The song was listed in Pitchfork Media and Rolling Stone's Best Songs of the 2000s. It was nominated for three Grammys at the 2006 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, but winning for Best Pop Collaboration. Popdose ranked it 26th on their list of 100 best songs of the decade.
Music video
The main themes of the video are intellectual freedom and the media's dumbing down of mass culture.
At the beginning of the video, the camera rises up to the top of the Feel Good Inc. tower, and a sample of the Spacemonkeyz dub of "Clint Eastwood", entitled "A Fistful of Peanuts", can be heard. The camera focuses into the tower, where 2-D yearns for the freedom to join Noodle on her floating island. The characters lying on the floor represent those who have already been "dumbed down", while the band members are the ones who have awakened. 2-D is trying to wake all the people from their half-dead state by yelling at them through his megaphone, in the style of a political activist. The floating island is chased by ominous helicopters, which closely resemble Korean War era Bell H-13s, monitoring the behaviour inside and ensuring that no one escapes. It is unclear whether they are preventing Noodle's escape or are chasing her away. Back in the tower, De La Soul appear as larger-than life, seemingly omnipotent images on surrounding television screens, laughing at the Gorillaz band members. Their taunting drives 2-D into a wild, hypnotic frenzy as he tries to resist the urge to be dumbed down. At the end of the video, 2-D, beaten by his surroundings, returns to the state he was in when the video began, repeating the words "Feel good" until the video finally ends, in an exact reversal of the intro. 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. The music video for "El Mañana" is a continuation of this video, depicting two helicopter gunships catching up to Noodle's floating windmill island and attacking it.
Jamie Hewlett said in an interview that the inspiration for some scenes in the video came from Hayao Miyazaki; specifically, the windmill-powered landmass, which has been compared to that of Miyazaki's "Castle in the Sky".
Usage in media
The track was included in the respective soundtracks of SingStar Pop, Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 3, DJ Hero, Guitar Hero 5, Fantasia: Music Evolved, Grand Theft Auto V, and Watch Dogs: Legion; the single has also been included as downloadable content for the soundtracks of Rock Band and SingStar. Additionally, the track was utilized in one of Apple's "silhouette style" iPod television advertisements.
Feel Good Inc.
De La Soul; Gorillaz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They just have to go 'cause they don't know whack
So all you fill the streets it's appealing to see
You won't get out the county, 'cause you're bad and free
You've got a new horizon It's ephemeral style
A melancholy town where we never smile
And all I want to hear is the message beep
My dreams, they've got to kiss, because I don't get sleep, no
Windmill, Windmill for the land
Learn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is stinking, falling down
Love forever love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?
Laughing gas these hazmats, fast cats
Lining them up-a like ass cracks
Ladies, homies, at the track
It's my chocolate attack
Shit, I'm stepping in the heart of this here
Care bear bumping in the heart of this here
Watch me as I gravitate, ha ha ha
Yo, we gonna go ghost town
This Motown, with yo sound
You're in the place
You gonna bite the dust
Can't fight with us
With yo sound, you kill the INC
So don't stop, get it, get it
Until you're cheddar header
Yo, watch the way I navigate, ha ha ha
Windmill, windmill for the land
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is stinking, falling down
Love forever love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?
Don't stop, get it, get it
We are your captains in it
Steady, watch me navigate, ha ha ha
Don't stop, get it, get it
We are your captains in it
Steady, watch me navigate, ha ha ha
The lyrics to De La Soul’s “Feel Good Inc.” seemingly address themes of urban decay and cultural isolation. The opening lines, “City’s breaking down on a camel’s back, they just have to go ‘cause they don’t know whack,” suggest that the city in question is corrupted and breaking down. The line, “So all you fill the streets it's appealing to see, you won't get out the county, 'cause you're bad and free” could be interpreted as the inhabitants of the city feeling trapped in their surroundings by their own volition. The line, “A melancholy town where we never smile” further emphasizes the dissatisfaction of the inhabitants.
The chorus of the song features repetitive lines about turning the windmill for the land and loving forever. This possibly correlates to a call to action for the inhabitants of the city to take charge of their environments and strive for a better future, hand in hand.
The verses featuring mentions of “laughing gas”, “hazmats”, and “fast cats” could indicate a metaphor for a drug-addled society, coupled with social stratification. The lines, “This Motown, with yo sound, you're in the place, you gonna bite the dust, Can't fight with us” could function as a commentary on the cutthroat nature of life in a city setting. The song's overall message could be encouraging the oppressed to come together and create something beautiful out of their grim surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
City's breaking down on a camel's back
The city has become unstable and is on the verge of collapse.
They just have to go 'cause they don't know whack
People in the city are leaving because they don't have any other options.
So all you fill the streets it's appealing to see
People want to be around each other, even in difficult circumstances.
You won't get out the county, 'cause you're bad and free
People can't escape their problems because they are free to make bad choices.
You've got a new horizon It's ephemeral style
There is potential for change, but it might not last forever.
A melancholy town where we never smile
The town is unhappy and joyless.
And all I want to hear is the message beep
The singer wants to receive important messages.
My dreams, they've got to kiss, because I don't get sleep, no
The artist's dreams have to come true because they can't sleep due to stress.
Windmill, Windmill for the land
The windmill is a symbol of progress and hope for the future.
Learn forever hand in hand
Together, people can continue to learn and grow.
Take it all in on your stride
Face challenges calmly and confidently.
It is stinking, falling down
The situation is bad and getting worse.
Love forever love is free
Love is eternal and cannot be bought or sold.
Let's turn forever you and me
Together, we can make change that lasts forever.
Is everybody in?
Is everyone ready to join us in this journey?
Laughing gas these hazmats, fast cats
Dangerous situations are all around us.
Lining them up-a like ass cracks
People are taking risks without considering the consequences.
Ladies, homies, at the track
Different types of people are coming together in this dangerous situation.
It's my chocolate attack
The singer is confident in their ability to take control of the situation.
Shit, I'm stepping in the heart of this here
The artist is bravely stepping into the most dangerous part of the situation.
Care bear bumping in the heart of this here
Even gentle, loving creatures can be found in this dangerous place.
Watch me as I gravitate, ha ha ha
The artist is confident and in control of the situation.
Yo, we gonna go ghost town
The singer anticipates the city becoming abandoned soon.
This Motown, with yo sound
The artist is inspired by the music and culture of Motown.
You're in the place
You are here, where the action is happening.
You gonna bite the dust
If you're not careful, you're going to get hurt or worse.
Can't fight with us
The singer and their allies cannot be defeated.
With yo sound, you kill the INC
Your music is powerful enough to take down the establishment.
So don't stop, get it, get it
Keep going, don't give up.
Until you're cheddar header
Keep working until you're extremely successful.
Yo, watch the way I navigate, ha ha ha
The singer is confident in their ability to lead and succeed.
Don't stop, get it, get it
Keep going, don't give up.
We are your captains in it
The artist and their allies are in charge of the situation.
Steady, watch me navigate, ha ha ha
The artist is confident in their ability to lead and succeed.
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN JOSEPH BURTON, DAMON ALBARN, DAVID JOLICOEUR, JAMIE HEWLETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RevolutionaryGirlyPop
3:35 that laugh by Vincent Mason right there gives me goosebumps EVERY time i hear it. I couldn't describe the emotions this is giving me
@AlexNVMx
Frrrrrr
@Boss_Tanaka
I know how to do this laugh but each time i need one week to have my voice back
@TABULOUS1
It's like they have their very own FatmanScoop....
@devkons
смех потрясающий!!!!
@albanozavala3460
Frrrrrrrrrrr
@LadyEmilyPresents
Amazing performance, losing Dave was so tragic but I'm glad to see Maseo and Pos on stage keeping the energy going.
@lucs028
Hey Emily 💕
@prod.icemarisso
W Emily
@gabireyes80
Hey Emily! Love your content <3