MovieChat Forums > Get on Up (2014) Discussion > What is your favorite James Brown song?

What is your favorite James Brown song?

posted 10 years ago by helios987
27 replies | jump to latest

I'm just a 28 year old white guy but I love this guy. Some of my friends think I am weird for always playing him but it's great.

I think my fav is Make it Funky.

I also like the payback, get on the good foot, try me, it's a man's world, lost someone.

I know I am not old enough but his vocals and the funk the band played was second to none in my opinion but it seems like he was not a mainstream guy back then. Guys like stevie wonder, earth wind and fire or the commodores seemed more popular. Am I wrong?

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] AnonymousJones 10 years ago

I second that. Here I was thinking I would be the first to write it. I also like It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World.

97X...Bang! The Future of Rock and Roll

[–] wilburhaven 10 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_jqhXNF98A
Check out the video of James Brown above at T.A.M.I. This show was filmed and shown at theaters around. Many of the top acts of Rock and Roll (white and black) of the time was on the show.The reason I emphasize race is because at the time it was highly unusual for that to occur.

I'm 67 years old, so in the late fifties and early sixties James Brown was a big star on black radio stations. This was way before Stevie, EWF and the Commodores who came on the scene years later. The thing about JB was the live shows, only until I saw him in a live concert did I realize what all the hullabaloo was about. In my neighborhood it was always an argument about the best dancer between JB and Jackie Wilson. Their singing styles were vastly different, Jackie more ballads and smooth, JB more soul or funk. In my neighborhood we resented the media attention that Elvis Pressley received because we felt he 'stole' 'our' music but got all of the media attention at the time. Remember this was the mid fifties and sponsors thought 'white America' wouldn't accept blacks on TV at the time.
One of JB's songs 'Prisoner of Love" captures his voice in a way you've probably not heard him before. It's different in the strings used in the orchestration.

[–] helios987 10 years ago

Great post Wilburhaven. I checked out that video and it was great, as is the song, "prisoner of love". Thanks for the insight on your history with James. I wasn't too much into Jackie Wilson and I thought Elvis was over rated. It's a terrible shame that these racial issues stopped tremendous talents like James Brown, Ray Charles, Wilson, Elmore James, etc stopped them from reaching the stratosphere that they rightly deserved. My mom loved Elvis and it was all I ever heard and sure I liked some of it but when it came down to the nitty gritty, James had that true soul and funk that no one can capture.

It's funny how I came to know of him, I was 17 and watching Eddie Murphy Delerious and he was imitating him and it was hilarious and soon enough I looked into James Brown and with the power of youtube, I learned all his music.

[–] fell-ashlyn 10 years ago

Its a mans world

[–] socalova 10 years ago

Doing It To The Death - JJB
Lost Someone

[–] LnineB 10 years ago

Is that the one where they say,,, "we're going to take you hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii gher?

[–] socalova 10 years ago

It is :)

[–] LnineB 10 years ago

I'm a 29 year old white girl, who discover James Brown when this dj played nothing but James Brown at an outdoor Market festival I went to. I knew about the hits , Sex Machine, etc. but I never heard some of the other songs he played like Escapism, it's a new day, the grunt,,,etc.

I've since bought every single thing I can get my hands on from the 60s and 70s.

My favorite song, and the only disappointment about the film is that it wasn't included is " I don't want nobody to give nothing".

[–] DaRealNinoBrown 10 years ago

The Boss or Get On Up

[–] so_bo 10 years ago

Cold Sweat is my favorite.

[–] steve1066 10 years ago

The Funky Drummer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoQ4AtsFWVM

[–] sierraship 10 years ago

Say It Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud and Get on UP.