“Goody Two Shoes” is the debut solo single by Adam Ant, released on 7 May 1982 by CBS Records as the lead track from his album Friend or Foe. Written by Adam Ant (Stuart Leslie Goddard) and Marco Pirroni, the song marked Ant’s transition to a solo career following the disbandment of Adam and the Ants. It served as a satirical “answer back manifesto” against the intrusive UK tabloid press, who were shocked by Ant’s teetotal and non-smoking lifestyle despite his flamboyant stage persona.
The track reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in June 1982 and also topped the charts in Australia, while peaking at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its success was significantly amplified by heavy rotation on MTV, which introduced Ant’s theatrical costumes and charismatic performance style to a broader American audience. The song is characterized by its calypso-inspired rhythm, layered percussion, and catchy chorus: “Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?”
Key historical context includes:
- Inspiration: The lyrics were inspired by Ant’s frustration with media questions about his clean living, with some interpretations suggesting the line “pretending you’re Al Green” was a jab at Kevin Rowland of Dexys Midnight Runners.
- Production: Recorded at The Town House in London in June 1982, it was Ant’s first solo production effort, blending new wave with early rock and roll elements.
- Legacy: It became Ant’s highest-charting US hit and a defining anthem of the New Romantic movement, influencing 1980s fashion and visual trends. The B-side of the UK single was “Red Scab”, a raw punk track re-recorded from 1977.
With the heartbreak open
So much you can’t hide
Put on a little makeup, makeup
Make sure they get your good side, good side
If the word’s unspoken
Gets stuck in your throat
Send a treasure token, token
Write it on a pound note, pound note
Goody two, goody two, goody, goody two shoes
Goody two, goody two, goody, goody two shoes
Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
You don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
There must be something inside
We don’t follow fashion
That’d be a joke
You know we’re going to set them, set them
So everyone can take note, take note
When they saw you kneeling
Crying words that you mean
Opening their eyeballs, eyeballs
Pretending that you’re Al Green, Al Green
Goody two, goody two, goody, goody two shoes
Goody two, goody two, goody, goody two shoes
Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
You don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
Must be something inside
No one’s gonna tell me
What’s wrong and what’s right
Or tell me who to eat with, sleep with
Or that I’ve won the big fight, big fight
Look out, or they’ll tell you
You’re a “Superstar”
Two weeks, and you’re an all-time legend
I think the games have gone much too far
If the word’s unspoken
Gets stuck in your throat
Send a treasure token, token
Write it on a pound note, pound note
Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
You don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
Must be something inside he’s hidin’
Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Ya don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
Must be something inside he’s hidin’
Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Ya don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
Must be something inside he’s hidin’
Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Ya don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
Must be something inside he’s hidin’
Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Don’t drink, don’t smoke, what do you do?
Subtle innuendos follow
Must be something inside