Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
1965 · From Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
The record where the beat moved to the one and funk quietly began. James Brown never looked back.
★ 9.1
The Songs canon
Sourced and sung.
Every song chosen by hand, with the recording to play it.
Browse all 2,393 songs or filter by genre, subject, artist, and year.
Browse all 2,393 songs or filter by genre, subject, artist, and year.
I Got You (I Feel Good)
1965 · From I Got You (I Feel Good)
Brown recycled a flop he'd cut on Yvonne Fair, added Maceo Parker's alto, and landed his highest-charting single.
★ 8.8
Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex MachineJames Brown
Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine
1970 · From Sex Machine
One of Brown's first dates with the new J.B.s, Bootsy Collins on bass at eighteen, Bobby Byrd answering every line.
★ 7.9
It's a Man's Man's Man's World
1966 · From It's a Man's Man's Man's World
Betty Jean Newsome shares the credit and later claimed all of it; Sammy Lowe's strings carry Brown's most exposed vocal.
★ 7.7
Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud
1968 · From Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud
Brown cut it in Los Angeles with thirty-odd young people from Watts and Compton shouting the answer back.
★ 7.7
Please, Please, Please
1956 · From Please Please Please
Syd Nathan hated it and fired Ralph Bass for cutting it, then rehired him when it reached R&B's top five.
★ 6.6
Get Up Offa That ThingJames Brown
Get Up Offa That Thing
1976 · From Get Up Offa That Thing
Brown put the writing credit in his wife's and daughters' names over IRS debts, then cut it live in two takes.
★ 5.3