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)

Soulful Christmas
James Brown Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I ain't talkin' just to tease
People like you, they don't grow on trees
Look at you, that's what it's gonna be
Have everything I need
Around my soulful Christmas tree

Merry Christmas, happy New Year
I love you, have good cheer

I love you, good God

Got my baby, my precious love
Happiness, good God, uh, I got plenty of
Would you believe I got peace of mind
And I'll be groovin' at Christmas time

Merry Christmas, happy New Year
Hope you have a good cheer
I love you, James Brown love you
Your luck is so and so
Maceo
Brother love, ow, ow, ow

Soulful Christmas, like a sweet melody
I'm a lucky so and so
The bell's gonna ring for me

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year
To all of my fans, have good cheer
I love you, I love you, won't take nobody else
I can't stand myself, huh, good God

I got a heart full of love for the whole wide world
And a little special love, a little soulful girl
I got this feelin' every, every night and then
Gotta get ready, bring the New Year in

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year
All good cheer, there's one more thing
You've been so nice to me down through the years
And I'll always remember you, well, I'll never forget

You bought my records, come to see my show
That's why James Brown love you so
You come to see my show
That's a debt that I'll always owe

Come to see my show, see you at Christmas
Come to see my show, see my show

Overall Meaning

In James Brown's soulful Christmas song, he expresses his happiness and gratitude for the things he has in life, including his love, peace of mind, and happiness. He compares his contentment to the symbols of Christmas, such as the Christmas tree, which he calls his "soulful Christmas tree." He also sends his fans good wishes for the holidays and thanks them for their support.

The song's upbeat melody and James Brown's soulful voice create a joyful and celebratory feeling. By using the imagery of Christmas and the holiday season, Brown connects his emotions to the wider cultural significance of the time of year, creating a universal message to his fans.

Interestingly, the song was released in 1968 during a time of cultural and political upheaval in the United States. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing, and black communities were fighting for their rights and equality. Soulful Christmas, with its joyful message and hopeful tone, can be seen as a response to the troubles of the time, a reminder that even in difficult times, there is still love and happiness to be found.

Soulful ChristmasJames Brown Lyrics

Soulful Christmas
James Brown Lyrics