James Brown: The Hardest Working Man in Show Business
As one of the first ten inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, James Brown—Mr. Dynamite, the Godfather of Soul, a man of many nicknames—stands tall as one of the true pillars of popular culture.
His influence on artists like Michael Jackson and later Janelle Monáe can’t be overstated.
James Brown first burst onto the scene in 1956 as the lead singer of the vocal group the Famous Flames, releasing Please, Please, Please, which reached #6 on the charts. Two years later, their debut album carried the same name. It also featured Try Me, a track that saved the band after they struggled to follow up their initial success.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the start of a winning streak. The next six albums came and went without producing any hits.
It wasn’t until Brown’s ninth album, Out of Sight (1964), now released on the Smash label, that things finally began to click. Tucked away as a B-side album track was I Got You—not yet a single and not yet his signature hit.
That would be rectified the following year. Released under his own name and featuring a different take, I Got You (I Feel Good) appeared on a Greatest Hits collection—and this is the version we all know today.
1965 marked a major turning point. Not only did he release his signature song, he also put out Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag. The track was used to promote two albums: one named after the single, and the other, the gloriously titled James Brown Plays James Brown Today & Yesterday.
James Brown in Overdrive: 1966–1970
In 1966, another legendary James Brown hit dropped: It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World.
What followed was a run of albums that included a Christmas release and a string of covers—Hold On, I’m Comin’, When a Man Loves a Woman, Jimmy Mack, and Bernadette—all featuring James on the organ(!).
Then came another iconic Brown original: Cold Sweat (1967), co-written with Pee Wee Ellis.
By 1968, James delivered yet another classic with I Got the Feelin’, showcasing that signature groove which would go on to be sampled endlessly. That same year, his Christmas album featured Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud, a bold anthem he later re-released as a full-length album in 1969. This too was written with Pee Wee Ellis.
By now, James had released an astonishing 23 studio albums in just six years—solidifying his status as the hardest-working man in show business.
Still in 1968, he unveiled Popcorn, which included the title track and The Chicken—a tune that would later be immortalised by Jaco Pastorius.
In 1969, the popcorn craze continued with Mother Popcorn and Mashed Potato Popcorn on the album Mother.
As the decade turned, Brown dropped his 27th studio album, Ain’t It Funky. Here we find two enduring live staples: Give It Up or Turnit a Loose and Ain’t It Funky Now.
From the Godfather of Soul to the King of Funk
In 1970, James Brown continued to deliver with more albums, including covers of Georgia on My Mind and For Once in My Life, before releasing Sex Machine, a double studio and live album featuring the iconic single Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine.
In 1971, Brown scored a #1 hit with Super Bad, and for the first time, the word “bad” was used positively in a song, signalling a shift in the language of popular culture.
During the ’70s, James became a worldwide superstar, releasing 20 albums. These included classics like Make It Funky, Get on the Good Foot, Get Up Offa That Thing, and It’s Too Funky In Here, alongside the previously mentioned Give It Up Or Turnit a Loose, Ain’t It Funky Now, Sex Machine, and Super Bad.
In the ’80s, he released six albums, with Living In America being his final hit, featured in Rocky IV.
In total, James Brown, the hardest-working man in show business, released 59 studio albums, 49 compilations (mostly Greatest Hits collections), and 144 singles.
One of my favourite James Brown stories involves Bootsy Collins, who played a bass line during soundcheck. James looked at him and said, “Sounds like a James Brown bass line to me.” Bootsy didn’t get royalties, but did he care? Not at all—he was just thrilled to be playing for James Brown, and who wouldn’t be?
James Brown Tunes | Related Pages
The Chicken | Chords + TAB
You can learn to play The Chicken by Jaco Pastorius using chords, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recordings.
Verse
| Bb7 (Em7b5 Dm7b5) | Bb7 | Bb7 | Bb7 |
Check out the full TAB lesson here: The Chicken (Jaco Pastorius) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
For Once In My Life | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn to play For Once In My Life by Stevie Wonder using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| F Faug | F6 D7b9/F# |
For once in my life, I have someone who needs me…
Hold On, I’m Comin’ | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn to play Hold On, I’m Comin’ by Sam & Dave using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Ab7 | Ab7 | Ab7 | Ab7 |
Don’t you ever, be sad. Lean on me, when the times are bad…
I Feel Good | Chords + TAB
You can learn to play I Feel Good by James Brown using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| N.C | D7 | D7 | D7 | D7 |
Whoa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: I Feel Good (James Brown) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Love Me Tender | Chords + TAB
You can learn to play Love Me Tender by Elvis using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| D D/A | E7 E7/B | A7 | D D/A |
Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Love Me Tender (Elvis) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
James Brown on the web
