Today is all about the Godfather of Soul. Mr. Dynamite. Soul Brother #1. James MF Brown.
Let’s just say this now–James Brown is black music’s most important figure from the 20th century. He was significant in the transition from R&B to soul, and he followed that up by leading the transition from soul to funk. And as funk began to run its course, James’ music became an important influence to hip hop.
Just this simple–he might be the baddest man to walk the face of the Earth. You might not think he’s the best, but it’s hard to say he ain’t the baddest.
That’s why he gets a list from me. I must admit that my knowledge of his catalog isn’t as encyclopedic as my knowledge of the folks I’ve done other lists of, but I’m gonna do 25 anyway. As always, use the comments to tell me where I got it wrong.
And as far as I know, these are all James Brown songs. I didn’t put in cuts by Bobby Byrd, Clyde Stubblefield, or the JB’s. I forget about #2, though. So, save your anger for me not including “Funky Drummer.” That’s Clyde. Also, no Christmas songs. James does have the definitive version of “Merry Christmas, Baby,” though.
And no albums will be listed. These are too hard to find on albums. Start with the Star Time boxed set and work from there.
25.Mother Popcorn. Just like James, I like ’em proud. And when they walk, they draw a crowd. Gotta have a mutha for me, baby. Know dat.
24.Get On the Good Foot. “Ain’t nothin goin on but the rent/a whole lotta bills and my money’s spent/and that’s on my bad foot.” Such an underrated songwriter.
23.Please Please Please. You’ll find that I’m much more partial to funky James than singing James. This one’s dope as all get out, though. Oh, and this is one of the songs that’ll get the dude to come out from the back and put James cape on for him. If I get famous, I’ll pay someone $25,000 a year to do that and that alone. No bullshit.
22.Hot Pants. Probably the greatest influence for SNL’s “James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub.”
21.Let Yourself Go. You know, I’m not sure I’d heard this one until I started going back through the songs to put this list together. But lemme tell ya…this is all you could ask for.
20.Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved. Just in case you didn’t know, JB has always had the greatest rhythm section on the planet. Just listen to the drumming on this and try tell me otherwise.
19.Make It Funky. Gotta have parts 1, 2, and 3. Check Star Time for that and nearly everything else on this list. Anyhoo, can anyone confirm whether he’s saying “smothered steak” or “smothered snake” on this song? Steak makes more sense, but snake is way more fun.
18.Public Enemy #1/King Heroin. These two cuts are so similar sonically and thematically. But James sings the hell outta “Public Enemy #1” and does a spoken word sorta thing through “King Heroin.” Both are smokin, but “PE” gets points for his repeated use of the phrase, “lookey-heyuh.”
17.Papa Don’t Take No Mess. “Papa didn’t cuss/didn’t make a whole lotta fuss/but when we did wrong/Papa beat the hell out of us.” You know, I hope he got in a better mood when he got his brand new bag.
16.I Got a Feelin’. Has anyone ever had better bridges than JB?
15.The Spank. It’s just funky. That’s all I can say.
14.Cold Sweat. Baby baby baby. Baby baby baby. Baby baby baby…lip synched wonderfully by Keisha Knight Pulliam in 1985.
Speaking of her, she really doesn’t like to be called Rudy. That was the word that circulated around Clark when I was there (I got to school the same year she got to Spelman.). However, she walked around the Hyatt in Atlanta during NABJ weekend with a shirt that said, “don’t call me Rudy.” The irony–I didn’t know it was her until I read the shirt. I almost called her Rudy outta spite.
13.Licking Stick. One of those important James funk records. A somewhat vulgar hip hop song with the same title and a well-worked sample is begging to be made from this song.
12.Stoned to the Bone. First, this is the song from which the vocal sample on DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s “Brand New Funk.” Next, this gets up way way high on this list because James actually says, “dope all on the ground/you got to get down, down, down, down, down.” And the old folks try to act like drug references are something new.
11.Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud). Okay, this isn’t higher for two reasons. First, there’s a lot of corniness in this song (and yes, I realize this was released at a time when the last thing black folks needed to do was be subtle). But the other loss comes because most of those kids on the hook are white and Asian. Just sits funny.
10.Woman. I find that this cut isn’t as well-known as it should be. JB’s ballads tend to be dope as hell, and they dispel the common notion that James can’t sing. That’s just false, and this song proves it.
9.The Boss. Paid the cost to be the boss. Used to great effect in “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.”
8.I Got You (I Feel Good). White folks love this one, and they should. Gotten played to many, but that doesn’t change the fact that the groove on this is that fie fie delish.
7.Give It Up or Turn It Loose. Specifically the version on Sex Machine. One of hip hop’s building blocks.
6.Down and Out in New York City. Never heard it? You need to. I must admit, though, that it’s hysterical that James would even try to pretend he was born in New York City. You don’t get an accent like that across 110th, I guarantee.
5.Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine. Nymphomania has never sounded so cool. Great line–“the way I like it is the way it is.” Unfortunately, that’s an excuse lots of cats use to justify having ugly women.
4.Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag. This is one of the songs that showed that James had made the transition into funk. It’s gotten cliche because it is easily white America’s favorite James Brown song, but it’s still smokin. Gets this high of a placement because of historical significance, even though these lists are largely just my personal tastes.
3.It’s a Man’s World. There’s a chance you’ve never heard this song before. If you haven’t, you can listen to the very popular remake of the cut that Alicia Keys did. She called it “Fallin'”. “Fallin'” is a straight jack, and I have no idea why more people don’t call her out for that. “It’s a Man’s World” is absolutely unreal, a manual for how to put everything you’ve got into a song.
2.Doin’ It to Death. There’s an amazing live version of this in “When We Were Kings.” If you have that in a digital format, let me know. I can’t seem to find that version of this anyway. And man, what a title.
1.The Payback. You know, there may be better songs in the catalog, but few have a groove as strong as this one. This is a seriously gangsta record. If you don’t believe me, just look at its of cited line, “don’t do me no dern favors/I don’t know karate/but I know ka-razor (yes he do).” Only JB. Only JB.
32 thoughts on “Top 25 – James Brown”
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HELL YEAH! Payback is the greatest James Brown song of all time! That groove is amazing. I still remember the first time I heard that one. I was in middle school, snooping through some old records and that was on 104.7 (ATL!). I was done. That’s all I can say. Great track. It had me from the bass guitar, the testifying background vocals, the story tellin – yup. I wish u could post samples on here so the good people could bear witness.
I’ve gotta find a way to work that ka-razor thing into a conversation…classic.
Down & Out in New York City was done for the soundtrack to the movie Across 110th Street (so I believe he was speaking from the main character’s viewpoint on that one). James is country as a motherfucker. Doin’ It To Death is a mantra that more people should subscribe to. Whatever you do, do that shit to death. Also, the GFOS belt buckle in When We Were Kings, kills me everytime.
Ummm, is the buckle funnier than his capped teeth gleaming in every scene? Or is anything funnier than Don King talking about his plan to save the black man?
Hey Bo, feel free to get at me when you need that cape technician. I’m the perfect woman for the job!! There’s a version of “It’s a Man’s World” that Countess Vaughn did when she was like 10 years old, and it was really decent, especially for a person her age at the time. I have used both versions of that song to dance to in pageants and it’s so soulful.. I’d have to say it’s my favorite JB.
Countess’ version is amazing. Living proof that being able to sing ain’t enough to keep your deal.
Anything that involves “Don King” and “Save the Black Man” automatically wins any discussion of what’s funnier.
Anything that involves “Don King” and “Save the Black Man” automatically wins any discussion of what’s funnier.
I second that Kirk!
What? What? WHAT?
No “Living in America” from Rocky IV? Hahahahaha!
No seriously though, where is “Get Up Offa That Thing!”
As far as JB goes, 100 years from now, people will STILL be mimicking the “Cape Drape!” That will outlast anything MJ or Hammer did! INCLUDING the moonwalk.
What? What? WHAT?
No “Living in America” from Rocky IV? Hahahahaha!
No seriously though, where is “Get Up Offa That Thing!”
As far as JB goes, 100 years from now, people will STILL be mimicking the “Cape Drape!” That will outlast anything MJ or Hammer did! INCLUDING the moonwalk.
OH, and for Lady B…
Go to iTunes. Search for James Brown and sample all the groove you can!
It’s FREE!
OH, and for Lady B…
Go to iTunes. Search for James Brown and sample all the groove you can!
It’s FREE!
This is a great subject. James is the greatest R&B singer of all time. I know this is an affront to all of the Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and Prince fans, but he is the ORIGINATOR.
Someone could do a college course on the real meaning of James’ lyrics. Was he high? Or was he just that proficient at providing a voice for the southern Black people.
You guys have done a great job on the lyrics so far. Payback is a classic. I wanted to mention a more obscure song, but you guys may have heard it. I’m unsure of the title, but I think it is ” You Gotta Have a Mother for Me” .
Anyway, this song has this line in it:
When I get burnt, I use a salve
When I need a woman, a mother she’s got to have.
Also is it just me or does he just start naming soul food dishes on the “smothered snake” song?
I’ll mention one more song before I go. Again I’m unsure of the title, but the main chorus of the song went as follows:
I don’t want no body to give me nothin’
Open up the do’, I’ll git it myself
You know JB was a Black Republican before Coondegeegro Rice.
Should you get the chance, check James’ autobiography. He explains some of his interesting decisions, like riding with the Republican Party. “Mother Popcorn” is the first song you talk about (you got to have a mutha for me). The second one is called “I Don’t Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open The Door And I’ll Get It Myself).”
I’m loving the lists at the moment. Who’s next? Curtis Mayfield? Michael Jackson?
At first, I was thinking of doing U2 next. Not sure now. Might actually do Jimi.
Fantastic job on the James Brown countdown! I have only a few addenda. 1) You’re missing “Hot Pants.” Although it’s a rather tame song, try running around with this thought in your head: “You got ta use/what ya got/to git git whatcha want-ahh” and the bridge on that song is just sky high on my list.
2) you’re damn right – NOBODY can rock a bridge like the JBs. They’re responsible for making James continually geek out like he did. They certainly make me want to geek out.
3) Am I the only one who thought the crowning “Payback” line was “Now I don’t know Karate/ but I know Ka-Ray-zee” (crazy)?
Fantastic job on the James Brown countdown! I have only a few addenda. 1) You’re missing “Hot Pants.” Although it’s a rather tame song, try running around with this thought in your head: “You got ta use/what ya got/to git git whatcha want-ahh” and the bridge on that song is just sky high on my list.
2) you’re damn right – NOBODY can rock a bridge like the JBs. They’re responsible for making James continually geek out like he did. They certainly make me want to geek out.
3) Am I the only one who thought the crowning “Payback” line was “Now I don’t know Karate/ but I know Ka-Ray-zee” (crazy)?
I vote for Jimi. Don’ forget about his posthumous album “First Rays of the New Rising Sun,” with Ezy Rider and Freedom.
Man, I can’t wait to see that list. And U2 should be great too!
I vote for Jimi. Don’ forget about his posthumous album “First Rays of the New Rising Sun,” with Ezy Rider and Freedom.
Man, I can’t wait to see that list. And U2 should be great too!
I vote for U2 as your next list.
Baba, in honor of this list, we should all look at that JB interview you linked to a few months ago. Man was he fucked up!
I vote for U2 as your next list.
Baba, in honor of this list, we should all look at that JB interview you linked to a few months ago. Man was he fucked up!
I would like to see a Jimi Hendrix top 25 just so I can recommend some songs to my friends about from the ones on his greatest hits.
Great list of the best of JB, but I gotta disagree with “James Brown is black music’s most important figure from the 20th century.” I think he’s, at best, fourth behind Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, and Jimi Hendrix. And you can make the case for Chuck Berry, Prince, Smokey, Otis Redding, Aretha, Miles Davis, Jelly Roll Morton, Robert Johnson, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Stevie Wonder for being right up there. All of those folks were great artists that also influenced music (white and black) immensely.
I especially would go to bat for brother Ray: he was better singer, and better musician, though maybe not as important a lyricist as JB. As you put it, JB “was significant in the transition from R&B to soul, and he followed that up by leading the transition from soul to funk.” But Ray basically invented soul by mixing R&B with Gospel and Jazz, and then showed the world that a black man could do country music (and do it soulfully), and then he tackled pop standards and made those his own. The list of Ray’s important musical decendants are probably greater than any other artist in music history since the beginning of rock in the 50s — even more than Elvis, the Beatles, Hendrix, Led Zepplin, or JB.
Great list of the best of JB, but I gotta disagree with “James Brown is black music’s most important figure from the 20th century.” I think he’s, at best, fourth behind Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, and Jimi Hendrix. And you can make the case for Chuck Berry, Prince, Smokey, Otis Redding, Aretha, Miles Davis, Jelly Roll Morton, Robert Johnson, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Stevie Wonder for being right up there. All of those folks were great artists that also influenced music (white and black) immensely.
I especially would go to bat for brother Ray: he was better singer, and better musician, though maybe not as important a lyricist as JB. As you put it, JB “was significant in the transition from R&B to soul, and he followed that up by leading the transition from soul to funk.” But Ray basically invented soul by mixing R&B with Gospel and Jazz, and then showed the world that a black man could do country music (and do it soulfully), and then he tackled pop standards and made those his own. The list of Ray’s important musical decendants are probably greater than any other artist in music history since the beginning of rock in the 50s — even more than Elvis, the Beatles, Hendrix, Led Zepplin, or JB.
Your point is well taken, but if you look at imitation as the sincerest form of flattery, then the nod has to go to JB. JB and Ray were contemporaries with the blending of Gospel and R&B (along with Sam Cooke).
That being said, you could actually designate JB as one of the early architects of hip hop. How many of hits were sampled from his music.
His syncopated delivery is one of the innovations that lead to the thing that we now call hip hop or rap.
Isn’t Prince a lighter skinned falsetto JB?
Your point is well taken, but if you look at imitation as the sincerest form of flattery, then the nod has to go to JB. JB and Ray were contemporaries with the blending of Gospel and R&B (along with Sam Cooke).
That being said, you could actually designate JB as one of the early architects of hip hop. How many of hits were sampled from his music.
His syncopated delivery is one of the innovations that lead to the thing that we now call hip hop or rap.
Isn’t Prince a lighter skinned falsetto JB?
“14.Cold Sweat. Baby baby baby. Baby baby baby. Baby baby baby…”
Surely “I Got The Feelin’ “?
“14.Cold Sweat. Baby baby baby. Baby baby baby. Baby baby baby…”
Surely “I Got The Feelin’ “?
#19: finishes with a list of (i assume) his favorite foods: “neckbones, candied yams, turnips, smothered steak, smothered steak, grits n gravy, cracklin bread, mobile gumbo, hot cornbread, buttermilk”
yes, he says smothered steak twice.
#19: finishes with a list of (i assume) his favorite foods: “neckbones, candied yams, turnips, smothered steak, smothered steak, grits n gravy, cracklin bread, mobile gumbo, hot cornbread, buttermilk”
yes, he says smothered steak twice.
i just a white boy, but i also play the drums, and NO ONE lays down a funkier groove than JB. classic sounds. classic grooves. i seriously got teary when i heard he died.
i just a white boy, but i also play the drums, and NO ONE lays down a funkier groove than JB. classic sounds. classic grooves. i seriously got teary when i heard he died.
My idol from a young age I had all his dances moves mastered.We have the same birthday 5-3-57 , as I can relate to his funk ,I can answer the question about Make it Funky , Smothered Snake was a mistake James being James corrected in stride by repeating the right lyric , no where else did he repeat a food item ,smooth improvisation RIP to the Super Soul Brother !
Godfather of Soul an inspiration to me as a young man , born on May 3rd , also my birthday , I can answer the question about Make it Funky. Smothered Snake was a mistake , James being James kept grooving and repeated the right lyric , smooth transition and improvisation no other food item was repeated , RIP , Super Soul Brother