The Greatest James Brown Songs

No One Comes Close To Him

James Brown, often called the “Godfather of Soul”, had a career spanning fifty years. From his time with The Famous Flames and as a solo artist, he managed to build quite a reputation as a hard-working and energetic performer. He’s an impeccable singer-songwriter and a tireless dancer. On stage, he was a force of nature. And inside the recording studio, he finished most of his classic hits with just two takes.

Basically, he’s a musical genius. And these are ten of his greatest tunes.

10. I’ll Go Crazy

Incredibly soulful. James Brown knew how to squeeze your soul..

9. Out of Sight

So much power and energy. It’s such a delight watching him perform this live.

8. Night Train

This makes you want to bust out your dance moves!

7. Say It Loud – I’m Black And I’m Proud

This powerful track remains influential to this day. When it disappeared from his set list, Brown said:

“The song is obsolete now… But it was necessary to teach pride then, and I think the song did a lot of good for a lot of people.”

6. Cold Sweat

No wonder why he inspired the next generation of musicians. For Brown, excellent is indeed the minimum requirement.

5. It’s A Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World

One of his most iconic works. This is him being a romantic ballad singer.

4. Please, Please, Please

His vocal performance is outstanding. This is why he remains unrivaled today.

3. Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine

Funky and groovy!

2. I Got You (I Feel Good)

Probably his most popular hit, if he released only this and nothing else, he’d still be a legend.

1. Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag

From the horns to the vocals, this was a pivotal moment for Brown’s career because he was already steering towards his signature sound.