James Brown

[efunk_adelic]

The Godfather of Soul

James is probably one of the artist who I would like to meet in person and say "thanks for the wonderful years of good music that you brought in my life". There were so many songs that influenced other artists. Here's a list of my personal favorites (toned down). Cause I dig a lot of them that could fill up 2 80 minute CD's:


If You Don't Give A Doggone About it
Give Me Some Skin
Give It up, Turn It A Loose
Funky President (People It's Bad)
The Payback
I Got Ants In My Pants (And I Need To Dance)
Coolblooded
Bodyheat
I Got The Feelin'
Cold Sweat
Mother Popcorn (You Got To Have A Mother For Me)


Ballads:

Bewildered
Try Me
Prisoner Of Love


Does anybody else like him, favorite songs or comments?

[QUINNY]

efunk: Only to say that I probably liked the JB's outings more than those credited to James Brown himself. Having said that, he has been an icon to almost everything funky that followed, I'm not so sure that his inspiration is so directly obvious. He chopped and changed his style so often that I personally feel that possibly too much credit has been laid at his feet. At the end of the day, he didn't make the absolute funkiest records, there are many that out-funked him. I certainly didn't like him much in the '60s. That whole boogaloo funk thing was way too predictable for me, ever so corny and too tricky to dance to (compared to Motown, Stax et al).
Back to faves in no particular order.
There Was A Time
The Payback
Honky Tonk
Get Up Offa That Thing
Get Up (I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine)
and even Living In America

As for slowies, forget 'em.

[originalbigm]

Jusy read a newspaper column from Assocated Press by Nekesa Mumbi Moody about the inimitable JB.Headline was [b]Brown is "tired" at 70 but retirement not yet an option[/b
It goes on to quote him "I'm getting very tired and I'd love to quit yesterday.I've got diabetes;I've almost broke my feet,did something to my tendons,hurt all in my back-but I work.I don't tell (fans) how bad it is.I smile when I see them.Music has sustained me"

"The music world could say the same of Brown.He's a seminal figure in rock,pop and soul-not to mention rap,disco or just about any other musical genre with an infectious groove." The article goes on to say."

Other excerpts from the article.
"Indeed,it's hard to put his achievements into words when his influence has been so widespread-from his much-replicated funk-based jams to lyrics that not only spoke of social change but helped influence it."

Brown knows his place in music history-and isn't shy about telling you."Disco is James Brown,hip-hop is James Brown,rap is James Brown.You know what I'm saying?You hear all the rappers,90 per cent of their music is me," he says.
Says Chuck D of Public Enemy,"James presented obviously the best grooves.To this day,there has been no one near as funky.No one's coming even close."

I remember seeing James Brown in concert in his ground breaking days back in sixties when he was always charting in the Top 10 on AM radio.And he certainly lived up to one of his titles as "The Hardest Working Man in Music Entertainment"

[Nano]

My personal favorites:

1) Papa don't take no mess
2) Sex machine
3) Doin' it to death (JBs)
4) The world needs liberation
5) Think (about it)

Anyone remembers a disco version of "Think" by a band called Staff?

[Rodmann2]

I hope that I can breathe some life back into this topic. Certainly a man who has placed 120 hits on the R&B charts in a career spanning over 50 years deserves more than 3 posts! In his autobiography James claims to have invented disco! :lol: Here are my personal favs by James Brown in no particular order:


YOU GOT TO HAVE A JOB/Late 60's Funky Soul duet with Marva Whitney.

KING HEROIN/James is rapping about the dangers of heroin over slow burning organ funk on this 1972 hit.

TALKING LOUD AND SAYING NOTHING - PART 1/Looping 1972 Funk number with an angry James telling it like it is! I love the way they change up the groove towards the end of this one!

SPORTIN' LIFE/Wonderful, Big Band instrumental number from James 1973 score to the film Black Caesar.

DOWN AND OUT IN NEW YORK CITY/Another number from 1973's Black Caesar score. This one starts off with a nasty groove at the very beginning that grabs my ass every time!

BACKSTABBERS/James & Lyn Collins do justice to this O'Jay's tune on Lyn's 1975 album entitled Check Me Out If You Don't Know Me By Now!

[efunk_adelic]

ok rod, trying to keep this topic going... I was shuffling thru some of my James Brown CD's and I came upon something I can talk about.


I have this CD called Dead On The Heavy Funk 1975-1983 by James Brown & I recall a memory that happened that on club night over a 6 to 8 week period.

This was my pre days dancing in the club that I eventually got a job at.

The saturday night jock was playing Rapp Payback and it got medium response. As each week went by this DJ played this song thinking that everyone liked the song, which In doubt... everyone was making fun of it within the regulars that hung down by the dj booth...

I was a little annoyed by this because people were mocking the way James Brown sings his song. They mocked the way he screamed and did some of his other stuff. (I wonder if anybody understood this last paragraph) :lol:

Anyways, that was the last song I ever heard played in a club with James Brown.

[QUINNY]

It's no good. I didn't want to say this, but, I just can't listen to James Brown nowadays. Even to me, he belongs in a far distant time, back in the primeval mists of funk creation. I can only listen to about 5 minutes before I'm bored solid. I just can't relate to his stuff anymore. :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Rodmann2]

It's no good. I didn't want to say this, but, I just can't listen to James Brown nowadays. Even to me, he belongs in a far distant time, back in the primeval mists of funk creation. I can only listen to about 5 minutes before I'm bored solid. I just can't relate to his stuff anymore. :cry: :cry: :cry:

Quinny. Knowing that James Brown's music is somehow distant and no good to you proves my point about the brilliance of this man! At a time when people were listening to 'Sugar Sugar' by The Archies, James was laying down the blueprint for every Rock, R&B, and Soul group to come after him! His style was also watered down and used by several artists that are considered Disco pioneers!

Poor Quinny. :cry: Some things are just too soulful and funky for the masses. You just can't GET IT no matter how hard you try! That's why us Soul/Funk/R&B purists love James (and followers like Earth, Wind & Fire, P-Funk, etc.) and you have Leif Garrett and Summer & Streisand's 'Enough Is Enough! :D

All self-respecting music fans should post to this topic and remind "stuffed shirts" like Quinny about the sheer genius of James Brown! :o 120 R&B hits in a career spanning over 50 years!!!!!????? Come on, GIVE THIS MAN SOME CREDIT!

Rod Mann

[Bernie]

James Brown is da man! Just listened to "Give it Up Or Turnit Loose" on Kurtis Blow's History of Rap Vol 1 CD. Cranked that bad boy way up... "Clap your hands. Stomp your feet. In the jungle..." This is infectious stuff and no wonder everybody has borrowed his style.

Here's what Kurtis says in the liner notes about this song:

"This is the national anthem of Hip-Hop. Every B-boy, MC, rapper, DJ, rap group, break dancer and aerosol artist knew this song, and when it was played at a party or club, everyone knew it was time for the best B-boys to do battle. Definitely the highlight of the night."

[Forrrce]

James Brown is da man!

Here's what Kurtis says in the liner notes about this song...

'Give It Up...' is the battle cry. If you're at a jam with like-minded partygoers and this one drops, there's no way out. You go crazy. It just tears you up. And the breakdown is a killer. As party tunes go, there is none more fierce. James Brown is the original (and ultimate) B-Boy.

[efunk_adelic]

Maybe this is the case....

I rated Give It Up, Turnit A Loose ... in my top 10 favorite JB tunes... :D now, I know every little uhh, ahhh, ha, alrighta, hit me!!! that he says in that song...

I feel that JB tunes are all about attitude... and you have to be a part of that feelin' or you don't get it or even hate his music... I still possess those feelings and the attitude...

I can see why the masses would not enjoy some or any of his songs... because they seem to all sound the same.. :lol: :lol:

Maybe some of you guys should lighten up a bit.. hehe put on the following songs...

Bodyheat
If You Don't Give A Doggone About It
Get Up Offa That Thang

and see if you don't feel something....

I enjoyed reading the last few posts pro & against.

[QUINNY]

So now I like Leif Garrett just 'cos I have the audacity to say that I find James Brown passe. Oh well, think what you like. One of his songs at a time still has the power to fire me up, but any more and I'm zzzzzzzzzzzz. I guess I've OD'd on him.

[Forrrce]

So now I like Leif Garrett just 'cos I have the audacity to say that I find James Brown passe.

There is some common ground between the two, as both were made for dancin', all night long...

[originalbigm]

My wife absolutely cannot stand JB so when I want to offer up a bit of aggravation I throw on The Godfather and crank it .Seriously though I could listen to JB for an hour straight and not get tired of the relentless funk assault.There just hasn't been anyone on his level ever.Teddy Pendergast said it all about his music "Get Up,Get Funky,Get Loose".He's probably the only artist I know that could get a Buckingham Palace guard to at least twitch.Eh Quinny!

[Mixmachine]

James Brown is da man! Just listened to "Give it Up Or Turnit Loose" on Kurtis Blow's History of Rap Vol 1 CD. Cranked that bad boy way up... "Clap your hands. Stomp your feet. In the jungle..." This is infectious stuff and no wonder everybody has borrowed his style.

IMO this is the 'funkiest' brake down ever! if you want to demostrate to a youngster what "funk" is you play this jam!

By the way this double LP "Sex Machine " recorded live at home in Augusta , Georgia was very hard to get in the mid 70's and DeeJays paid top dollar to get a copy, it was later re-issue in the early 80's.

[efunk_adelic]

Bernie,


the song GIVE IT UP, OR TURNIT A LOOSE...


on that Kurtis Blow compilation.... is it brotha James song? :roll:

or Kurtis Blow doing the song? Could you clearify that for me... :D

[Bernie]

Bernie,


the song GIVE IT UP, OR TURNIT A LOOSE...


on that Kurtis Blow compilation.... is it brotha James song? :roll:

or Kurtis Blow doing the song? Could you clearify that for me... :D

It's the original by James Brown. Kurtis merely compiled the tracks for inclusion on the CD.

Kurtis Blow's History of Rap Vol 1

[efunk_adelic]

My wife absolutely cannot stand JB so when I want to offer up a bit of aggravation I throw on The Godfather and crank it .Seriously though I could listen to JB for an hour straight and not get tired of the relentless funk assault.There just hasn't been anyone on his level ever.Teddy Pendergast said it all about his music "Get Up,Get Funky,Get Loose".He's probably the only artist I know that could get a Buckingham Palace guard to at least twitch.Eh Quinny!

Jim,

every now and then... I'll go to a bar and check out the jukebox... 3 out of 5 have his 20 greatest hits released in the early 90's. :D

these are mostly rock bars where you are hearing a lot of classic rock... I'll throw in a buck... and give them a JB assault with 3 tunes in a row.... just to see what kind of reaction I get. Normally no reaction or people tapping their feet. :lol:

[Mixmachine]

the song GIVE IT UP, OR TURNIT A LOOSE...
on that Kurtis Blow compilation.... is it brotha James song? :roll: or Kurtis Blow doing the song? Could you clearify that for me... :D

Apparently Kurtis Blow's is OOP, I need to dig deeper though, but this live version (Clap u Handa)is also available in the new James Brown "Millenium" vol 2 CD, also the original concert recording of "Sex Machine" double LP is also available.