Brown began his career as a gospel singer in Toccoa, Georgia. He first came to national public attention in the mid-1950s as the lead singer of the Famous Flames, a rhythm and blues vocal group founded by Bobby Byrd. With the hit ballads "Please, Please, Please" and "Try Me", Brown built a reputation as a dynamic live performer with the Famous Flames and his backing band, sometimes known as the James Brown Band or the James Brown Orchestra. His success peaked in the 1960s with the live album Live at the Apollo and hit singles such as "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "It's a Man's Man's Man's World".
During the late 1960s, Brown moved from a continuum of blues and gospel-based forms and styles to a profoundly "Africanized" approach to music-making, emphasizing stripped-down interlocking rhythms that influenced the development of funk music. By the early 1970s, Brown had fully established the funk sound after the formation of the J.B.s with records such as "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine" and "The Payback". He also became noted for songs of social commentary, including the 1968 hit "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud". Brown continued to perform and record until his death from pneumonia in 2006.
Brown recorded 17 singles that reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts. He also holds the record for the most singles listed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that did not reach No. 1. Brown was posthumously inducted into the first class of the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2013 as an artist and then in 2017 as a songwriter. He also received honors from several other institutions, including inductions into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In Joel Whitburn's analysis of the Billboard R&B charts from 1942 to 2010, Brown is ranked No. 1 in The Top 500 Artists. He is ranked seventh on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown
Studio albums
Please Please Please (1958)
Try Me! (1959)
Think! (1960)
The Amazing James Brown (1961)
James Brown and His Famous Flames Tour the U.S.A. (1962)
Prisoner of Love (1963)
Grits & Soul (1964)
Showtime (1964)
Out of Sight (1964)
James Brown Plays James Brown Today & Yesterday (1965)
Mighty Instrumentals (1966)
James Brown Plays New Breed (The Boo-Ga-Loo) (1966)
James Brown Sings Christmas Songs (1966)
Handful of Soul (1966)
James Brown Sings Raw Soul (1967)
James Brown Plays the Real Thing (1967)
Cold Sweat (1967)
I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me (1968)
I Got the Feelin' (1968)
James Brown Plays Nothing But Soul (1968)
Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things (1968)
A Soulful Christmas (1968)
Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (1969)
Gettin' Down to It (1969)
The Popcorn (1969)
It's a Mother (1969)
Ain't It Funky (1970)
Soul on Top (1970)
It's a New Day - Let a Man Come In (1970)
Hey America (1970)
Sho Is Funky Down Here (1971)
Hot Pants (1971)
There It Is (1972)
Get on the Good Foot (1972)
Black Caesar (1973)
Slaughter's Big Rip-Off (1973)
The Payback (1973)
Hell (1974)
Reality (1974)
Sex Machine Today (1975)
Everybody's Doin' the Hustle & Dead on the Double Bump (1975)
Hot (1976)
Get Up Offa That Thing (1976)
Bodyheat (1976)
Mutha's Nature (1977)
Jam 1980's (1978)
Take a Look at Those Cakes (1978)
The Original Disco Man (1979)
People (1980)
Soul Syndrome (1980)
Nonstop! (1981)
Bring It On! (1983)
Gravity (1986)
I'm Real (1988)
Love Over-Due (1991)
Universal James (1993)
I'm Back (1998)
The Merry Christmas Album (1999)
The Next Step (2002)
For Once In My Life
James Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For once in my life
I have someone who needs me
Someone I've needed so long
For once, unafraid
I can go where life leads me
Somehow I know I would be strong
Used to dream of
Long before I knew
Someone warm like you
Would make my
Dream come true
And maybe
For once in my life
I won't let sorrow hurt me
Not like it hurt me before
For once I have something
That won't desert me
I'm not alone anymore, it won't desert me
For once I can say
"This is mine, you can't take it"
As long as I know I have love I can make it
For once in my life
I have someone who needs me, yeah!
For once in my life, someone needs me
Someone I've needed so long
For once, unafraid, I'm not scared
I can go where life leads me
'Cause I know
I've got to be strong
For once I can touch
What my heart used to dream of, hah!
Long before I knew
Someone warm like you
Would make my dream come true
For once in my life, I won't let sorrow hurt me
Not like it did before
For once I have something
I know won't desert me
I'm not lonely anymore
For once I can say
"This is mine, you can't take it"
As long as know
I have love, we can make it
For once in my life, I have someone, someone who needs me
It's your thing
You got to have a thing
Everybody need a thing
Use your thing
And do your thing
You got to, you got to
Have a thing
Use your thing
Use your thing
You need your thing
You got to have a thing
Every, every
Every, every!
Ya-la-la-la-la-eee, yeah!
Ya-la-la-la-la-eee!
You got to have a thing, ow!
You got to have a thing, ow!
Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
Ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-yeah!
Ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-yeah!
Ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-yeah!
Ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-yeah!
You got to, you got to
You got to, you got to
Good God, you got to, you got to
You got to!
Ya-la-la-la-la-eee, yeah!
Ya-la-la-la-la-eee, yeah!
Yeah!
Yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
James Brown's "For Once in My Life" expresses his newfound joy in finally having someone in his life who needs him, someone he has needed for a long time. He feels unafraid and strong, and he knows he can make it through anything as long as he has love. Brown has a new sense of purpose and direction, and he won't let sorrow hurt him anymore now that he has this new person in his life. For the first time, he has something that won't desert him, and he feels complete.
The song's upbeat and optimistic tone reflects the newfound joy in Brown's life. The message of the song is clear: he has finally found his place in the world with someone who loves him, and he is eager to embrace this new life. The refrain, "For once in my life, I have someone who needs me," sums up the central theme of the song, which is the importance of having someone to love and who loves you back.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden and originally recorded by Stevie Wonder, becoming a hit for him in 1968. James Brown's version was released in 1967 and features a funkier, more soulful sound than the original. Another interesting fact is that Brown's version was not as successful as Wonder's, peaking at #48 on the R&B charts.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey-hey-hey-hey
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm, indicating that the singer is ready to sing and convey his emotions through music.
For once in my life
At this particular moment, the singer is experiencing something significant that he has not experienced before.
I have someone who needs me
The singer finally has someone who depends on him, who he can take care of, and who he can share his life with.
Someone I've needed so long
This person has been missing from the singer's life for a long time, and now that he has him, he's grateful.
For once, unafraid
Unlike before, the singer is no longer afraid of what life has in store for him because he knows he's strong enough to handle it.
I can go where life leads me
The singer is now willing to take risks and try new things because he's confident in himself and his abilities.
Somehow I know I would be strong
The singer is assured that he can overcome any obstacle that comes his way because he has faith in himself.
For once I can touch what my heart
Used to dream of
The singer has finally achieved something that he had always longed for but never thought possible.
Long before I knew
Someone warm like you
Would make my
Dream come true
Before the singer met this special person, he never thought he could be this happy, but now he realizes that he's lucky to have found them.
And maybe
For once in my life
I won't let sorrow hurt me
Not like it hurt me before
The singer is choosing to be happy and focus on the positive things in his life instead of letting his past traumas and pain consume him.
For once I have something
That won't desert me
I'm not alone anymore, it won't desert me
The singer feels secure in his relationship and confident that this person will not abandon him.
For once I can say
"This is mine, you can't take it"
As long as I know I have love I can make it
The singer is reflecting on how much his life has changed since he found love, and how he feels like he finally has something worth fighting for.
For once in my life
I have someone who needs me, yeah!
The chorus repeats, emphasizing the singer's newfound happiness and the importance of having someone to share life with.
It's your thing
You got to have a thing
Everybody need a thing
Use your thing
And do your thing
The lyrics transition to a different song, which encourages listeners to find their passion and pursue it fearlessly.
You got to, you got to
Have a thing
Use your thing
Use your thing
You need your thing
You got to have a thing
The singer repeats his encouragement to find what makes you happy and pursue it without hesitation.
Every, every
Every, every!
Ya-la-la-la-la-eee, yeah!
Ya-la-la-la-la-eee!
The verse ends with a fun, upbeat chorus that encourages listeners to celebrate themselves and keep pursuing their passions.
Good God, you got to, you got to
You got to!
The singer adds a sense of urgency, stressing the importance of finding one's passion and pursuing it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The song ends on a high energy note, with the singer repeating the chorus to inspire listeners to find their own 'thing' and live life to the fullest.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ronald N. Miller, Orlando Murden
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thedailyjankro8678
Love his timing and restraint on this track, the call and response with the sax and that beautiful meandering piano. Swing it like the best. The whole album is a joy
@MarkTarmannPianoCheck_it_out
His varied phrasing, the accents he places. The guy is so deep.. Simply amazing. Swings so hard. Beautiful.
@ianroberts3948
What an ending !
@catirerubio
JB could swing! His version comes ALIVE!
@AZO991H
Maravillosa canción!!! Gracias por hacer un poco mas hermoso este mundo James Brown!!!!
@HiltonBarlach
essa é a melhor versão dessa musica...
@gangdoplanko768
Tao pouco reconhecida, James Brown só fazia trabalho nível acima
@johnallison6474
Check out Stevie Wonder's version.
@spartnering
Un grand oui pour cette version de James Brown... Mais je suis le seul à être meurtri par la coupe de fin ?!
@PonziZombieKiller
dats a kool cover rite dare