Prior to their first recording, “Please, Please, Please”, The Famous Flames… Read Full Bio ↴Prior to their first recording, “Please, Please, Please”, The Famous Flames were billed simply as The Flames, and Brown himself was billed as a member of the group. In later concerts and recordings Brown and the group were billed as James Brown and The Famous Flames, or sometimes as James Brown and His Famous Flames.

Let Yourself Go
James Brown & The Famous Flames Lyrics

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One, two
One, two, three

Hey everybody, let me tell you the news
Hey everybody, let me tell you the news
Hey everybody, let me tell you the news
[Incomprehensible]

It ain't just soul
It ain't just soul
It's just rhythm and
Just rhythm and blues

Hey baby, let yourself go
Hey baby, let yourself go

You're too sharp, you ain't too sharp
Ain't too sharp, again, one more time
Ain't too sharp, ain't too sharp
You're just too stupid to let me dance
I wanna prance, I've got to talk
Just let me walk, I've got to, I've got to, got to

Hey everybody, tell you the news
Hey everybody, let me tell you the news
Hey everybody, let me tell you the news

You ain't too sharp, ain't too sharp
Ain't too sharp, you're just too
I wanna dance, I've got to prance
I wanna feel the love with you

You've got to feel
You just got to, got to
I've got to feel, give it to me
You've got to, let me

Let me, let me have it
I've got to, got to, I've got to

I've got to, I've got to, let me
Oh, I've got to, tell me, I've got to

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Let Yourself Go" by James Brown & The Famous Flames express the desire to let loose and dance without any inhibitions or self-consciousness. Brown implores the listener to "let yourself go" and not worry about being too sharp or looking stupid. He emphasizes that the music is not just soul but also rhythm and blues, highlighting the importance of the beat and groove in this song.

The repeated refrain of "hey everybody, let me tell you the news" can be seen as a call to come together and enjoy the music as a community. The lyrics create a sense of urgency, as if Brown is urging the listener to join in before it's too late. The song is a celebration of the freedom and joy that can be found in dancing and music.

Overall, "Let Yourself Go" is a high-energy, danceable song that encourages listeners to let go of their inhibitions and enjoy the moment. It embodies the spirit of funk and soul and remains a classic example of James Brown's unique musical style.

Line by Line Meaning

One, two
Counting in before the song starts

One, two, three
Continuing to count before the song starts

Hey everybody, let me tell you the news
Addressing the audience and getting their attention

[Incomprehensible]
An unintelligible sound used for vocal effect

It ain't just soul
The music being played is not just soul music

It's just rhythm and
The music being played is just rhythm and

Just rhythm and blues
The music being played is rhythm and blues

Hey baby, let yourself go
Encouraging someone to let loose and enjoy themselves

You're too sharp, you ain't too sharp
Addressing someone who is too cautious and uptight

Ain't too sharp, again, one more time
Reinforcing that the person is not too sharp

You're just too stupid to let me dance
Insulting the person for being too uptight