I Got You (I Feel Good)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “I Got You (I Feel Good)” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||
| Single by James Brown from the album I Got You (I Feel Good) |
|||||
| B-side | "I Can't Help It (I Just Do-Do-Do)" | ||||
| Released | October 1965 | ||||
| Format | 7" single | ||||
| Recorded | 1965 | ||||
| Genre | Soul/Funk | ||||
| Length | 2:47 | ||||
| Label | King K6015 |
||||
| Writer(s) | James Brown | ||||
| Producer | James Brown | ||||
| James Brown singles chronology | |||||
|
|||||
"I Got You (I Feel Good)" (commonly known as "I Feel Good") is a hit song by James Brown. Released as a single in 1965, it is one of Brown's signature songs, and is arguably his most widely-known recording.
Contents |
[edit] Description
On the record, Brown revels in how "good" he feels ("nice, like sugar and spice"), now that he has the one he loves. Brown's vocal performance features his trademark soul shouting vocals and screams. The song's form is a twelve bar blues. Its brass-heavy instrumental arrangement is similar to that of Brown's previous hit "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", including the trademark emphasis "on the one" (i.e. the first beat of the measure) that characterizes Brown's then-new funk style. The song also features a prominent alto sax solo by Maceo Parker.
Although Brown's vocal group, The Famous Flames, received label credit for this song, they don't actually sing on it. However, they do perform the song with Brown in a cameo appearance in the 1965 film, Ski Party.
[edit] Reception
Of Brown's 99 hits to reach the Billboard Hot 100 (a total second only to Elvis Presley) "I Got You (I Feel Good)" is Brown's highest charting song, peaking at number three. The song remained at the top of the Billboard R&B singles chart for six weeks, after his previous single, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", held the number-one spot for eight weeks. Brown's screams at the beginning and end of the song have been sampled a number of times for hip hop and dance songs. The song has also been covered many times by other performers, and is frequently played at sporting events.
In 2000, "I Got You (I Feel Good)" reached #21 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs in Rock and Roll and #75 on VH1's 100 Greatest Rock and Roll Dance Songs, one of only seven songs to make both lists. (The others were Aretha Franklin's "Respect", Ray Charles' "What'd I Say", The Kingsmen's "Louie, Louie", Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba", The Bee Gees' "Staying Alive", and Chubby Checker's "The Twist".)
In 2004, "I Got You (I Feel Good)" was ranked number 78 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
[edit] Appearances in film and television
"I Got You (I Feel Good)" has appeared in numerous film soundtracks, including The Nutty Professor, Good Morning Vietnam, Home Alone 4, Dr. Dolittle, Boat Trip, Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre, K9, Garfield: The Movie, and Transformers.
It was in the movie It Takes Two staring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen as well as Full House episode, "The Return of Grandma".
The song's television appearances include Tour of Duty episode "The Road to Long Binh", the Simpsons episode "Bart's Inner Child", and the Lost episode "The Greater Good".
[edit] Personnel
- James Brown - lead vocal
with the James Brown Orchestra:
- Ron Tooley - trumpet
- Joe Dupars - trumpet
- Levi Rasbury - trumpet
- Unknown - trumpet
- Nat Jones - alto saxophone, organ
- St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone
- Eldee Williams - tenor saxophone
- Al "Brisco" Clark - tenor saxophone
- Maceo Parker - tenor saxophone
- Jimmy Nolen - guitar
- Alphonso "Country" Kellum - guitar
- Bernard Odum - bass
- Melvin Parker - drums
[edit] Smash Records version
Brown recorded an early version of "I Got You (I Feel Good)" with a different arrangement (including a prominent baritone sax part) under the title "I Got You" in 1964. This version of the song, the composition of which was credited to Ted Wright, appeared on the album Out of Sight, released by Smash Records. The recording was also intended for release as a single on Smash, but was withdrawn due to a court order from King Records, Brown's primary label at the time, with which he was involved in a contract dispute.
Brown performs this arrangement of the song in the movie Ski Party.
[edit] Other versions
[edit] Live recordings
Brown performs the song on the live albums Live at the Apollo, Vol. II (1968) and Live at the Apollo 1995.
[edit] 1975 remake
Brown re-recorded the song for his 1975 album Sex Machine Today.
[edit] Cover versions
"I Got You (I Feel Good)" has been covered in a variety of styles by performers including James Cotton, Joshua Redman, The Jam, James Chance and the Contortions and Bobby McFerrin. In 2008, UK oompah band Oompah Brass [1] recorded an oompah version "I Got You (I Feel Good)" on their album Oompocalypse Now [2].
[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.
- White, Cliff (1991). Discography. In Star Time (pp. 54-59) [CD liner notes]. London: Polydor Records.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by "Ain't That Peculiar" by Marvin Gaye |
Billboard's Hot R&B number one single December 24, 1965 - January 1, 1966 |
Succeeded by "A Sweet Woman Like You" by Joe Tex |
