Wikipedia

It Was a Good Time

"It Was a Good Time" is a 1970 song written by Mike Curb, Mack David, and Maurice Jarre. It was most notably performed by Eydie Gormé, who released it as a single in early 1971. Her version reached the US adult-oriented charts. The original version was performed in Ryan's Daughter.

"It Was a Good Time"
Single by Eydie Gormé
from the album It Was a Good Time
B-side"Mem'ries and Souvenirs"
ReleasedJanuary 1971
Genre
Length2:57
LabelMGM Records
SongwritersMike Curb, Mack David, and Maurice Jarre
ProducerDon Costa
Eydie Gormé singles chronology
"My World Keeps Getting Smaller Every Day"
(1970)		 "It Was a Good Time"
(1971)		 "Sal and Sally"
(1971)

Background and release

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American singer Eydie Gormé enjoyed pop success throughout the 1950s, charting several songs in the top 100.[3] In the 1960s, Gormé shifted towards an easy listening sound, and also recorded with her husband Steve Lawrence.[2] The new single followed declining chart performance for Gormé, so she left RCA Victor Records and signed MGM Records.[4] They scheduled to release her recording of "It Was a Good Time" from the movie Ryan's Daughter starring Sarah Miles and Robert Mitchum.[1] It was released as seven-inch single in January 1971, backed by "Mem'ries and Souvenirs". The single was produced by Don Costa for Stage Two Productions, and arranged & conducted by him on both sides as well.[5]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
BillboardPositive (Spotlight)[1]
CashboxPositive (Choice Programming)[6]
Record WorldPositive[4]

The single received a positive critical reception upon its release. Billboard magazine in its "Top 60 Pop Spotlight" reviews said that Gormé had a "powerful debut" for MGM in "this infectious rhythm". They noted that "the Don Costa arrangement builds into a wild sing-along, loaded with juke box appeal."[1] Cashbox believed that the "theme provides Eydie Gorme a fine premiere with MGM."[6] Record World in its "Single Product" section said that the song is an "Energetic rendering of an increasingly popular song is a good attention getter."[4]

Chart performance

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"It Was a Good Time", like her previous releases, achieved modest success on the American adult-oriented charts. The single adebuted on the Billboard Easy Listening chart in the issue dated February 20, 1971, reaching No. 23 during a seven-week run on it.[2]

Charts

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Chart performance for "It Was a Good Time" by Eydie Gormé
Chart (1971) Peak
position
US Billboard Easy Listening[2] 23

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 "Top 60 Pop Spotlight (Singles Predicted to Reach the Top 60 of the Hot 100 Chart): It Was a Good Time" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 83, no. 6. February 6, 1969. p. 66. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn presents Billboard top adult songs, 1961-2006. Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research Inc. p. 112. ISBN 978-0-89820-169-7. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn's top pop singles 1955-2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisc.: Record Research. pp. 286–287. ISBN 0898201551. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "Record World Singles Reviews: "Single Product"" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 25, no. 1235. February 6, 1971. p. 14. Retrieved June 6, 2026 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  5. ↑ Gormé, Eydie (January 1971). ""It Was a Good Time"/"Mem'ries and Souvenirs" (7" single Information)". MGM. K-14213.
  6. 1 2 Albert, George (February 6, 1971). "Record Reviews: Choice Programming" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. XXXII, no. 33. p. 22. Retrieved June 6, 2026 – via worldradiohistory.com.
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