no-good

"You're No Good for Me" is a house song by American singer Kelly Charles that was released as a single on Next Plateau Records in 1987. The song's hook "You're no good for me, I don't need nobody / Don't need no one that's no good for me" has been sampled numerous times by artists such as Hithouse, Oxide & Neutrino, Plan B and The Prodigy who had a hit single in 1994 with "No Good (Start the Dance)".

Background

The song was written by James Bratton and Kelly Charles and was produced by Bratton and Dolores Drewry at Alpha Recording in Teaneck, New Jersey.^[1] It was released as a single in 1987 on Next Plateau Records in the United States and on London Records in the United Kingdom, although the song did not chart.

Track listings

12-inch single

1. "You're No Good for Me" (radio version) – 3:55
2. "You're No Good for Me" (club mix) – 5:00
3. "You're No Good for Me" (Classy club dub mix) – 6:00

7-inch single

1. "You're No Good for Me" (instrumental) – 3:45
2. "You're No Good for Me" (radio version) – 3:55

Personnel

• Kelly Charles – vocals
• James Bratton – producer, mixing
• Dolores Drewry – producer
• Russ Kip Moore – engineer
• Keith Dumpson – mixing
• Joe Maggio – executive producer
• Greg Hatten – piano

Samples, remixes and cover versions

Dutch disc jockey and producer Hithouse's single "Jack to the Sound of the Underground" was the first dance record to sample "You're No Good for Me" in 1988^[2] and the song reached No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart.^[3]

The Prodigy version

"No Good (Start the Dance)"
Single by The Prodigy
from the album Music for the Jilted Generation
Released	16 May 1994 (1994-05-16)
Format	12", CS, CD
Recorded	Earthbound Studios, Essex and Strongroom, London
Genre	Oldskool jungle, breakbeat hardcore
Length	4:01
Label	XL
Writer(s)	Liam Howlett
Producer	Liam Howlett
The Prodigy singles chronology
"One Love" (1993) "No Good (Start the Dance)" (1994) "Voodoo People" (1994)

"No Good (Start the Dance)" is a song by The Prodigy, released as their seventh single on 16 May 1994. It was the second single from the album Music for the Jilted Generation. The single peaked at number four in the UK and number seven in Norway. The "No Good" single sold over 235,000 copies in the UK during 1994. Liam Howlett had doubts whether to use the sample because he thought it was too pop for his taste. There is also a Drum'n'Bass remix by DJ SS. In the summer of 2010 a new remix grew popular by being promoted by Swedish House Mafia among others, The Prodigy - No Good (Da Fresh Bootleg).

Music video

The video, directed by Walter Stern combines the humorous flavour of that for Out Of Space with the menace of Firestarter and Breathe videos to come. Filmed in an underground warehouse, the video features characters dancing to the song including a very manic Liam whilst other band members prowl around moodily. After Liam breaks down a plaster wall with a sledgehammer, Keith is seen in a straitjacket eventually being locked into a Plexiglas box-prison.

Track listing

CD single

1. "No Good (Start the Dance)" (edit) – 4:01
2. "No Good (Start the Dance)" (Bad for You mix) – 6:52
3. "No Good (Start the Dance)" (CJ Bolland Museum mix) – 5:14
4. "No Good (Start the Dance)" (original mix) – 6:22

12-inch single

1. "No Good (Start the Dance)" (original mix) – 6:22
2. "No Good (Start the Dance)" (Bad for You mix) – 6:52
3. "No Good (Start the Dance)" (CJ Bolland Museum mix) – 5:14

Chart performance

Other versions

In 2000 British UK garage duo Oxide & Neutrino interpolated "You're No Good for Me" on their second single "No Good 4 Me", which was taken from their debut album Execute (2001). The song features vocals from fellow So Solid Crew members Megaman, Romeo and Lisa Maffia and also contains elements "No Good (Start the Dance)" by The Prodigy. The single peaked at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart and was also certified Silver by the BPI for sales of over 200,000 units.^[12]

In 2005 Plan B also interpolated the song in the chorus "No Good" the first single taken from his debut album Who Needs Actions When You Got Words (2006). The track was produced by Paul Epworth and also samples "Psychedelic Shack" by The Temptations. The song was first released as a double A-side with "Sick 2 Def" in 2005 and was re-released in a slightly remixed form by Jeremy Wheatley as a stand-alone single in 2007 with additional remixes including a remix by Chase & Status.

German rapper Kollegah also sampled "You're No Good for Me" and "No Good (Start the Dance)" in his song "Hater" (2007). Ultrabeat interpolated the song into "The Stalker" from their second album The Weekend Has Landed (2009). Lostprophets have incorporated the song into their cover of The Prodigy's "Omen" during their live shows.

List of songs that sample "You're No Good for Me"

• Hithouse - "Jack to the Sound of the Underground" (1988)
• The Prodigy - "No Good (Start the Dance)" (1994)
• Search & Destroy - "Don't Need Nobody" (1994)
• Buzz Fuzz - "No Good 4 Me" (1997)
• Oxide & Neutrino - "No Good 4 Me" (2000)
• Norman Bass - "Jack to the Sound" (2002)
• DJ Fixx - "No Good 4 Me" (2003)
• Tocadisco - "You're No Good for Me" (2005)
• Plan B - "No Good" (2005)
• D'Explicit - "Good for Me" (2007)
• Kollegah - "Hater" (2007)
• Gareth Wyn - "You're No Good for Me" (2009)
• Ultrabeat - "The Stalker" (2009)
• Super Beez - "You're No Good for Me" (2010)
• Sean Finn - "No Good" (2011)

References

External links

The Prodigy - "No Good (Start the Dance)" on YouTube