughs and is thrown in throughout the rest of the song.
 
yes. the "oo oo" (or "feel good" or whatever). It first comes in immediately after the opening laughs and is thrown in throughout the rest of the song.

I never researched it, but I've istened closely trying to figure out what it is. I do not believe it is actual words. It sounds like a synthesized voice, but it sounds like it's just saying "oo oo" like you said.
 
As further evidence, on the most recent Weird Al Album, "Straight Outta Lynnwood" there is one of his Polka Medleys called "Polkarama!"

Feel Good Inc. is included in the songs credited, and about half way through, the accordian and horns play the main hook while Al and his backing vocals clearly sing "Feel Good" before diving headlong into The *****cast Doll's "Doncha."
 

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