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"GOOD (DON'T DIE)" (originally titled "So Good"[1]) is the fourteenth track from Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign's collaborative studio album, VULTURES 1 (2024).[2] It features uncredited vocals from J. Rey Soul.[3] On February 14, the song was taken off streaming services due to sample clearance issues.[4]

Production[]

The song heavily interpolates Donna Summer's 1977 song, "I Feel Love".[5]

On February 10, Donna Summer's estate revealed that Ye used her song without their permission, which led to the song being taken off streaming four days later.[4][6] It was briefly readded ten days later, but it was taken down soon after.[7] The song was also exempt from physical copies of VULTURES 1. On February 27, Donna Summer's estate announced that they were suing Ye and Ty for "blatant theft", and did not want to be associated with Ye because of his controversial past.[8] On May 15, a settlement was reached for the lawsuit.[9]

Background[]

The song dates back to as early as mid-2023 during the YEBU sessions in Japan under the title "So Good", though may date back earlier to the WAR sessions in 2022 as the song features production from No I.D. and there is no known time period in which Kanye had actively been working with him past the cancellation of their collaborative record with James Blake.[10] The song at this point in time was a rough freestyle over the beat but was inevitably carried into the Bad Bitch Play Book sessions when YEBU was inevitably scrapped as a whole.[11]

The song was reworked and completely finished during these sessions, appearing on multiple track listings from this period but most notably the infamous 40-song track list as track 4.[12] Singer Sasha Hashemi had also recorded a reference during this period. It's been stated that Ojivolta artist Lawson had also recorded a reference for the song which has been speculated to have been intended to have been AI'd by Playboi Carti for a feature, though it's unclear if Carti ever recorded a finished legitimate verse for the song similar to how he did for "FUK SUMN".

After Bad Bitch Play Book was shelved, the song was carried into the Vultures Vol. 1 sessions. On December 8, Ty Dolla $ign would take to Instagram to post the first officially shared track listing for the album, featuring "SO GOOD" as the sixth track on the album.[13] Though completely in a finished state unlike several other songs that had been previewed at listening events, the song was played at neither of the Vultures City raves.

On February 2nd, HipHopDX revealed a newer track list for the album, now moving the song up to the third track.[14] On February 7th, the song was fist played at the listening party for the album in Chicago, though initially was played with a sample of Donna Summers' "I Feel Love". After Kanye was not given permission to use the sample in the song, the sample was swapped out for backing vocals from J. Rey Soul instead and was played at the listening party In New York before finally being met with a release on February 10.

On February 10, Donna Summer's estate revealed that Ye used her song without their permission, which led to the song being taken off streaming four days later.[4][6] It was briefly readded ten days later, but it was taken down soon after.[7] The song was also exempt from physical copies of VULTURES 1. On February 27, Donna Summer's estate announced that they were suing Ye and Ty for "blatant theft", and did not want to be associated with Ye because of his controversial past.[8] On May 15, a settlement was reached for the lawsuit.[9]

Lyrics[]

[Verse]
(Ooh, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, ooh)
In the dark of night, these thoughts of mine keep me up all night
Got my heart on ice, don't die, don't die
(Ooh, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, ooh)
On this hopeless night, came a thousand miles to see you smile tonight
Your smile tonight, oh
Smile for me tonight
(Ooh)
Got my heart on ice, don't die, don't die
(I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, ooh)
Just one more time, don't die, don't die, please
In the dark of night, these thoughts of mine keep me up all night
Got my heart on ice, don't die, don't die
(Ooh, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, ooh)
On this hopeless night, came a thousand miles to see you smile tonight
Your smile tonight, oh
Smile for me tonight
(Ooh)
Got my heart on ice, don't die, don't die
(I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive, ooh)
Just one more time, don't die, don't die (Ooh), please
(Ooh)

[Outro]
Don't die, don't die (Ooh)
Don't die, don't die (Ooh)

Trivia[]

  • On February 16, a news story was published which revealed that a skier got lost in the mountain ski area of Kirkwood, California. To assure himself that he would make it out alive, he kept singing the "Don't die" lyric from the song. He was eventually rescued a day later.[15]
  • "GOOD (DON'T DIE)" is one of the only songs to not have been heard in any capacity prior to the listening parties for VULTURES 1 in February, alongside "STARS".

References[]

VULTURES 1
Singles
"VULTURES" • "TALKING" • "CARNIVAL"
Other tracks
"STARS" • "KEYS TO MY LIFE" • "PAID" • "BACK TO ME" • "HOODRAT" • "DO IT" • "PAPERWORK" • "BURN" • "FUK SUMN" • "BEG FORGIVENESS" • "GOOD (DON'T DIE)" • "PROBLEMATIC" • "KING"
Chronology
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