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)
I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing
James Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Do you hear me?
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Don't give me degeneration
Give me true communication
Don't give me sorrow
I want equal opportunity
To live tomorrow
Give me schools
And give me better books
So I can read about myself
And gain my truly looks
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Do you hear me now, now?
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Some of us try
As hard as we can
We don't want no sympathy
We just wanna be a man
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Do you hear me?
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
We got talents we can use
On our side of town
Let's get our heads together
And get it up from the ground
When some of us make money
People hear about our people
Gotta grab out a honey
Forget about honey
Do you now, let me hear, hey
Come on, I got to have it
Come on, I need it
I got to have it, come on
I got to have it, oh, ha
Lordy, Lordy, Lordy
Lordy, Lordy, Lordy
Play with your bad self
Come on, baby
Come here
Gotta get it
Got to get myself together
So many things I got to do
So many things I got to do
I don't need no help from you
Tell everybody, everybody else
All of these things, baby
I got to do it myself
Come on, hey
I got to have it
I said I, said I
Said I, said I, I
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
With you I'll sweat and bleed
To put out any fire and block off every plug
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Do you hear me?
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
I'm not gonna tell
You what to do
I'm not gonna raise a fuss
But before you make another move
Let's start by taking care of us
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Do you hear me?
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Kids, get that education
And don't you take no more
'Cause if we gonna get
This thing together
Then you got to carry the ball
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
Open up the door
Open up the door
Open up the door
Open up the door
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Can you dig the groove?
Can you make the move?
Can you dig the say?
Can you make the pay?
Dig the groove?
Can you dig it?
Tell me, can you dig it?
Tell me, can you?
Come on now, come on now
Come on, come on, come on
Come on
Come on, all right
Come on, fly
Hey, hey, hey
Lord, have mercy
I got to have it
Got to have it
I got to have it
Don't need no cupid
Don't be no stupid
Come on
We, we don't have time to hate
We need all the time we got
To try to communicate
Come on
Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy
Baby, baby, baby, baby
How can I get myself together
When you keep on packing your bag?
How can I get myself together
When you keep on packing your bag?
How can I get myself together
When you keep on packing your bag?
How can I get myself together
When you keep on packing your bag?
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Oh, no, no, no, no
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
I'm not gonna tell you what to do
I'm not gonna raise a fuss
But before you make another move
Let's start by taking care of us
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door
I'll get it myself
Kids, get that education
And don't you take no more
'Cause if we gonna get
This thing together
Then you got to carry the ball
I don't want nobody
To give me nothing
Open up the door, open
Open up the door
Open up the door, hit it
Open up, here I come
Open up and let a man come in
Open up, let a man come in
Open up, let a man come in
Here I come, here I come
I'm comin' in any type of weather
Comin' 'cause I got myself together
Open up, open up, open up, up
"I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing" is a song by American singer James Brown. The lyrics highlight the idea of self-sufficiency, that people should be empowered to find their own way in life without relying on others for help. Brown argues that equal access to education, opportunities, and resources is key to achieving that self-sufficiency. He also emphasizes the importance of working together as a community to achieve this goal.
Brown's lyrics draw from the social and political movements of the 1960s, such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Movement. These movements aimed to empower African Americans, advocating for equal rights, access to education and job opportunities, and an end to segregation and discrimination. Brown's message encourages people, particularly African Americans, to take charge of their own lives and fight for their rights and opportunities.
The repeated phrase "I don't want nobody to give me nothing, open up the door, I'll get it myself" is a succinct expression of Brown's message. He rejects the idea of charity, instead insisting that people should have equal access to resources and opportunities. The references to education, books, and equal opportunity underscore the importance of education and self-improvement in achieving self-sufficiency.
Overall, "I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing" is a powerful call to action, urging listeners to take control of their own lives and work together to create more equitable communities.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want nobody
I don't need anyone's charity or favors
To give me nothing
I don't want any gifts or handouts
Open up the door
Let me have my chance to succeed
I'll get it myself
I will earn what I deserve through hard work and effort
Do you hear me?
Are you listening to me?
Don't give me degeneration
Don't bring me down with negativity and discouragement
Give me true communication
Speak honestly and openly with me
Don't give me sorrow
Don't burden me with sadness and hardship
I want equal opportunity
I deserve the same chances and advantages as anyone else
To live tomorrow
To have a fair chance at a successful future
Give me schools
Provide accessible and quality education
And give me better books
I need resources that accurately represent my history and culture
So I can read about myself
So I can learn and connect with my roots and identity
And gain my truly looks
So I can become more knowledgeable and self-aware
Do you hear me now, now?
Are you paying attention to me yet?
Some of us try
Some of us work hard
As hard as we can
We give our all
We don't want no sympathy
We don't want pity or condescension
We just wanna be a man
We just want to be treated with respect and dignity
We got talents we can use
We have skills and abilities to contribute
On our side of town
In our communities and neighborhoods
Let's get our heads together
Let's work together and collaborate
And get it up from the ground
And build our success from scratch
When some of us make money
When some of us achieve financial success
People hear about our people
Our community becomes more visible and recognized
Gotta grab out a honey
We need to seize opportunities
Forget about honey
Don't be distracted by frivolous things
Do you now, let me hear, hey
Do you understand me yet?
Come on, I got to have it
I need to succeed and achieve my goals
Come on, I need it
I require the necessary resources and support
I got to have it, come on
I am driven to succeed and won't settle for less
I got to have it, oh, ha
I am determined to achieve success no matter what
Lordy, Lordy, Lordy
Expressing exasperation, frustration, or disbelief
Play with your bad self
Be confident and proud of who you are
Come on, baby
Encouraging and motivating oneself
Come here
Come closer and listen
Gotta get it
Need to achieve success
Got to get myself together
Need to focus and strengthen my resolve
So many things I got to do
I have numerous responsibilities and tasks
I don't need no help from you
I can manage on my own
Tell everybody, everybody else
Spread the word and inspire others
All of these things, baby
All of these goals and tasks
I got to do it myself
I am independent and self-sufficient
Come on, hey
Let's do this, come on
I got to have it
I need to achieve my goals and realize my potential
I said I, said I
Emphasizing one's determination and resolve
With you I'll sweat and bleed
I will work tirelessly alongside you
To put out any fire and block off every plug
To overcome any obstacles and challenges
I'm not gonna tell
I will not dictate or enforce
You what to do
What choices you should make
I'm not gonna raise a fuss
I won't create unnecessary conflict or drama
But before you make another move
Before taking action
Let's start by taking care of us
Let's prioritize ourselves and our community
Kids, get that education
Encouraging children to prioritize their education
And don't you take no more
Don't settle for less in life
'Cause if we gonna get
Because if we want to achieve
This thing together
This goal or objective as a community
Then you got to carry the ball
It is our responsibility and duty to work hard together
Hey, hey, hey
An exclamation or greeting
Can you dig the groove?
Are you feeling the rhythm and energy?
Can you make the move?
Are you willing to take action and make things happen?
Can you dig the say?
Do you understand the message and meaning?
Can you make the pay?
Can you put in the work and effort to succeed?
Dig the groove?
Feel the rhythm and energy?
Can you dig it?
Do you understand and resonate with the message?
Tell me, can you dig it?
Do you understand and support the community's goals?
Come on now, come on now
Let's do this, together
Come on, come on, come on
Encouraging and motivating action
Come on
Let's go, let's do this
Come on, all right
Agreeing and acknowledging
Come on, fly
Let's soar and achieve greatness
Lord, have mercy
Expressing surprise or amazement
Got to have it
I need to succeed and achieve my goals
Don't need no cupid
Don't need any external forces to find success
Don't be no stupid
Don't make foolish decisions or choices
We, we don't have time to hate
We don't have the luxury of divisive or harmful behavior
We need all the time we got
We have no time to waste
To try to communicate
Let's work together and communicate to achieve our goals
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Expressing attention or emphasis
How can I get myself together
How can I strengthen my resolve and focus?
When you keep on packing your bag?
When you keep leaving or abandoning our community?
Oh, no, no, no, no
Expressing disbelief or disagreement
Open up the door, open
Provide opportunities and access
Open up the door, hit it
Seize opportunities and make things happen
Open up, here I come
Let me have my chance to succeed
Open up and let a man come in
Allow me to prove myself and succeed
Open up, let a man come in
Provide me with opportunities to succeed
Here I come, here I come
I am ready and determined
Comin' in any type of weather
Determined to succeed under any circumstances
Comin' 'cause I got myself together
Confident and self-sufficient
Open up, open up, open up, up
Provide open and fair opportunities for success
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind