JAMES BROWN – SELECTED GROOVES

Rip It Up, Issue 126, 1 January 1988, Page 13

JAMES BROWN - SELECTED GROOVES

A select discography based purely on the cuts that move me the most. Everyone has got a favourite JB track, these are mine. In no particular order — how can anyone like one track more than another? • ‘l’ll Go Crazy’/ ‘Think’/’Prisoner of Love’ The versions on ’62’s Live at the Apollo are bone shaking killers, the ballad style of ‘Prisoner of Love’ suits JB’s emotional power. ‘Think’ goes at a 100 miles per hour, and I still can’t breath when I hear it, same as with Til Go Crazy’ — baby, that one smokes! O ‘Good Good Lovin’ (1959) I like the studio version, nice chugalug rhythm with JB in top form. One of the first arrangements to change the face of history, but not the last. • ‘lt’s a Man’s World’ (1964) A different version than the 1966 one, also one less “man” in the title. Perhaps the greatest ballad ever sung, and this is without the large string arrangement of the latter. A song that defies any sort of description.

• ‘I Got You’ (1964) Listen to the rhythm on this mother, heavy deep funk, with that wild jazzy sax solo. Just love those pauses. This one just about defines the word excitement. • ‘Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag’ (1965) Things just got funkier and funkier. This is the new style, the beats changed, shifting in polyrhythms, and Maceo Parker on tenor sax sounds like Coltrane. This is the era of the "Good God!" Also another political statement about the revolution in civil rights; good to hear in tandem with ‘Say it Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)’ (1967). • ‘Sex Machine’ (1970) His hot 60s band had left the Godfather, so he got some new blood in, such as Bootsy Collins on bass, and destroyed everything in sight. Featuring the legendary “take me to the bridge” line and a cooking rhythm section.

• ‘Soul Power’ (1971) An anthem if there ever was one. You’ll hear this on numerous • recent hip-hop cuts, like Brother D’s ‘Clapper’s Power.’ JB was on a

roll with this one, moving into the 70s with gusto. • ‘I Can’t Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)’ (1967) This is like JB in extreme, everything is pushed to the limit. It’s amazing that the drummer can keep the beat. Even more surprising that this was recorded with the Dapps, a Cincinnati white band, featuring Tim Drummond on bass, who became a JB regular. • ‘I Got Ants in My Pants (and I Need to Dance)’ (1971) A personal favourite and one of JB’s best song titles. Just a reminder that JB is the dancefloor champ of all time, the ultimate in JBisms. Most of these tracks can be found on James Brown: Solid Gold (Polydor), a double album of 30 hits. If you want only one JB, then this is it. Excellent also are Ain’t That a Groove 1966-69 and Doing It to Death 1970-73, both on Polydor, and with great notes by JB expert Cliff White. For earlier material, the double Roots of a Revolution is essential. Kerry Buchanan