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Back in January, Murk Avenue blogger Donovan Strain made music blogging history when he investigated a question that had plagued West Coast rap for nearly two decades: what was the date of Ice Cube's "Good Day"? His answer came only a week too late to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of The Good Day: January 20, 1992.
But then an intrepid reporter for Vulture called up Ice Cube for confirmation. His publicist's cryptic response? "Nice try." (Another blogger meanwhile pushed for November 30, 1988 as Official Good Day.) Finally, Mike Ryan at the Huffington Post sat down with Ice Cube, who is in movie-promoting mode, and pressed him on this "Good Day" issue. Ice Cube's answer about the inspiration for his lyrics is disappointing, if not surprising:
Is this your Carly Simon, "You're So Vain," song? That you'll never admit when it was? Then you'll auction the answer off some day to one guy who, under contract, can't reveal the day?
Nah. You know -- it's a song. It's a fictional song. It's basically my interpretation of what a great day would be. Do you know what I'm saying? So, you know, it's a little of this and a little of that. I don't think you can pinpoint the day. So you're saying it's a collection of good things from multiple days?
It could have been all of those days.
So it's a conglomerate of your perfect day?
Yes.
