A live version was later released on the album En Concert: Good People - Manchester, TN
Good People
Jack Johnson Lyrics
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So what's it gonna be
'Cause people will tune in
How many train wrecks do we need to see
Before we lose touch of
We thought this was low
It's bad getting worse so
I've been changing channels
I don't see them
On the TV shows
Where did all the good people go,
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
They got this and that
With a rattle of tat
Testing, one two
Man what you gonna do
Bad news, misused
Got too much to lose
Gimme some truth
Now whose side are we on
Whatever you say, turn on the boob tube
I'm in the mood to obey
So lead me astray, and by the way now
Where did all the good people go,
I've been changing channels I don't see them
On the TV shows
Where did all the good people go,
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
Sitting around feeling far away
So far away but I can feel the debris
Can you feel it
You interrupt me from a friendly conversation
To tell me how great it's all gonna be
You might notice some hesitation
It's important to you it's not important to me
But way down by the edge or your reason
Well it's beginning to show
And all I really want to know is
Where did all the good people go,
I've been changing channels
I don't see them on the T.V. shows
Where did all the good people go,
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
They got this and that
With a rattle of tat
Test down, one two
Man what you gonna do
Bad news, missed use
Gimme some truth
You got too much to lose
Now whose side are we on
But anyway, okay, whatever you say,
Wrong or resolute, I'm in the mood to obey
Station through station
Desensitizing the nation
Where did all the people go?
Going, going, gone
Jack Johnson's song "Good People" is a commentary on society's obsession with bad news and sensationalism. The song begins with the line "Well you win, it's your show now, So what's it gonna be." Johnson uses this line to underscore how the media has the ability to dictate the narrative and influence what people consume. He then asks, "How many train wrecks do we need to see, Before we lose touch of, We thought this was low, It's bad getting worse so." Here, he calls out the media's tendency to focus on negative stories and suggests that we have become desensitized to tragedy, leading to a dangerous cycle of increasing negativity.
In the chorus, Johnson asks the question, "Where did all the good people go?" He suggests that while there are many people doing good things in the world, they are not being featured in the media. Instead, we are bombarded with negative news that can leave us feeling disconnected and isolated. Johnson sings, "Sitting around feeling far away, So far away but I can feel the debris, Can you feel it."
Line by Line Meaning
Well you win, it's your show now
The things we see on TV are controlled by the people who decide what to air
So what's it gonna be
What kind of content will these people choose to put on TV?
'Cause people will tune in
The viewer decides what to watch based on what's available
How many train wrecks do we need to see
Why are so many negative things shown on TV? Do we actually want to see them?
Before we lose touch of
Before we become desensitized to the negative things we see on TV
We thought this was low
We thought the content on TV couldn't sink any lower, but it has
It's bad getting worse so
The negative content on TV is only getting worse and worse
Where did all the good people go,
Why are there no positive, uplifting people or stories being shown on TV?
I've been changing channels
I'm flipping through channels hoping to find something positive
I don't see them
I can't find anything positive on TV
On the TV shows
The shows on TV are filled with negativity
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
We're only seeing negative things on TV because that's what we're choosing to watch
They got this and that
TV channels have a wide variety of content to choose from
With a rattle of tat
But a lot of it is meaningless, shallow content
Testing, one two
The people behind the scenes are testing what will attract viewers
Man what you gonna do
What can we do to change the content on TV?
Bad news, misused
The negative news we see on TV is often sensationalized and misused
Got too much to lose
TV channels don't want to lose viewers, even if it means showing negative content
Gimme some truth
We want to see honest, genuine content on TV
Now whose side are we on
Are we supporting the channels that show negative content by continuing to watch them?
Whatever you say, turn on the boob tube
We mindlessly turn on the TV without considering the content we're watching
I'm in the mood to obey
We're willing to accept the negative content on TV, even though it's not good for us
So lead me astray, and by the way now
We're willing to be led down a negative path by the content on TV
Sitting around feeling far away
We feel disconnected from reality when we watch TV
So far away but I can feel the debris
The negative content on TV affects our emotions and mindset, even if we're not directly impacted by the events on the TV
Can you feel it
Are you aware of the negative impact TV is having on you?
You interrupt me from a friendly conversation
People are so obsessed with TV that they interrupt real-life conversations to talk about what they saw
To tell me how great it's all gonna be
People talk about the future as if everything is going to be fine, even though there's a lot of negativity in the world
You might notice some hesitation
We don't always believe the positive things people say because we're aware of the negativity in the world
It's important to you it's not important to me
Despite what others may think, we have the right to not let the negativity of the world control us
But way down by the edge or your reason
Deep down, people know that negative content on TV is not good for them
Well it's beginning to show
The negative effects of watching TV are starting to become apparent
And all I really want to know is
Can we change the content on TV to be more positive and uplifting?
Going, going, gone
Without change, the positivity on TV will continue to disappear
Lyrics © Bubble Toes Publishing, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Jack Hody Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind