LogFAQs > #955646016

153. James Brown Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine (1970)
from the album Sex Machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOD-M7WZkZQ

Key lyrics:
The way I like it, is the way it is
I got mine, dont worry about his

James Brown had been performing since the mid-50s, slowly but surely transforming his sound into the emerging funk genre. 1970 forced a new style when his backing band walked out, he had to find new members, and their skillset was not quite the same. The result was something minimal yet provocative. Compare this to the earlier funk hit Papas Got a Brand New Bag. Where that song was dominated by a horn section, Get Up is all about the bass. The earlier sound was bombastic, while the instruments here feel more mischievous and sly. This slick sound would come to define the funk genre at large.

James Brown was a phenomenal performer, and that shines on this recording. The vocals are structured as a call and response with Bobby Byrd, the lyrics short phrases allowing Brown to jump all over. Where his earlier funk hits found the horns warring with him over the spotlight, the instrumentation here works purely as backup. This is not to knock those earlier classics; rather, all the elements of Sex Machine are uniquely orchestrated to put James Brown right at the center. James Brown is a musical legend, and this song alone is enough to showcase his raw style.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/