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)
Super Bad
James Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got it!
Watch me...I got it
Hey!
I got somethin' that makes me want to shout
I got somethin' that tells me what it's all about
Huh, I got soul and I'm super bad!
I've got soul and I'm super bad
Now I gotta move that tells me what to do
Sometimes it's easy, ha
Now I gotta move that tells me what to do
Sometimes I feel so nice, I want to try myself with you
Ha, ha
I got soul and I'm super bad
Ha
I love, I love to do my thing,
Ha...and I, and I don't need, no one else
Sometimes I feels so nice, good god
I jump back, I want to kiss myself
I've got soul, huh, and I'm super
Hey
I said I'm super bad
Bridge, come on
Slap it down
And round and round
Up and down
All around
Right-on people
Huh, let it all hang out
If you don't brothas and sistas
Then you won't know
What it's all about
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme
Heeeeey
(scream)
Uh, come on!
(horns)
I got the something that makes me want to shout
I got that thing that tells me what it's all about
I got soul, ha, and I'm super bad!
I got the move that tells me what to do
Sometimes I feel so nice, I said I want to try myself with you
Ha
I, I, I, I,
I got soul, and I'm super bad
Bridge, hit me
Slap it down
And all around
Right-on people
Huh, let it all hang out
If you don't brothas and sistas
Then you won't know
What it's all about
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme,
(scream)
Huh, come on
Gimme,
(shout out band)
Said I'm super bad
A super bad brother
Good God!
Super bad
The lyrics of James Brown's "Super Bad" express a feeling of confidence and swag. The singer boasts about having soul and being super bad. The phrase "I got it" is repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's self-assurance. The song is about Brown's belief in himself and is a celebration of his own greatness.
The lyrics speak to the cultural and musical movement of the time, which emphasized Black pride, self-confidence, and the power of soul music. Brown's bold and assertive lyrics reflected the changing social and political climate in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The song is also characterized by its infectious rhythm and groovy bassline, which were innovative for their time and continue to influence contemporary music.
Line by Line Meaning
Watch me ... watch me!
Look, pay attention to me!
I got it!
I have the talent, skill, and confidence to succeed!
Hey!
Listen up!
I got somethin' that makes me want to shout
I possess a feeling so powerful that I can't help but express it loudly!
I got somethin' that tells me what it's all about
I possess a deep understanding of the essence of life and music!
Huh, I got soul and I'm super bad!
I have an incredible passion for life and music, and I am excellent at what I do!
Now I gotta move that tells me what to do
I have a natural rhythm and flow that guides my body's movements!
Sometimes it's easy, ha
As an expert performer, I make it look easy!
Sometimes I feel so nice, I want to try myself with you
Occasionally, I feel so confident and happy that I want to share my joy with others!
Ha, ha
I'm having fun and enjoying myself!
I love, I love to do my thing
I have a deep passion for my work and love sharing it with others!
Ha...and I, and I don't need, no one else
I am confident in my abilities and don't require anyone else's approval or validation!
Sometimes I feels so nice, good god
Occasionally, I feel so amazing and proud of myself that I can't help but give praise to a higher power!
I jump back, I want to kiss myself
I am so impressed with my skills and abilities that I can't help but be amazed by myself!
Bridge, come on
Here comes the musical interlude!
Slap it down
Play it hard and fast!
And round and round
Keep the music flowing in a smooth, circular pattern!
Up and down
Vary the beats and rhythms, from high-energy to low and back again!
All around
Let the music fill the entire space and surround the listeners!
Right-on people
Yeah, you know what I'm talking about!
Huh, let it all hang out
Be free and uninhibited in expressing yourself!
If you don't brothas and sistas
If you don't understand or appreciate the cultural significance of this music...
Then you won't know what it's all about
...then you're missing out on something truly special and amazing!
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme
I want more! More music, more passion, more life!
Heeeeey
Come on, join in the fun!
(scream)
An impassioned scream to express my joy and excitement!
Uh, come on!
Let's keep this exciting and dynamic!
(horns)
The sound of the brass instruments adding an extra layer of intensity and excitement!
Said I'm super bad
I am undeniably great at what I do!
A super bad brother
I am a top-notch performer who represents the very best in my industry!
Good God!
An expression of awe, excitement, and gratitude to a higher power for my talents and success!
Super bad
An emphatic statement of my incredible skills and abilities!
Lyrics ยฉ CALDERWOOD, INC., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@spank2424
My father took me to this concert it was so loud I remember grown men was in tears watching this man move on stage it was like something u never seen before...when they say the hardest working man in show business u saw it that night!!
@askgodalmightyfortheholysp4797
Follow Jesus Christ
@spank2424
@@askgodalmightyfortheholysp4797 I understand Bro but letโs not get to Emotional Iโm talking about a man not a god๐คฆ๐พโโ๏ธ๐คฆ๐พโโ๏ธ
@jorgefranco7465
@@askgodalmightyfortheholysp4797 I accept James Brown as my savior and Jesus Christ as the first dude to bless us with the funk. Know why? Cuz I got soul and I'm superbad!
J.C. was one cool cat, you know what I mean?
By the way, your name has an error: it should be "Accept Jesus as YOUR lord and savior."
Right on!
@spank2424
@@jorgefranco7465 Wow let him know ๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐พ!
@TheLocalPeoples
@@jorgefranco7465no no no no broโฆ dial it back
@kellyawj87
Props to whoever made this video. Itโs funky, like the song!
@blackcosmos
James Brown songs were simply infectious. I also love the imagery for this video. Gives me Afrofuturism vibes
@EclecticPotpourri
Great description.
@JustaJuboi
The DNA of Funk is right here ๐