Good Intent (song)

**"Good Intent"** is a song written by Kimbra and François Tétaz and features the production of Tétaz, it was recorded in 2011. The song served as the third single from her debut album, *Vows*. It was released on August 15th, 2011. The song peaked at #98 on the Australian Singles Chart. It also ranked #52 in the Triple J Hottest 100 in 2011.

## Background

The meaning of this song is overall when someone has good intentions that don't work out in the end and can impact the person's reputation. In this case, the good intent is being used against the person by the one singing the song.

## Compostion

This song is composed in the key of D♭ major and has the BPM of 122. The song uses stereotypical jazz, scat and ska elements and is recognized as a soul, jazz, blues and indie pop song.

## Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "Good Intent" was first released onto YouTube on 25 August 2011 at a total length of four minutes and thirty seconds.The music video begins with Kimbra in a vanity mirror, dressed in black, white, and red versions of herself. And a man wearing white, black, and gray, are in a red tinted alley way. As the song begins, the three versions of Kimbra are lip syncing in the mirror. The man in the alley had three versions of himself as well, dancing by himself and with his others. Kimbra begins to sing on a stage as the other two versions of herself sing with her, and the man in the alley comes into the room with the other two of him. Each Kimbra and man get together and dance with the other people in the room until the song ends.

## Lyrics

You heard the crickets of the early eve
They lurk around the opening in twos and threes
Clementine told you not to move with the breeze
I'll take you down to places where we dare not speak

The red light in the doorway says she's armed
But boy go try your luck and you might get past
Step into the dwelling of the liger's mouth
Peer into the panic for a kick and swell
You know you shouldn't be there but it's way past bed
There's comfort in the fingers of your good intent
You know you shouldn't be there but your money's all spent
You've got your reputation and your good intent
Your good intent

Out to feed that habit when you've sowed that seed
Nothing made you feel out of the ordinary
But the air turns sombre and the night took heed
Took you on a waltz of hypocrisy
She broke your bones, now you're lying in the dirt
The shadow of a hunter under your torture
It's not enough to say, it's not what's in your heart
You've tainted every moment till death do we part

I know you didn't mean it, boy you meant so well
The pennies are cascading down your wishing well
I know you didn't mean it when you counted to ten
You're slipping through the fingers of your good intent

I know you didn't mean it, though you meant so well
The pennies are cascading down your wishing well
I know you didn't mean it when you counted to ten
You've got your reputation and your good intent
Such a good intent

It's not enough to hope for the best
It's not enough to lie there on a brace
The liger's on the prowl now you've pulled its strings
One false move and soon you're playing dice for a

## Credits

* Lead vocals – Kimbra Johnson
* Producers – Francois Tetaz
* Lyrics – Kimbra Johnson, Francois Tetaz
* Label: Warner Bros. Records

Publishing:

* Kimbra Lee Johnson P/K/A Kimbra (BMI) Sony/ATV Songs Publishing Australia P/L, W.B. Music Corp / GloJoe Music Inc. (BMI)