Number 1's: James Brown

Performer: James Brown
Producer: James Razor Brown; James Brown; Andy Gibson; Harry Weinger (Compilation)
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Photographer: David Redfern. Arranger: James Razor Brown . Released shortly after James Brown's death in late 2006, NUMBER ONES is a concise 19-track anthology of the Godfather of Soul's biggest hits. Rather than a strict chronological ordering, NUMBER ONES starts with the canonical moment of Brown's career, 1965's epochal "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag." Considered by many to be the birth of funk, "Papa" was quickly followed up the charts by the even bigger pop hit "I Got You (I Feel Good)." And after that one-two punch, this collection builds into an exciting non-stop dance party that stretches backward to Brown's first crossover success, "It's A Man's Man's Man's World" and forward into his series of epic, timeless funk workouts. From "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" through "Mother Popcorn, Part 1" and of course "(Get Up I Feel like Being A) Sex Machine, Part 1," all of the best tracks of James Brown's soul and funk period are here. Collectors' alert: in keeping with the theme of Brown's pop and R&B hits, NUMBER ONES contains the original single A-side mixes of these songs rather than their extended full-length versions.

The unrelenting intensity of James Brown's music has made him one of the most recognizable and influential performers since the 1950s. Starting out as a gospel singer, Brown soon switched to R&B and started scoring hits. As the '60s progressed, the self-proclaimed Godfather of Soul transformed the sounds of R&B into a tight, driving style that helped lay the foundations of funk. Personal troubles over the following decades threatened to sideline the ever-impassioned Brown, but he repeatedly bounced back. Countless JB samples--credited and uncredited--found on rap and hip-hop records testify to his enduring influence. The Godfather of Soul passed away on Christmas Day in 2006.

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