Customer Reviews

Funky Christmas

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first few times I listened to this album, I couldn't decide if it was interesting or just plain weird, and to be honest, the first year I didn't play it very much. I like unusual Christmas records and I love James Brown, but shouts, moans and calls to Maceo Parker just didn't seem to cut it as Christmas music, even for me.

But I've had this album in the house for a couple of years now and I've noticed that a lot of the more traditional albums I own have moved to the bottom of the CD pile, while this one is getting a lot of play. It has really grown on me. A few of the songs have become personal "classics" -- songs I couldn't do without at Christmas. Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto and Hey America are classic funky James Brown. Sweet Little Baby Boy is gorgeous -- proof (if anyone doubts it) that James Brown can sing deep as well as fun and funky. Santa Claus, Santa Claus is so heartfelt it raises the hair on the back of your neck. And Soulful Christmas is right up there with Charles Brown's Merry Christmas Baby and Clarence Carter's Back Door Santa among the greatest r&b Christmas songs of all time.

Take out the embarrassing Christmas Song (James Brown was not born to sing Mel Torme songs) and you'd have a perfect Christmas album -- assuming your taste is not perfectly mainstream.

God, I love this album. Like some of my fellow reveiwers, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it at first, and didn't play it too much for a time. However, on the second round, I got completely hooked. It has such a great blend of deep soul, as well as outright cheer, that it's incredibly catchy. When I first started to "get" it, I was floored by the orchestration and musicality, and then, upon second glance, I was amazed by the messages James Brown puts across. Very eye-opening. Now, this is ALWAYS on the shuffler at my Christmas parties, and very often during summer picnics, too. It shouldn't fall under any category - it's completely playable year-round. I love it, love it, love it. Don't know how to put it better.

Not content to just sing other peoples' Christmas songs, the Hardest Working Man in Show Business wrote original songs in the 1960s and 1970s for the holiday season. Tunes like "Let's Make Christmas Mean Something this Year" showcase James' gospel roots while reveling in a weirdnes of spoken dialog, screams, and yelps that would make "the artist formerly known as" jealous. The other standout is "Soulful Christmas" where the JB backbeat is applied to the yuletide log along with JB's patented shout-outs to sax man Maceo Parker. People either love this disc or hate it. For years out of print, it was only re-issued about 2-3 years ago. Not recommended to listen to while driving, as the strangeness of the album can provoke disabling fits of laughter.

O.K. to be honest, I'm normally not a huge fan of Christmas albums... nothing personal... but, I don't know, there's just something a bit cheesy, if not schmaltzy and "un-kosher" about them... nevertheless this is one CD who's grits and gravy I can take with my hamhocks and blintzes all year around... I wish department store's would play THESE cuts over and over again... fans of late '60s soulful JB (going into the SUPERBAD '70s) when Nat Jones and Pee Wee Ellis were at the healm of his band... and circa the sound he had during his famous Live At the Apollo album, and those great SMASH instrumentals (check out that double CD boxed SOUL PRIDE instrumental set he has out) will love this... Big Production, well arranged, but with that funky groove, JB's great blues shouting and that greasy Hammond Organ will make you feel like Santa Claus is coming straight to *YOUR* ghettoe - - from the slick soulful ballads, to a mean JB groovin' hard and telling it like it is on HEY AMERICA... this is one JB album, you might have passed by, but I don't care if its the dead of summer or the first day of fall... you better get back, hit yourself, spin around and do the mashed potat'as, because its begining to look a LOT like Christmas... ! ! ! Outta the way BING ! ! !

Among the many joys of the holiday season, James Brown's Funky Christmas is very near the top of the list. For eleven months, my life is a little bit empty, until sometime between the day after Thanksgiving and December first when I break out this album and decide to officially start acknowledging that it's Christmas time. In fact, I'm amazed that this hasn't become a national ritual akin to lighting the Christmas tree. There isn't a thing on this earth that better prepares me for the season than Brown's soulful ode to yuletide joy.

Throughout the uncharacteristically lengthy holiday album, there are the obligatory sprinklings of holiday "chestnuts" - "Merry Christmas, Baby", "The Christmas Song". Though far from definitive, James gives them the soul treatment and they are definitely enjoyable. It's the bevy of original music that makes this recording a masterpiece, however. Unlike the annual deluge of insipid offerings from artists inspired more by cashing in on a quickie than by visions of sugar plums, Funky Christmas is a well-thought-out, well-written, full-length album that has a ton of heart. James obviously approached this as more than a side project. Take "Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto" or "Hey America". They are undoubtedly Christmas tunes, but with thoughtful political lyrics, and nowhere near as corny as "Feed the World" or "Happy Christmas (War is Over)". "Sweet Little Baby Boy" is a gorgeous ballad, and ought to be a standard by now. "Soulful Christmas" is right up there with "Christmas in Hollis" as the best holiday song that Andy Williams never sang.

Although Funky Christmas isn't exactly as funky as some of James' other work, it's got a lot going for it. You can tell from his voice that he's truly embracing the spirit of the season as he sings, howls or just plain talks over the music. Musically, of course, the album is top notch. Every song is warm and quaint, however, as if Bootsy is jamming on your sofa or Maceo is hanging out in front of the fireplace. Now, that's a Christmas party I want to go to.

I have to confess, I'm a sucker for Christmas music anyway, but never do I have the urge to throw on Bing Crosby in the middle of the summer. One time, on my birthday (in August), a friend asked me to pick out a CD. I chose Funky Christmas and it was one of the most transcendent moments of my life. A little too transcendent, in fact. I've since decided to relegate the album to only the appropriate month for fear that I might somehow dash its funky holiday magic if I abuse the privilege.

P.S. - RIP James!

Wow, it's Christmas 2006, and James Brown has left to spend Christmas in Heaven. I've listened to this disc a number of times this holiday season, and last. I like the unique tracks, and I find it hard to believe that I've never heard any of these on the radio before. I hope they'll be played every Christmas this day forward, because these songs are too good to not be heard.

In truth, a few of these gems might be a bit too funky for shopping or driving. For example, a radio station might feel socially responsible for risking drivers listening to these tracks in traffic to put their hands in the air and wave em' like they just don't care (dangerous). Rest assured, the only risky driving tracks here are Go Power, Santa Claus...to the Ghetto, and Soulful Christmas. Just make sure to keep that funk in your trunk.

The rest of these songs are safe for driving and beautiful, with awesome renditions of the classics such as Merry Christmas Baby (good for the yummy-yummy) and The Christmas Song. The rest of the album is filled with what I believe are original gems, with Let's Unite the World at Christmas and Let's Make This Christmas Mean Something This Year being just 2 fine examples. Must we endure the same classic holiday tracks every year?

12-25-06 RIP James Brown. We LOVE you!

No collection of holiday music can be complete without James and the boys belting out some great Christmas cheer. Sure this is not your ordinary Christmas album, but it will make a great addition to someone who already has a few holiday albums. Are you tried of hearing White Christmas 12 different ways? Pick up this album. There are some real jems here like 'Let's make this Christmas special' and 'Santa bring Christmas to the ghetto'. James drives the band hard of the fast songs and the slow temo songs are excellent as well. If you like Christmas albums and specially if you like James\funk this is a great addition to round out a collection.

R.I.P. James you are missed and may be someday people will understand your impact on modern music. You were THE MAN and this is THE CHRISTMAS album. Peace.

This is a powerful cd, at first listen it doesnt seem like much but everything on this cd is wonderfully orchestrated. Once you listen to it a few times you can't stop listening to it.

only James Brown could pull a Funky Christmas Album&make it played as a Year round Event.together with His Band JB drops alot of Treats under this Funky Tree of a Album.Holidays are never Heard the same until you have this one in your collection.

A Polydor/Chronicles collection, suggesting that it's more than previously issued material with no session notes, hence, the 4 stars.
It takes some research to learn that Clyde Stubblefield plays drums on the '66 and '68 cuts, which also feature Bobby Byrd on piano; Tenor Sax genius Maceo Parker is listed on the '68 tracks.
Whatever notes we have are still interesting, in that they show the importance of Nat Jones to the James Brown musical family; the name Hank Ballard comes up twice as co-writer.
Research also reveals that *three* JB Christmas cuts remained unreleased at presing time and that the magnificent "It's Christmas Time", at that point, a 45rpm in two parts only, didn't make the starting line-up.
(It finally arrived in 2002 on a Sony set, "Forever Soul Christmas", in one full take, alongside various artists - expected on JB Singles, Vol. 6 in '09).
Another curious aspect of this Cd is that the '70 numbers still have a somewhat flat mix, as if the master tape was running too fast. That's a shame because that album should have won a Grammy, either way - just like its' predecessor, "Soulful Christmas".
I don't understand the Amazon reviewer who alluded to the, shall we say, "In Concert" James Brown, shouting, screaming, etc. There's very little of those nonverbalisms, although when they do come up, it *is* very....disconcerting. I love "Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year" - a great song and arrangement, mixed to perfection, with just enough "Churchy" echo on the lead vocal and the chorus, but those primal No, No, No(s) seem to say, ease my pain more than let's relax and reflect on the Peaceful side of life.
"Merry Christmas Baby", to me, is marginal, with James Brown apparently mimicking Charles Brown more than singing with Soul. Though, his second tribute to Charles Brown, "Please Come Home For Christmas" is exquisiste.
The Gospel-styled "Signs Of Christmas" is a 1966 album cut, where the listener feels on more familiar ground. A reach into "Papa's...Bag" can only bring a smile (and a impulse to kick back that funky living room rug).
As the Review title says, Brown's Christmas songs are consistently strong and his Christmas albums (all four, from '66, '68, '70, and '99) are frankly the only JB long-players programmed for Sunday listening with the folks. That's not a knock on his usual fare but these are musically as valuable as "Sex Machine", "The Payback", or "Mutha's Nature", or any you can name.