James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American entert… Read Full Bio ↴James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American entertainer, record producer, and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honorific nicknames "the Hardest Working Man in Show Business", "Godfather of Soul", "Mr. Dynamite", and "Soul Brother No. 1". In a career that lasted more than 50 years, he influenced the development of several music genres. Brown was one of the first 10 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at its inaugural induction in New York on January 23, 1986.

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 Got A Bag Of My Own
James Brown Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I got a bag of my own

Now, baby
Stop all that gabbing
We don't need
No backstabbing
Come take
Take care of all of mine

My good stuff

You know I'm grown
I've got a bag of my own

On my good book
I don't back up
Take my tea
From my favorite cup
My groove is still
Out of sight
Got the hook
Protect my love, right
Three times seven
You know I'm grown
I got a bag of my own
Wait a minute

I sweat all day
And half the night
Taking care of business
Handle it right
My body's built like a
32-20-45 frame
Don't shoot nothing
But ball and chain
Don't knock it if
You don't want to rock it

Hit me, hit me
I know I'm grown
I got a bag of my own

Can't get enough
Got to, got to do my stuff
Hit me, hit me
I got a bag of my own
Baby, stop all that gabbing
We don't need
No backstabbing
Got to change my ways
Taking care all
Of my good stuff

You know I'm grown
You know I'm grown
Now, hit me

I sweat all day
Half of the night
Taking care of business
Handle it right
My body's built like a
32-20-45 frame
Don't shoot nothing
But ball and chain

Shoot, shoot, shoot
Shoot, ah

Hit me, good God
Got to change my ways
Got to change my ways
Come on, come on, band
Hit me, hit me, hit me
Hit me, hit me, hit me

Hit me, good God
I got a bag of my own
I got a bag of my own

Hit me, good God
I, I, I, I got a bag

Overall Meaning

In James Brown's "I Got A Bag Of My Own," the singer declares their independence and self-sufficiency from a partner who seems to be causing problems. The singer urges their partner to stop talking behind their back, and to take care of what is theirs. The singer has already taken care of their own belongings and is ready to move on. They claim ownership of their "good stuff" and demand respect. The singer emphasizes their maturity and responsibility with phrases like "You know I'm grown" and "Taking care of business, handle it right." They also highlight their physical strength and capabilities, signaling that they are capable of taking care of themselves.

The repeated phrase "I got a bag of my own" serves as a poignant symbol of the singer's independence. The bag represents ownership of their own possessions, identity, and agency. They don't need to rely on anyone else for support or validation; they are capable of holding their own.

Overall, "I Got A Bag Of My Own" is a declaration of self-sufficiency and a demand for respect. The singer asserts their independence from a problematic partner and emphasizes their own strength and capability.

Line by Line Meaning

I got a bag of my own
I have my own resources and don't need anyone else to take care of me.

Now, baby Stop all that gabbing We don't need No backstabbing Come take Take care of all of mine My good stuff
Be quiet and don't talk behind my back. Take care of what I have and make sure it's safe.

You know I'm grown I've got a bag of my own
I'm mature and take care of myself. I have my own resources to rely on.

On my good book I don't back up Take my tea From my favorite cup My groove is still Out of sight Got the hook Protect my love, right Three times seven You know I'm grown I got a bag of my own Wait a minute
I follow my own rules and don't back down from what I believe in. I enjoy the things I like and keep my style unique. I'm still successful and popular. I protect what I care about, and I'm experienced in life.

I sweat all day And half the night Taking care of business Handle it right My body's built like a 32-20-45 frame Don't shoot nothing But ball and chain Don't knock it if You don't want to rock it Hit me, hit me I know I'm grown I got a bag of my own
I work hard all day and night to take care of my business. I'm strong and powerful like a gun, but I only stick to my own things. Don't criticize me if you can't do what I do. I'm experienced and independent.

Can't get enough Got to, got to do my stuff Hit me, hit me I got a bag of my own Baby, stop all that gabbing We don't need No backstabbing Got to change my ways Taking care all Of my good stuff You know I'm grown You know I'm grown Now, hit me
I'm passionate about what I do and can't get enough of it. I don't want to hear any gossip or betrayal. I need to improve my ways and take care of myself. I'm mature and you should respect that. Let's start the music again.

My body's built like a 32-20-45 frame Don't shoot nothing But ball and chain Shoot, shoot, shoot Shoot, ah
I'm strong and powerful like a gun, but I only stick to what's important to me. Shoot, just like I do what I like and not what others think I should.

Hit me, good God Got to change my ways Got to change my ways Come on, come on, band Hit me, hit me, hit me Hit me, hit me, hit me Hit me, good God I got a bag of my own I got a bag of my own Hit me, good God I, I, I, I got a bag
Let's keep the music going and I'll do my thing. I need to improve my lifestyle and look after my own things. Keep playing the music and let me do what I do best.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES BROWN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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