Customer Reviews

Singles 9: 1973-1975

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I've been diligently collecting this series of 2CD sets since they started in 2006, and this 9th instalment is the fourth 2CD set to cover his extraordinary Seventies output (Volumes 6, 7 and 8 feature 1970 to 1973) - and if you ever required categorical proof of the Godlike genius of James Brown and his fantastically funky backing band The JB's - then these beautifully presented compilations are it.

But to the details first... All tracks are credited to JAMES BROWN except where noted and the pairing of numbers below are the A & B-sides of US 7" singles. Released 21 September 2010 in the USA (July 2010 from Hip-O's own site), but delayed to 4 October 2010 in the UK, Hip-O Select/Polydor B0014259-02 breaks down as follows...

Disc 1 (74:55 minutes):
1 and 2 are Polydor PD 14199, scheduled for release late 1973 but withdrawn
3 and 4 are People PE 629, scheduled for release late 1973 but withdrawn [credited to JAMES BROWN and LYN COLLINS]
[Notes: 3 was finally released as 'Part 2' of People PE 630 in October 1973 - the 'B-side' to "We Want To Parrty, Parrty, Parrty - Part 1" [credited to LYN COLLINS (THE FEMALE PREACHER)]
5 and 6 are Polydor PD 14206, scheduled for release late 1973 but withdrawn
[Note: 5 and 6 are an early version of "Stoned To The Bone" - see 7 and 8]
7 and 8 are Polydor PD 14210, released November 1973
[Notes: the UK and European counterparts (Polydor 2066 400) of the B-side use versions that are about a minute shorter; 8 here is the full US version. Also - some US copies titled it "Stone To The Bone" rather than "Stoned To The Bone..."]
9 and 10 are People PE 632, released January 1974 [credited to FRED WESLEY & THE J.B.'S]
[Notes: 9 samples parts of Jesse Jackson's famous "I Am Somebody" speech]
11 and 12 are Polydor PD 14223, released February 1974
13 and 14 are Polydor PD 14223-DJRE, released March 1974
[Notes: 11 and 12 are the stock copy 'with' the vocals of New York DJ, Hank Spann; 13 and 14 are the demo copies 'without' the Hank Spann vocal]
15 and 16 are People PE 638, released May 1974 [credited to FRED WESLEY & THE J.B.'S]
17 and 18 are Polydor PD 14244, released June 1974
[Notes: the B-side to 17 was "Public Enemy, Number 1" is the USA which is on Volume 8, however, Polydor 2066-484 released July 1974 in Italy and Germany had 18 as its B-side - which is what is included here]
19 is the stock copy issue of People PE 641, released June 1974 (known as the 'short version' at 2:32 minutes)
20 is the DJ promo issue on People PE 641-DJ, released July 1974 (it has an extra minute of playing time)

Disc 2 (70:46 minutes):
1 and 2 are Polydor PD 14250, released July 1974 [credited to THE FIRST FAMILY (The Godfather-J.B.'s-Lyn Collins-Lee Austin-Maceo)]
3 and 4 are Polydor PD 14255, released August 1974
5 and 6 are Polydor PD 14258, released October 1974
7 and 8 are Polydor PD 14268, released February 1975
9 and 10 are Polydor PD 14270, released April 1975
11 and 12 are Polydor PD 14273, scheduled for release summer 1975 but withdrawn [credited as by JAMES BROWN & The J.B.'s]
[Notes: it was then scheduled for release as People PE 654 for Autumn 1975 but also withdrawn [credited as by FRED & THE NEW J.B.'S]. Both Part 1 and 2 were finally issued as People PE 660 in October 1975. Also - 11-only (Part 1) was released on People PE 663 in January1976 [credited as by THE J.B.'S] as the B-side to "All Aboard The Soul Funky Train"]
13 and 14 are Polydor PD 14279, scheduled for May 1975 release but withdrawn; eventually released as Polydor PD 14281 in June 1975
15 is Polydor PD 14281, A-side, released June 1975

Like Volume 8, the 28-page booklet by noted JB expert and former tour manager ALAN LEEDS and is a joy to look at - a hugely informative read that's packed to the gills with track histories, concert posters, trade adverts, magazine covers and a thoroughly detailed recording Sessionography. The inlay beneath the see-through CD tray has an advert for "The Payback", there's varying memorabilia on display in the booklet from long-time collector Mathieu Bitton - it's exceptionally well done...

And again, as in previous issues, the first-generation master tapes for the single mixes have been transferred by SETH FOSTER - and he's done a truly superlative job - warm, clear and fabulously alive. There is hiss on some cuts like "Dead On It", but mostly the music jumps out of the speakers at you - gorgeous sound. The word "Limited Edition" is embossed in gold lettering on the rear inlay (it's a limited edition of 5000 copies worldwide).

Disc 1 opens with an ill-advised cover of The Everly Brothers "Let It Be Me" done in a truly-awful Salsa style; it's marginally rescued by its B-side - an easy-soul cover of The Impressions song "It's All Right" (written by Curtis Mayfield). Although credited only to Lyn Collins, "You Can't Beat Two People In Love" is a duet with JB and is superb. Then comes a genuine thrill - "I Got A Good Thing (And I Ain't Gonna Let It Go)" was the withdrawn precursor to "Stoned To The Bone" with similar words but a more slowed down funky backbeat. JB's decision to go with the released version was right. Still, it's fascinating to hear this early version (lyrics above) and there's even a rare Test Pressing of it pictured on Page 5. A clever inclusion is the DJ Promo versions of "The Payback" because it removes the overdub of DJ Hank Spann that's on the stock copies. And the fantastic "Same Beat - Part 1" samples Jesse Jackson's famous "I Am Somebody" poem which he aired on the US TV program "Sesame Street" 2 years earlier to inspire young blacks. "My Thang" is superlative funk with Brown's ridiculously tight band giving it their all. I also love the Lyn Collins tracks - such great vocals and feel...

Although there's good tracks on Disc 2 ("Control" and "Funky President"), there's a lot on here that aren't - half-baked ideas reaching for funky Nirvana and not getting there. On the plus side is Part 2 of "Papa Don't Take No Mess..." - a largely piano-driven funk B-side that for me is worth the price of admission alone - it's fantastic. There's also a surprisingly tender cover version of Little Willie John's "I Need Your Love So Bad". But the remake of "Sex Machine" is unnecessary - and both "Thank You..." and "Dead On It" fail to spark anything. By the time you get to the 'appealing to the disco audience' crud of "Hustle..." you know JB was running on empty...

Niggles - there were 4 other JB 45s in 1975 on Polydor, yet they're not on here despite they're being plenty of playing time left over on both CDs - no doubt being lined up for Volume 10. And while it's the nature of singles to cut down the playing time to suit radio airplay, I prefer the extended album versions on "Hell" and "The Payback".

To sum up - I'd admit that after the sheer blasting brilliance of Volumes 7 and 8 (I've reviewed Volume 8) - Volume 9 comes as a slight disappointment (especially on Disc 2). But if you really want to know why he got the title "The Godfather of Soul" in the first place - and especially why funk fans dig him so much - then buy this superbly featured reissue and concentrate only on the good stuff. It's so worth it. The only problem is that once acquired - you'll want all the previous numbers too.

A genius - he really was. And what a loss to music...

If you're a long-time, hard-core JB fan like me (and I've been a fan for the past three decades) then Volume 9 of the Singles series is a godsend. This is the beginning of the period that contains the pegs for many of the holes we've had in our collections. And I mean that not only for the regular fan, but also the superfan who has been seeking out the rare vinyl lps and even more rare 45s. There are at least a half dozen tracks here that have never before seen the light of day in any easily attainable form.
For example: James Brown, the Godfather of Soul and Minister of New New Super-Heavy Funk doing a cover of an Everly Brothers tune--and doing it as a salsa number. I mean, really--how many of us JB fanatics even knew this existed?

Basically, these singles chart the decline of Brown as a commercial force. The early Seventies saw Brown as THE major force in black music. But by the mid-seventies the Godfather was sent reeling into creative dissaray by IRS harrasment, the death of his son, possible drug abuse, an out of control ego, constant touring and the changing tastes of the music buying public. Even though this document of his decline is sad in a way, it is also much more interesting to listen to than many of the previous volumes in this series. This set ranges from familiar #1 hits like "The Payback" to total obscurities like "I Gotta Good Thing (and I Ain't Gonna Give It Up." Instead of a homogenous collection of familiar brilliance, we are privvy to an artist as he struggles desperatley to come up for air, struggling for his life, grabbing at anything he can. Some good, a few kinda brilliant, a few just plain weird. It's experimentation and oddness--like when a legandary basketball player suddenly stops playing hoops and takes up baseball--he's not as good as when he was on top, but just as interesting.. And it is amazing in its way.

And I'm sure volume 10, whenever that arrives, will be even more insane and interesting!

You might think that with the handfull's of James Brown CD compilations of all sorts that have been floating around as long as I can remember that Hip-O Selects newly issued Singles compilations would'nt seem that interesting but after glancing at it a few times I realized some of them,in particular the latter ends of the volume would be of interest to me. My James Brown CD collection up until this time (aside from MP3's) have consisted mainly of the classic boxed set Star Time however as fantastic a set as that is I felt that,as many compilations due didn't properly represent JB's mid/late 70's output quite as well as it could have. It may not have represented his biggest period of popular acclaim to be said but even on the early section of this volume James was still getting even Top 40 pop hits now and than and his dominance on the R&B charts was still strong as ever. But this represents far more than chart statistics. It showcases James in his most celebrated musical format-the single record. But more importantly it shows that even after his massive innovation in funk in the late 60's/early 70's he was already laying the groundwork for disco and hip-hop in it's earliest form,even if people didn't necessarily notice at the time.

We begin with James during the height of his work on soundtracks and influenced heavily by salsa/latin soul on "Let It Be Me",a duet with Lynn Collins that might surprise a lot of people who didn't think James' sound during the early 70's was all that diversified. Although if you look back his funk classic Cold Sweat had a strong latin element,although not of the salsa variety. You also see in the funk presented here,which by the way is all excellent especially the ones that never appeared on Star Time such as "I Got A Good Thing","People Get Up And Drive Your Funky Soul" and "Rock Me Again & Again & Again & Again & Again",the latter another duet with Collins on a fast tempoed high octame jam. In keeping with James' sense of musical history appears on a version of Curtis Mayfield's "It's Alright",again given what must have sounded at the time like a retro soul shuffle where occasional radio DJ interludes on versions of "Same Beat" and "The Payback" will seem either irritating or,in my case add to a sense of studio call-and-response JB was so excellent at onstage.

Once we get to the second disk we find a lot of musical transitions in James' ranks. Maceo and Fred Wesley's presense is diminished while musicians such as Ernie Watts,Ndugu Chancelor and David Sanborn came in as early synthesizers and Jimmy Nolan's wah wah guitar. One will hear this more as from "Funky President" through james such as "Reality","I Need Your Love So Bad","Dead On It!!" and "Hustle!" you'll notice James' sound moving from his precise,structured and more rawly produced grooves into tunes that are somewhat looser in nature and have a far slicker sound. True James' use of 4/4 beats earlier in the 70's paved way for the the music of the disco era but here you hear him "giving it back" as it were with numbers such as "Thank You For Lettin' Me Be Myself,And You Be Yours" and "Coldblooded" which have elements that actually strongly anticipate the funkier disco style of Saturday Night Fever era Bee Gee's. But of course James still does have Fred and Maceo strongly onboard and their sound deeply effects everything musically about this as much as Brown,just as it always had beforehand. The lone ballad,a revisiting of the Little Willie John cover "I Need You So Bad" may seem odd but as with "Let It Be Me" it shows James' revered talent for not only reinventing himself and his music but his interpretations of the music of others as well,same as he does on the reviviting revival in 1975 of "Sex Machine".

In addition to the music,which as well as being all classics of it's type being very well remastered as well this includes excellent liner notes that offer lots of excellent photos of flyers,shop signs and tour programs from James during this period,in particular from his historic Zaire concert in 1974 and also full,informative paragraphs describing in detail the circumstances of each single featured here as well as their chart placings and who played on them. His music is presented in it's best possible manner here and considering the sketchy nature of the liner notes on early CD compilation releases these Singles sets would actually not be any less a bad intro than Star Time was in the early 1990's,not to say that set is any less important now. Sure the earlier volumes of this I probably couldn't say the same thing about since the box set covers that in equal detail. But you'll need this and the next two volumes (the second of which as of this writing is still forthcoming) to fill in some important gaps not only musically but in terms of a forgotten period of James Brown history as well.

Another proud keeper in any collection, we have crystalline pressings of monster hits, album cuts, and oddballs from an inspired time in James Brown's career.
Somewhere between the the classic sides and classic albums (The Payback is *the* one...on the one) Mr. Brown headlined a concert in Zaire, arranged to celebrate the Ali-Forman fight. A recent DVD reveals that JB is the real champ on the scene.

Back to this double CD: all the 45rpm sides are here that you bought way back when and maybe a few to dazzle your senses as a newcomer to your CD carousel: It's Alright, You Can't Beat Two People In Love, the "original" Stone To The Bone (once again we, depressingly, have the song issued as Stoned To The Bone), and many tracks where JB drives the proceedings for other meembers of the First Family Of Funk.

As always, a great booklet with great research.

("Dooley's Junkyard Dogs" on the way!!).