“Good as Hell” by Lizzo

Although it may read like an oxymoron, good as hell is actually a colloquial phrase which points to the idea of whatever it is being applied to being in an exceptional state. And in this particular song, what is being labeled as such is ideally the addressee’s attitude.

More specifically, the addressee is presented as someone who is going through self-esteem issues due to being mistreated by a romantic partner. So overall, the purpose of this song is to uplift such an individual. And Lizzo approaches this task using a couple of different strategies. For example, she presents herself as someone who is not afraid to enjoy life and entreats the addressee to join her. 

Indeed Lizzo has put “a bottle of tequila” aside specifically for the two of them to enjoy a good boozing. But more to the point, she is challenging this individual to dress herself nicely and make an attempt to appreciate life on her own accord. The insinuation is that this would include interacting with other romantic interests. And why? Because Lizzo is convinced that the addressee’s current partner is no longer interested in her.

A Song to Boost Self-Confidence

So we all know that women getting their self-confidence ravaged via toxic relationships is somewhat of a common occurrence. And it is this reality which Lizzo has taken it upon herself to confront. Overall, her philosophical solution to the problem is that such women need to focus more on themselves as opposed to their oft-negative lovers. And basically, the vocalist is presenting herself as an example of such an independent woman whose joyous mood is not dependent on that of a romantic partner.

Facts about “Good as Hell”

“Good as Hell” officially came out on 7 October 2016 as part of Lizzo’s maiden EP, “Coconut Oil”. During that same year, it was also featured on the soundtrack to the comedy film “Barbershop: The Next Cut”.

The labels behind this song are Atlantic Records and its imprint, Nice Life Records. The latter company was founded by the producer of “Good as Hell”, Ricky Reed.

He also co-wrote to “Good as Hell” alongside Lizzo.

This song didn’t catch on when it first came out. In fact it remained inconspicuous for years and started to blow up concurrently as Lizzo herself transitioned into a superstar. Indeed the turning point in the history of this song is considered to be 26 August 2019, when Lizzo performed “Good as Hell” during the MTV Video Music Awards.

Shortly thereafter she also released a remix of the tune alongside global music sensation Ariana Grande. That also contributed to making “Good as Hell” a sleeper hit.

So even though it was originally released in 2016, it was during 2019 when the song experienced its massive chart success. It entered the Hot 100’s top 10. In Britain, it also made it into the top 10. This is in addition to charting in 15 other countries and going double-Platinum in the United States.

The remix also charted in countries such as the Netherlands and Sweden.