<P> Although Bricusse and Newley shared songwriting credits , the words of the song are usually attributed to Bricusse , with the music by Newley . The song was first performed in public by the Guyanese - British singer and actor Cy Grant on the opening night of The Roar of the Greasepaint -- The Smell of the Crowd at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham on 3 August 1964 ; Elaine Paige played the part of one of the `` Urchins '' in the chorus . The show , directed by Newley , toured British provincial theatres , and was then taken to the US by theatre producer David Merrick . It opened on 16 May 1965 at the Shubert Theatre in New York City , where the role of `` the Negro '' , who sings `` Feeling Good '' , was taken by Gilbert Price . </P>
<P> Although Bricusse and Newley shared songwriting credits , the words of the song are usually attributed to Bricusse , with the music by Newley . The song was first performed in public by the Guyanese - British singer and actor Cy Grant on the opening night of The Roar of the Greasepaint -- The Smell of the Crowd at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham on 3 August 1964 ; Elaine Paige played the part of one of the `` Urchins '' in the chorus . The show , directed by Newley , toured British provincial theatres , and was then taken to the US by theatre producer David Merrick . It opened on 16 May 1965 at the Shubert Theatre in New York City , where the role of `` the Negro '' , who sings `` Feeling Good '' , was taken by Gilbert Price . </P>
who sings the original version of feeling good
who sings the original version of feeling good
Cy Grant
Cy Grant