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 Ants In My Pants
James Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me what you're
Gonna do about that
Tell me what you're gonna do
I got to know about that
Is your love for real?
Tell me what you're
Gonna do about that
I got ants in my pants
And I need to dance
Come on
I got ants in my pants
And I need to dance
Some big fine mama
Come and give me a chance
Hey, hey, hey
I got ants in my pants
And I need to dance
Some big fine looker
Gonna make me prance
Come on, hey, hey
You need someone to love you
I'm the one
I'm a good fine loving
Son of a gun
Come on, hey
Do ya, do ya?
I love you; yes, I do
With all my heart and soul
I need you; yes, I do
Don't let my love grow cold
Squeeze me tight
Hold me right
Make me know you're mine
Do you need all my love?
Yes, it's always fine
I want you; yes, I do
With all my heart and soul
I need you; yes, I do
Don't let my love grow cold
Ah, good God
I said it's good now
I said, baby, it's good now
Come on, bring me up
Lift me up on the other side
I said you got to lift me up
On the other side
You got to lift me
I said, ah, on the other
You got to lift me up
Good God, come on
Bring your, bring your
Bring your, ah
Good God
You got to lift me up
On the other side
You, you, you, you, you
I got ants in my pants
And I need to dance
Hey, hey, hey
I feel it
You know that I feel it
You know that I feel it
I got ants in my pants
And I need to dance
Some big fine mama
Come and give me a chance
Hey, hey, hey
You need someone to love you
I'm the one
I'm a good hard fighting
Loving son of a gun
The lyrics of James Brown's song “I Got Ants In My Pants” are all about love and the need to dance. The song opens with Brown calling on someone to tell him what they are going to do about his love. He then asks if their love is real and if they understand how he feels. Throughout the song, Brown expresses his need to dance, shouting out that he’s got ants in his pants and he needs to dance. He also calls out for a big, fine mama to come and give him a chance to dance, promising that he is the one who can love her and fulfill her desires.
The repetitiveness of the lyrics and the catchy beats make it impossible not to move or dance when listening to the song. Although the lyrics may seem simple, Brown’s persuasive vocal performance infuses energy into every verse. The song is not just about dancing but also about the need to experience love, and the combination creates a perfect fun-loving rhythm that inspires people to dance.
Overall, Brown's "I Got Ants In My Pants" is a song about love, dance, and the intersection of those two elements. The repetitiveness of the lyrics is matched by an energizing beat, making it a perfect dance track.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me what you're
Gonna do about that
What actions will you take to address our situation?
Is your love for real?
Do you know how I feel?
Tell me what you're
Gonna do about that
I need to confirm the integrity of your feelings towards me, hence what steps are you taking to show me you love me
I got ants in my pants
And I need to dance
Come on
I am overwhelmed with the urge to dance and need to do so as soon as possible
Some big fine mama
Come and give me a chance
I need a talented and attractive lady to dance with me as soon as possible
You need someone to love you
I'm the one
I'm a good fine loving
Son of a gun
You need a partner to love you, and I'm that partner. I'm great at loving and affection.
I want you; yes, I do
With all my heart and soul
I need you; yes, I do
Don't let my love grow cold
Squeeze me tight
Hold me right
Make me know you're mine
Do you need all my love?
Yes, it's always fine
I yearn for you with all the affection I have. I need you not to let my love go cold. Give me a tight embrace, make me feel that I belong to you. Confirm if all my love is needed, and I assure you it's always available for you.
You got to lift me up
Good God, come on
Bring your, bring your
Bring your, ah
You have to lift me on your arms, come on, bring your best effort, and bring it fast!
I feel it
You know that I feel it
You know that I feel it
I sense it, and I'm confident you know I do
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES BOBBITT, CHARLES FRED BOBBITT, DAVE MATTHEWS, JAMES BROWN, MANNY ROSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@arthurpenfield8229
Michael Jackson In The Closet brought me here. Thank you James Brown, The Godfather of Soul, for your beats that inspired Michael Jackson to be the King of Pop.
@arthurhoffman6520
The hardest working man in show business.🎤🎺🎼
@lesliespringer9816
In all our history of black music in this country, James Brown was best all time.
@bossmonl.a2035
Word
@Frisbieinstein
I say that once you get to a certain level, comparisons become senseless.
@martincarlos3759
In the history of Music of all Mankind! That's what'd I say! Hit me now!
@MarshallArtz007
Without a doubt! The Greatest!
🐜🕺🏿🐜
@vaughnmiller5319
No ant's necessary to dance to JB's grooves. Funk personified.
@atricate5928
Aint nobody gonna ever duplicate that joint true original FUNK LORD HAVE MERCY
@papamidnight7216
Nobody did it better than the Godfather! I can remember back in the day whichever James Brown jam was played the floor would pack. Sixty-three years old and still feelin' it!