Gold

by James Brown

Overview

The comps just keep on coming. James Brown's passing in 2006 has -- as it would for virtually any artist of stature, let alone legend, in popular music -- spawned what seems to be a greater number of compilations being issued and reissued than occurred during his long career. This one, for instance, released in June of 2007, seems to have been in the works before Brown's death, as proved by a line in Cliff White's booklet essay, "...and still a part of Brown's stage show." Ultimately, it's the music that matters, and Universal has the lion's share of Brown's. Listeners have had a box set and numerous double-disc comps already, but this set seems to focus on the hits that charted. There are 40 tracks covering the years 1958, when "Please, Please, Please" was originally issued, to 1979, when "It's Too Funky in Here" hit the number 14 spot in the Billboard R&B charts. In between, all of them are here. Name it. There's even the great "Doing It to Death, Pt. 1" (better known as "Gonna Have a Funky Good Time") by Fred Wesley & the J.B.'s (with Brown) from 1973, which celebrated the return of Wesley and other bandmembers to Brown's group after leaving in 1970. This tune hit the number one spot on the R&B chart and stayed for a couple of weeks, and hit number 22 on the pop chart. Numerous two-part cuts have been issued in their entirety, such as "Cold Sweat," "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)," "Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine," "Super Bad," and "The Payback." Others have their A-sides (part ones) included, such as "Licking Stick," "Mother Popcorn," "Ain't It Funky Now," "Get on the Good Foot," "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing," "Hot Pants," "Papa Don't Take No Mess," and "Bodyheat." In 24-bit remastered sound, this baby is worth snagging off the shelves unless you have these cuts twice or three times over elsewhere. But cuts like "King Heroin," "Funky President," "Out of Sight," and "I Got the Feelin'" are here as well. It's a nonstop head rush of Godfather soul and funk from top to bottom. If you've been waiting, this is the one to snag. If you're already invested, can you live without the remastered sound? That's the question Universal wants you to ask yourself and answer as a solid "no," so you'll plop down your cash just one more time. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	09/19/2005
Label:	Mercury / Universal International
UPC:	0602498325841
Rank:	94502

Album Credits

Performance Credits

James Brown   Primary Artist,Conductor
James Brown & His Famous Flames   Primary Artist
Fred Wesley & the J.B.'s   Primary Artist
The Original J.B.s   Primary Artist
The James Brown Band   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
The J.B.'s   Primary Artist,Ensemble,Featured Artist
Fred Wesley   Primary Artist
New York Studio Orchestra   Ensemble,Orchestra
The James Brown Orchestra   Ensemble,Orchestra
David Matthews   Conductor
Sammy Lowe   Conductor

Technical Credits

Leo Robin   Composer
Lewis Simpkins   Composer
Nat Jones   Composer
Ralph Bass   Producer
Robert Miller   Composer,Composer
Steve Fallone   Digital Remastering
Lewis C. Simpkins   Composer
Chuck Stewart   Photography
Deanna Brown   Composer
Yamma Brown   Composer
Fred Wesely   Composer
Hal Neely   Producer
George Jenkins   Composer
Donna Ranieri   Photo Research
Oscar Washington   Composer
Mathieu Bitton   Design
Jean-Pierre Leloir   Cover Photo,Inlay Photography
Deidra Jenkins   Composer
Joseph Louis Mims   Composer
Mark Bruce Rosen   Composer
Alfred James Ellis   Composer
Betty Jean Newsome   Composer
Bobby Byrd   Composer
Bodie Chandler   Composer
Barry De Vorzon   Composer
James Brown   Composer
Clarence Gaskill   Composer
Fred Wesley   Arranger,Composer
Charles Bobbit   Composer
Russ Columbo   Composer
Charlie Midnight   Composer
Lloyd Stallworth   Composer
Walter Shaw   Composer
Mark Rosen   Composer
Johnny Terry   Composer
Lowman Pauling   Composer
Ron Lenhoff   Composer
Gai Terrell   Inlay Photography
James Razor Brown   Arranger,Producer
Monique McGuffin   Production Coordination
Deidra Brown   Composer
Ryan Null   Photo Coordination
Tom Hanley   Photography
Cliff White   Liner Notes
A.W. Jones   Composer
Albert Shubert   Composer
Deidre Brown   Composer
Joseph Mims   Composer
Ronald Lenhoff   Composer
Addie Williams Jones   Composer
David Matthews   Composer
John Starks   Composer
Sammy Lowe   Arranger
Pee Wee Ellis   Composer
Jimmy Forrest   Composer
Brad Shapiro   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Bud Hobgood   Composer
George Jackson   Composer
Harry Weinger   Compilation Producer
Dan Hartman   Composer
Manny Rosen   Composer
Ted Wright   Composer
St. Clair Pinckney   Composer