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)
PAPA
James Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He ain't too hip, about that new breed babe
He ain't no drag
Papa's got a brand new bag
Come here mama, and dig this crazy scene
He's not too fancy, but his line is pretty clean
He ain't no drag
It's the Jerk
He's doing the Fly
Don't play him cheap 'cause you know he ain't shy
He's doing the Monkey, the Mashed Potatoes
Jump back Jack, See you later alligator
Come here sister
Papa's in the swing
He ain't too hip now
But I can dig that new breed babe
He ain't no drag
He's got a brand new bag
Oh papa, He's doing the Jerk
Papa, he's doing the Jerk
He's doing the twist, just like this
He's doing the Fly every day and every night
The thing's, like the Boomerang
Hey, come on
Hey hey, come on
Hey hey, said you uptight, out of sight
Come on, see what you know
Come on, see what you know
In Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, James Brown wants everyone to know that he has a new, fresh sound. He uses the phrase "brand new bag" as a metaphor for his innovative style. He tells his listeners to gather around him and witness his new approach to music. He is proud of his catchiness and upbeat sound, and he is getting ready to show off his new style to the world.
The lyrics also showcase different dances in the African American community at the time, particularly The Jerk, The Fly, The Monkey, and The Mashed Potatoes. Brown emphasizes the importance of these dances and how they contribute to the African American culture. It was more than just dancing - it was a way to express oneself and to build a community around music and dance.
Overall, James Brown's Papa's Got a Brand New Bag is a message to his fans about his new approach to music and his pride in his African American culture. It is an invitation to everyone to see his new, innovative sound and to join in the dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Come here sister, Papa's in the swing
Come here and listen, Papa is feeling good and grooving to the music
He ain't too hip, about that new breed babe
Papa isn't familiar with the new style of music, but he still enjoys it
He ain't no drag
He is not boring, he's lively and lively
Papa's got a brand new bag
Papa has a new way of doing things, and he's enjoying it a lot
Come here mama, and dig this crazy scene
Listen, Mama, and enjoy the lively and thrilling atmosphere
He's not too fancy, but his line is pretty clean
He's not trying too hard to be cool, but his moves are sharp and precise
He ain't no drag
He is not boring, he's lively and lively
Papa's got a brand new bag
Papa has a new way of doing things, and he's enjoying it a lot
It's the Jerk
The dance style is called the Jerk
He's doing the Fly
He's also doing the Fly dance
Don't play him cheap 'cause you know he ain't shy
Don't underestimate him because he's confident and outgoing
He's doing the Monkey, the Mashed Potatoes
In addition to the Jerk and Fly, he's also doing the Monkey and Mashed Potatoes dances
Jump back Jack, See you later alligator
He's showing off his moves and saying goodbye in a fun way
Oh papa, He's doing the Jerk
Papa is really into the Jerk dance
Papa, he's doing the Jerk
Papa is still doing the Jerk dance
He's doing the twist, just like this
He's also doing the Twist dance
He's doing the Fly every day and every night
He's always dancing and having a good time
The thing's, like the Boomerang
Dancing is like a Boomerang - it comes back around and is always fun
Hey, come on
Let's keep the party going and dance together
Hey hey, come on
Let's go, let's go!
Hey hey, said you uptight, out of sight
Even if you're feeling uptight or nervous, it's still a great time
Come on, see what you know
Come dance and show us what you've got
Come on, see what you know
Come dance and show us what you've got
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind