"Tell Me Something Good" is a song by Rufus and Chaka Khan

Rufus (band)

Rufus was an American funk band from Chicago, Illinois best known for launching the career of lead singer Chaka Khan. They had several hits throughout their career, including "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," and "Ain't Nobody."-Origins:...

, released in 1974

1974 in music

-January–April:*January 3 – Bob Dylan and The Band kick off their 40-date concert tour at Chicago Stadium. It's Dylan's first time on the road since 1966.*January 17...

. It was a big hit peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

, though it didn't chart in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. Written by Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder

Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...

, the song is among the earliest hits to use the guitar talk box

Talk box

A talk box is an effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by lip syncing, or by changing the shape of the mouth...

. The single version contained only the first two verses, and an earlier fade out on the repeated Chorus. The song is also noted for it's unusual use of breathing sounds by the members of Rufus in the transitions between the verses and the Choruses.

Cover versions

Yvonne Fair

Yvonne Fair

Yvonne Fair was an African American singer, best known for her 1976 recording of "It Should Have Been Me".-Biography:...

 recorded an acclaimed cover of the song on her 1975 album The Bitch is Black.

Pink

Pink (singer)

Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....

 recorded a cover of the song for the film Happy Feet

Happy Feet

Happy Feet is a 2006 American-Australian computer-animated family film with music, directed and co-written by George Miller. It was produced at Sydney-based visual effects and animation studio Animal Logic for Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures and Kingdom Feature Productions and was released...

which was included on the soundtrack album

Happy Feet: Music from the Motion Picture

Happy Feet is the lyrical soundtrack album from the 2006 animated film, Happy Feet. As of March 2007, the OST has sold over 272,627 copies in the US.-Track listings:# "Song of the Heart"#:Written and performed by Prince...

.

Maceo Parker

Maceo Parker

Maceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...

 also recorded a cover of the song, which was included on his album FunkOverload.

Eric Marienthal

Eric Marienthal

Eric Marienthal is a Los Angeles-based contemporary saxophonist best known for his work in the jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, and pop genres....

 on his album Sweet Talk.

Robbie Nevil

Robbie Nevil

Robert S. "Robbie" Nevil is an American pop singer, songwriter, producer and guitarist. He is best known for his 1986 Billboard Hot 100 #2 hit, "C'est La Vie".-Life and career:...

 recorded a cover on his album Day 1

Day 1

Day 1 is Robbie Nevil's third album, released in 1991.-Track listing:#"Introduction" – 0:39#"Just Like You" - 4:05#"For Your Mind" - 3:47#"Do You Miss Me" - 4:21#"Temptation" Day 1 is Robbie Nevil's third album, released in 1991.-Track listing:#"Introduction" – 0:39#"Just Like You" (Robbie...

 in 1991.

Jesse Langseth performed the song in the wild-card round in the eighth season of American Idol

American Idol (season 8)

The eighth season of American Idol premiered on January 13, 2009, and concluded on May 20, 2009. Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson continued to judge the show's contestants, along with Ryan Seacrest as host. The season introduced Kara DioGuardi as the fourth judge on the Idol...

, receiving good feedback but did not progress to the Top 13, though she was informed she had almost gotten through.

Guitarist Greg Howe

Greg Howe

Gregory "Greg" Howe is an American guitarist and composer. As an active musician for nearly thirty years, he has released nine studio albums in addition to collaborating with a wide variety of artists.-Recording career:...

 recorded an instrumental version of the song for his 2008 album, Sound Proof

Sound Proof (album)

-Personnel:*Greg Howe – electric guitar, spoken vocals , production*David Cook – keyboard*Dennis Hamm – keyboard solo *Gianluca Palmieri – drums*Jon Reshard – bass guitar*Elvio Fernandez – spoken vocals...

.

UGK

UGK

UGK was an American hip hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas formed in 1987 by the late Chad "Pimp C" Butler . He then joined with Bernard "Bun B" Freeman, who became his longtime partner...

 released a cover with the same title on their debut album Too Hard to Swallow

Too Hard to Swallow

-Track listing:#"Something Good" - 5:27#"Use Me Up" - 4:29#"Pocket Full of Stones" - 6:09#"Short Texas" - 6:18#"Cocaine in the Back of the Ride" - 3:44#"It's Too Hard to Swallow" - 5:19#"Cramping My Style" - 4:45...

.

Matthew Morrison

Matthew Morrison

Matthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...

 performed the song as his Glee

Glee (TV series)

Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...

character Will Schuester

Will Schuester

William "Will" Schuester, often referred to as Mr. Schue, is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actor Matthew Morrison and has appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Will was developed by Glee...

 in the first season episode "Funk

Funk (Glee)

"Funk" is the 21st episode of the American television series Glee. The episode was written by series creator Ian Brennan and directed by Elodie Keene. It premiered on the Fox network on June 1, 2010 and was watched by 9 million viewers. In "Funk", New Directions is intimidated by rival glee club...

". The single was released on iTunes

ITunes

iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....

.

In That 70's Show, in the episode "Water Tower", Eric walks in on his parents having sex, and the song plays every time he has recurring nightmares and thoughts of his parents.

Ronnie Laws

Ronnie Laws

Ronald Wayne "Ronnie" Laws is an American jazz, blues and funk saxophonist. He is the younger brother of jazz flautist Hubert Laws.-Biography:...

 recorded a version in 1975 that was sampled by the Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....

 on their critically acclaimed album Paul's Boutique

Paul's Boutique

Paul's Boutique is the second studio album by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released on July 25, 1989, on Capitol Records. Featuring production by the Dust Brothers, the recording sessions for the album took place in Matt Dike's Apartment and the Record Plant in Los Angeles from 1988 to...

In Will and Grace Karen tells Jack that this is the song to which she and Stan make love. She then walks in on her husband cheating on her with the same song playing.