Feel Good Inc.

"Feel Good Inc." is a powerful and multi-layered critique of modern society, exploring themes of commercialism, escapism, and the loss of intellectual and emotional freedom. The title itself is ironic, juxtaposing the seemingly positive phrase "Feel Good" with the corporate suffix "Inc.", suggesting that happiness has become a manufactured and commercialized product. The song paints a picture of a dystopian world where people are encouraged to seek superficial pleasures to distract them from a deeper sense of alienation and societal decay. The lyrics contrast the grim reality of a "melancholy town where we never smile" with the hollow promise of feeling good. The floating windmill island in the music video, where Noodle is seen to be free, symbolizes a natural, idyllic state of being and genuine happiness, which stands in stark contrast to the oppressive tower of "Feel Good Inc." where the rest of the band is confined. This tower represents the intoxicating but ultimately soul-crushing nature of the entertainment industry and consumer culture. De La Soul's rap verses personify this corporate entity, which aggressively promotes a culture of hedonism and mindlessness to maintain control. Ultimately, the song serves as a commentary on the dumbing down of mass culture and a call to seek authentic connection and freedom beyond the prescribed happiness offered by the corporate world.

The song opens with a maniacal laugh, followed by the repeated, almost hypnotic, chant of "Feel good." This initial section establishes a sense of forced, artificial happiness. The narrative then shifts to a scene of urban decay and emotional numbness with the line, "City's breaking down on a camel's back." This imagery suggests a society on the verge of collapse under an unsustainable weight. The inhabitants are described as being "bad and free," yet trapped within a "melancholy town where we never smile." There's a sense of disillusionment with fleeting trends, referred to as an "ephemeral style." The narrator expresses a deep-seated loneliness and insomnia, yearning for connection, as his dreams are the only source of affection because he gets no sleep.

The chorus introduces the central metaphor of the song: "Windmill, windmill for the land, turn forever hand in hand." This recurring image represents a yearning for a simpler, more natural, and unified existence, a stark contrast to the fragmented and artificial world described in the verses. It's a call for enduring love and freedom, a perpetual motion of connection that is "ticking, falling down," suggesting its fragility or the slow decay of this ideal. The invitation, "Is everybody in?" serves as a call to action, a question posed to the listeners about their willingness to join this pursuit of genuine connection.

The song is then interrupted by the energetic and chaotic rap verses from De La Soul. They take on the persona of the corporate entity, "Feel Good Inc.," or the forces that perpetuate this artificial happiness. They boast of their power and influence, using imagery of excess and control: "Laughin' gas, these hazmats, fast cats, linin' 'em up like ass cracks." They mock the narrator's attempts at rebellion, asserting their dominance with lines like, "With yo' sound, you kill the Inc." This section represents the seductive and oppressive nature of consumer culture and the media, which distracts and pacifies the masses. The rap concludes with a taunting laugh, reinforcing their control and the futility of resistance within their system.

The song returns to the melancholic chorus, with the windmill motif representing the persistent, albeit distant, hope for something more authentic. The repetition of "Feel good" at the end, coupled with the lingering laugh, leaves the listener in a state of ambiguity. It questions whether true happiness can be found or if we are all just cogs in the machine of a society that manufactures our contentment. The narrative arc of the song, therefore, is a journey from a state of numb acceptance of a dystopian reality to a glimmer of hope for a more meaningful existence, which is then challenged by the overwhelming forces of societal control, leaving the ultimate outcome uncertain.

"Feel Good Inc." was created for Gorillaz's second studio album, Demon Days, released in 2005. The album was conceived by Damon Albarn during a train journey from Beijing to Mongolia, where he was inspired to create a record that reflected the flaws of the post-9/11 world. The song was one of the first tracks worked on with producer Brian Burton, also known as Danger Mouse, whom Albarn contacted after being impressed by his work on The Grey Album. The iconic bassline was reportedly created by Morgan Nicholls. The track came together from a rough demo, with Simon Tong on guitar and Cass Browne on drums. American hip-hop trio De La Soul were invited to contribute to the album and, although initially considering another track, they ultimately chose the demo for "Feel Good Inc.". The manic laughter at the beginning of the song was an accidental recording of De La Soul messing around in the studio. The song was recorded in 2004 at Kong Studios in Essex and 13 in London. Released on May 9, 2005, it became the lead single for Demon Days.

The rhyme and rhythm of "Feel Good Inc." are integral to its structure and mood. The song maintains a mid-tempo groove driven by its distinctive bassline and a steady drum beat. The verses, sung by Damon Albarn, have a relatively free-flowing rhyme scheme that contributes to their melancholic and introspective feel. The chorus, with its simple AABB-like rhyme scheme ("land"/"hand," "stride"/"down," "free"/"me"), has a nursery rhyme quality that makes it both memorable and thematically significant, representing a yearning for a simpler existence. De La Soul's rap section introduces a more complex and energetic rhythmic and lyrical flow, characterized by internal rhymes and a driving, percussive delivery that mirrors the aggressive and chaotic nature of the corporate entity they represent. The interplay between the laid-back, melodic rhythm of the verses and chorus and the more aggressive rhythm of the rap section creates a dynamic tension that is central to the song's meaning—the conflict between passive despair and oppressive, manufactured excitement.

"Feel Good Inc." employs a range of stylistic techniques, both musically and lyrically, to create its distinct atmosphere and convey its message. Musically, the song is a masterful blend of genres, including alternative rock, hip-hop, and funk, which creates a sonic dualism that reflects the song's thematic tension between melancholy and forced joy. The iconic, funky bassline provides a groovy yet menacing foundation, while the acoustic guitar in the chorus introduces a softer, more folk-like element, evoking a sense of longing and nostalgia. Damon Albarn's vocal delivery as 2-D is melancholic and detached, contrasting sharply with the energetic and aggressive rap of De La Soul, who personify the corporate machine. Lyrically, the song uses irony, particularly in its title, to critique the commodification of happiness. Figurative language is abundant, with metaphors like the "windmill" for freedom and the "camel's back" for societal collapse. The lyrics also employ personification and hyperbole to create vivid imagery of a dystopian world. The use of a muffled, megaphone-like effect on 2-D's voice in the music video, even as he sings of hardship, reinforces the idea of his voice being suppressed or ignored.

"Feel Good Inc." is widely regarded as one of Gorillaz's most iconic and successful songs, leaving a significant cultural footprint. Released in 2005, it became a massive international hit, reaching number 2 in the UK Singles Chart and number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song's success was bolstered by its innovative and visually stunning music video, which received heavy airplay on music television channels. The video's aesthetic, inspired in part by the work of Hayao Miyazaki, has been highly influential. "Feel Good Inc." won a Grammy Award in 2006 for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and was nominated for Record of the Year. Its popularity was further cemented by its inclusion in an iPod commercial, which exposed the song to an even wider audience. The song has been featured in numerous films, television shows, and video games, including "GTA 5" and "Guitar Hero 5". It is consistently ranked as one of the best songs of the 2000s and remains a staple of alternative and rock radio, praised for its ability to blend mainstream appeal with sharp social commentary.

"Feel Good Inc." is rich with symbolism and metaphors that enhance its critical message. The most prominent symbol is the 'Feel Good Inc.' tower itself, which represents a prison of manufactured happiness, corporate control, and societal alienation. Inside, the band members are depicted in a state of decadent apathy, symbolizing a society sedated by superficial pleasures. In stark contrast, Noodle's floating windmill island symbolizes freedom, innocence, and a more natural, utopian existence. The windmill itself, with its refrain "Windmill, windmill for the land, turn forever hand in hand," is a powerful metaphor for enduring hope, unity, and a return to simpler, more authentic values. The lyric "City's breaking down on a camel's back" is a metaphor for a society on the brink of collapse due to an unsustainable burden, likely a reference to the proverb "the straw that broke the camel's back." De La Soul's rap verses embody the voice of the oppressive corporation, using phrases like "laughing gas" as a metaphor for the stupefying distractions used to control the populace. The helicopters pursuing Noodle's island at the end of the music video symbolize the relentless forces of the corporation trying to crush individuality and freedom.

Several recurring phrases and motifs are central to the meaning and structure of "Feel Good Inc.". The most prominent is the repeated phrase "Feel good," which opens the song and is chanted almost like a mantra. This repetition, especially when paired with the maniacal laughter, underscores the artificial and forced nature of the happiness being promoted. The lyrical motif of the "Windmill, windmill for the land" is a recurring symbol of hope, freedom, and a return to a more natural and unified state. Its repetition in the chorus serves as a constant reminder of this alternative to the oppressive world of "Feel Good Inc." De La Soul's taunting laughter acts as a recurring sonic motif that represents the cynical and controlling nature of the corporate powers. The question "Is everybody in?" is a recurring invitation, a call to join the movement towards a more authentic way of life, breaking away from the conformity of the tower. The repetition of these elements creates a cohesive narrative and reinforces the song's central themes of confinement versus freedom and artificiality versus authenticity.