Great Times (song) explained

"Great Times" is a song by American recording artist will.i.am. Produced by will.i.am in collaboration with Freshman III and Damien Leroy, it was released as a single on November 29, 2011 in support of his fourth studio album

1. willpower

(2013). The song, written by will.i.am about his experiences in Brazil, appears on #willpower in remixed form under the new title "Great Times Are Coming".

Background

will.i.am wrote "Great Times" as a dedication to the country of Brazil.^[1] The song contains samples of Brazilian musician Jorge Ben Jor's "Taj Mahal".^[1] Explaining the inspiration behind "Great Times", will.i.am stated:

Release

An unfinished version of the song initially leaked to the Internet in September 2011, at which will.i.am expressed his dissatisfaction.^[2] In a post to the social networking site Twitter, he wrote: "I never wanted that version released. Now I am very angry. Who leaked it? That's not how things should be. Not cool!"^[2] "Great Times" served as the first single from #willpower in Brazil,^[3] and was released as a digital single in the country on November 29, 2011. To promote the single's release, will.i.am partnered with Anheuser-Busch InBev, who pressed magazine advertisements containing a playable vinyl flexidisc single featuring "Great Times".^[4] "Great Times" was later released to Brazilian radio, peaking at number 59 on Billboard Brasil Hot 100 Airplay chart.

Music video

The music video for "Great Times" was shot in the Brazilian cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.^[5] It was released on February 13, 2012 through will.i.am's VEVO channel.^[6] The video depicts will.i.am partying and travelling around Brazil.^[7] Reviewing the video, a critic for the website Idolator quipped that will.i.am "suggests that we all arrange our bags and we travel to Brazil."^[7]

Charts

Chart (2012)	Peak position
Brasil Hot 100 Airplay (Billboard)[8]	59
South Korea International Singles (Gaon)[9]	12

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
Brazil	November 29, 2011[10]	Digital download	Interscope Records
	May 2012	Vinyl flexidisc

Notes and References

1. Web site: Watch the new clip Will.I.Am 'Great Times', recorded in Rio and São Paulo . . . February 27, 2012 . August 30, 2013 . pt.
2. News: Will.I.Am fuming over leaked track. . . Delhi . October 20, 2011 . August 30, 2013.
3. New Music: will.i.am – 'Great Times' . . New York . December 11, 2011 . August 30, 2013.
4. Budweiser InBev Partners with Will.i.am on Playable Vinyl Magazine Ad . . New York . May 16, 2012 . August 30, 2013 . Nudd, Tim.
5. Will.I.Am grava clipe de 'Great Times' na orla de Ipanema, no Rio de Janeiro . Caras . Brazil . October 20, 2011 . August 30, 2013 . pt.
6. Will.i.am – 'Great Times' . . Brazil . August 30, 2013 . pt . https://web.archive.org/web/20120321184849/http://rollingstone.com.br/video/william-great-times . March 21, 2012 . dead .
7. Web site: Will.i.am Shows His Love For Brazil In His 'Great Times' Video . . February 13, 2012 . May 13, 2012.
8. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=will.i.am|chart=Brazil Hot 100 Airplay}} will.i.am – Chart History: Brasil Hot 100 Airplay ]. . . August 30, 2012.
9. Web site: South Korea Gaon International Chart (2013.01.01 – 2013.01.07) . . August 30, 2013 . ko . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120825041224/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/online/download/list.gaon?nationGbn=E . August 25, 2012 .
10. Web site: Great Times – Single de will.i.am . iTunes Store (BR) . January 2011 . . August 30, 2013.