Doing It to Death

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“Doing It to Death”

Single by Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s from the album Doing It to Death
B-side	"Everybody Got Soul"
Released	April 1973
Format	7"
Recorded	January 29, 1973, at International Studios, Augusta, GA
Genre	Funk
Label	People PE 621
Writer(s)	James Brown
Producer	James Brown

"Doing It to Death" (sometimes mis-titled as "Gonna Have a Funky Good Time") is a funk song recorded by The J.B.'s featuring James Brown. It was released as a single in 1973 and was a #1 R&B hit. Although the song has a lead vocal by Brown (who also wrote the tune and the lyrics), the recording is credited to "Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s". It was the first J.B.'s recording to feature saxophonist Maceo Parker, who had returned to work with Brown again after attempting a career as a bandleader.

Unusually for a James Brown song, the actual words "doing it to death" appear nowhere in the song's lyrics, which feature the hook "we're gonna have a funky good time." The title came from a figure of speech used by Fred Wesley.

A 10-minute, two-part version of "Doing It to Death" was included on a J.B.'s album of the same name. The complete, unedited 13-minute original recording of the song was first issued on the 1995 J.B.'s compilation Funky Good Time: The Anthology.

[edit] Personnel

James Brown - lead vocal

with Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s:

Fred Wesley - trombone
Darryl "Hasaan" Jamison - trumpet
Jerone "Jasaan" Sanford - trumpet
Ike Oakley - trumpet
Maceo Parker - alto saxophone and flute
St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone
Eldee Williams - tenor saxophone
Jimmy Nolen - guitar
Hearlon "Cheese" Martin - guitar
Fred Thomas - bass
John "Jabo" Starks - drums

[edit] References

Leeds, Alan M., and Harry Weinger (1991). Star Time: Song by Song. In Star Time (pp. 46-53) [CD liner notes]. London: Polydor Records.
Leeds, Alan (1995). Discography. In Funky Good Time: The Anthology [CD liner notes]. London: Polydor Records.