Customer Reviews

Singles 3: 1964-1965

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Thirty-six sides are alot of sides for a two-year 45rpm release campaign for any artist, but James Brown never was *any artist*. Yes, not all of the tracks herein are in that progressive "bag", in fact only 12 sides were actually recorded 1964 to 1965, and for those who want to concentrate on those sounds of "The New Breed", well, there are other "greatest hit" deals out there, less expensive.
However, the booklet makes the difference: great descriptive writing, with session personnel, dates and locations. And just review some of those names: Maceo Parker, St. Clair Pinckney, Alfred Ellis, Clyde Stubblefield, Bernard Purdie, et. al. Those details are not always a given on JB releases.
Considering those pre. '64 entries, one goes back to 1957, a great three-note bass pattern popular at the time (check out Little Richard's "Slippon' And Slidin'" or the Spider's "Witchraft") and is a genuine rock and roll song, lyrics by James Brown. Maybe you'll dig the added echo on the single pressing, though if memory serves, my copy bought way back when had "dry echo".
Interesting that another King, Elvis Presley, had a record company also combing the vaults for old material - in the mid-60s, tracks from 1957 and 1958 were issued on singles! What makes the King Records' plan seem bizarre is that several releases were re-engineered cuts from a hugely popular live album, issued in 1963. By the way, I like the single mix of "Think" and "I'll Go Crazy" from the Apollo set.
The uninitiated will enjoy the first (withdrawn?) movie version of "I Got You". The circumstances of the remake are still unclear to me, but what a difference in production and execution - the earlier number is catchy, actually a retooling of Yvonne Fair's "I Found You" , and possibly based (in part) on *another* singer's (see above King Of Pop name) movie soundtrack number called "I Got Lucky". It's a stretch...but check it out.
One of the best tracks is the bouyant "Tell Me What You're Gonna Do", recorded in 1960, but obviously unusual and a good choice for reissue. Nat Kendricks' drums sound like he was beating on a guitar case (something Elvis' drummer D. J. Fontana did on "All Shook Up" and on the '68 TV Special), and this ensures a storming rhythm. At first, you may think it's a kettle-drum - but I'm presuming it's the former. I can also hear a similiar sound to the later "She's A Woman", by a group from Liverpool.
Of course the centerpiece to this set is "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", the "on the one" opus James Brown himself calls the turning point in musical history. A Grammy winning tune for good reason - new fans get ready for a sound you'll be revisiting for the rest of your life. (Though, the King engineers have a big role in that success).
Said engineers did not always do a "seamless" or desireable job in other cases for JB over the years - there have been some very rough edits and bad mixing, though there's no evidence of that in this collection.
I enjoyed learning some back on "Only You", a very well-produced near-striptease cut in '64 by Brown. It appears it didn't make the "Showtime" album cut, but it's a heavy beat ballad as a B-side, and unlike the A-side, "I Got You" from "Ski Party", which was for the teens. This not so gentle entry has a decided adult bent even for 2007.
Here we have another interesting B-side, a traditional one backing up the non-traditional "Out Of Sight". It's called "It May Be The Last Time", obviously similiar to a Staples Singers' song. It appears that this non-new-breed offer would immediately follow the concert opener, which was "Out Of Sight". This one wasn't just gospel *style* or *feel* it was close to straight ahead gospel, or at least "Inspirational" - no worldly lyrics or attitude here. It can be heard on three live James Brown albums, as well.
It goes without saying that the next volume - volumes are eagerly anticipated. As the decade rolled on for Soul Brother Number One, the single releases were all in the new, progressive mold. Either way, it's a "mother"! - okay, we'll wait for Volume 5 (?) for more on that!

I grew up on the Memphis Sound and Motown. This disc contains a lot of songs I'd never heard of or never heard James Brown sing. It's helping me to see him in a completely different light. His sound was a little too old for me when I was young and because I was very young when he was at the tail-end of his most productive years, I did not develop much of an appreciation for his music. I'm now 48. After listening to this CD, I now understand what was so great about him. He was clearly a consummate entertainer, who could sing and direct (his band) his butt off.