I adored the Ed Case remix of it, but always found it hard to trust "Clint Eastwood" - not because it was <i>knowing</i> pop but because it struck that timeless formula of startling, catchy and being in good taste, which, while fine in and of itself, becomes positively infuriating when the song seems to be liked enormously by everyone but you - this is what I sometimes call the "Hey Ya" effect... songs which everyone else seems to like more the more they hear it, but I like less the more I hear it in their company, resenting the fact that I can't quite hear the magic it's weaving for them.
Also it didn't help that it came out not too long after that Deltron 3000 song with Del tha Funky Homosapien rapping about a virus and papyrus and what have you - for several years I could hardly stand to listen to his voice which above all other rappers positively drips with patronising self-satisfaction - which is a shame because in other ways I quite like him.
"Feel Good Inc." is pretty much in the same mould - and I would argue actually <i>is</i> this year's "Hey Ya", and serves precisely the same function for many people who are still nervous about engaging with any black music you're supposed to dance to - with the crucial difference that it's a much better song, doesn't have Del, Damon doesn't do that grating whiny thing... It makes me think if iPods now but that's not it's own fault really.
"Dare" is just very very good. Sounds great being blasted out of cars.
