I Got You (I Feel Good)

"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 (1965-10)
Format	7"
Recorded	May 6, 1965, Criteria Studios, Miami, FL
Genre	Soul, funk
Length	2:44
Label	King
Writer(s)	James Brown
Producer	James Brown
James Brown singles chronology

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" is a song by James Brown. Recorded and released as a single in 1965, it was his highest charting song and is arguably his most widely known recording.

Description

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" is a twelve-bar blues with a brass-heavy instrumental arrangement similar to Brown's previous hit, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag". It also features the same emphasis "on the one" (i.e. the first beat of the measure) that characterizes Brown's developing funk style. The lyrics have Brown exulting in how good he feels ("nice, like sugar and spice") now that he has the one he loves, his vocals punctuated by screams and shouts. The song includes an alto sax solo by Maceo Parker.

Precursors

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" developed from an earlier Brown-penned song, "I Found You", with a nearly identical melody and lyrics. "I Found You" had been recorded by Brown's back-up singer Yvonne Fair and released as a single (King 5594) in 1962, with little success.[1][2]

In 1964 Brown had recorded a version of "I Got You (I Feel Good)" with a different arrangement, including a prominent baritone sax part, under the title "I Got You". This version appeared on the Smash Records album Out of Sight and in the 1965 film Ski Party, in which Brown lip-synchs his performance. It was intended for a single release but was withdrawn due to a court order from King Records.[3]

Reception

Of Brown's 99 hits to reach the Billboard Hot 100 (a total surpassed only by Elvis Presley, and now also by the cast of Glee), "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 Rhythm and Blues Singles chart for six non-consecutive weeks, after his previous single, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", held the number-one spot for eight weeks.[4] 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 number 21 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs in Rock and Roll and number 75 on VH1's 100 Greatest Rock and Roll Dance Songs, one of only seven songs to make both lists. 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.

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, It Takes Two, Dr. Dolittle, Boat Trip, Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre, K-9, Garfield: The Movie, Exit Wounds, and Transformers.

The song's television appearances include Tour of Duty episode "The Road to Long Binh", the Simpsons episode "Bart's Inner Child" (with Brown himself singing it), the Alvin and the Chipmunks episode "Kong!" (a parody of the 1976 King Kong film) as performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Full House episode "The Return of Grandma", and the Lost episode "The Greater Good". The May 1996 part 1 and 2 series finale episode where Philip doing his dance to the song prior to the family on his birthday in the opening scene of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode, "I, Done".

It was also played on NTV7, a Malaysian television channel, as it plays the song accompanied by the clips of its programmes at the start and end of the day's broadcast since its launch in 1998 until around 2006. It reflects the slogan of the channel, that is "Your Feel Good Channel". It also makes occasional appearances on Soccer Saturday when presenter and lifelong Hartlepool fan Jeff Stelling produces a doll each time winger James Brown scores. Much to the mirth of the studio experts and the viewers (with some viewers being made to drink if they are playing the drinking game to accompany it).

Personnel

• James Brown — lead vocal

with the James Brown Orchestra:

• Ron Tooley — trumpet
• Joe Dupars — trumpet
• Levi Rasbury — trumpet
• Mike Ridley — trumpet
• Nat Jones — alto saxophone, organ
• St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone
• Eldee Williams — tenor saxophone
• Al "Brisco" Clark — tenor saxophone
• Maceo Parker - alto saxophone
• Jimmy Nolen - guitar

• Alphonso "Country" Kellum — guitar
• Bernard Odum - bass
• Melvin Parker - drums

Live recordings

Brown performs the song on the live albums Live at the Garden (1967), Live at the Apollo, Volume II (1968), Soul Session Live (1989), and Live at the Apollo 1995 (1995).

1975 remake

Brown re-recorded the song for his 1975 album Sex Machine Today. This version was featured in the movie White Men Can't Jump.

Paul Dakeyne remix

In 1992 producer Paul Dakeyne released a 12" single remix of "I Got You (I Feel Good)" on FBI Records under the title " James Brown v. Dakeyne – I Got You (I Feel Good) (The Remixes)". It reached #72 on the UK singles chart.

Cover versions

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" has been covered in a variety of styles by performers including Filipino actress Vilma Valera [1], James Cotton, Joshua Redman, The Jam, James Chance and the Contortions, Bobby McFerrin, Los Tamara and Lucio Dalla. The Captain N: The Game Master episode "Videolympics" also featured a cover version of the song (due to legal issues, it is not included on the DVD release).

• Canadian Idol contestant Mookie Morris performed this song on Top 9 for "Rock and Roll Heaven" night (2008)
• Galician Spanish group Los Tamara recorded a version with another title: Soy muy feliz, side B of the A Santiago voy single - Zafiro (1967)
• American band Three Penny Ride recorded a version for their song "R&B Triple Play" (2010)

Use at football matches

The song has been used by some clubs at football matches in the past, including Yeovil Town as goal celebration music.

References

1. ^ Rob Finnis and Tony Rounce, Booklet with CD "You Heard It Here First", Ace Records CDCHD1204, 2008
2. ^ Leeds, Alan (1998). "Message from the Soul Sisters". In James Brown's Original Funky Divas [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
3. ^ Leeds, Alan, and Harry Weinger (1991). "Star Time: Song by Song". In Star Time (pp. 46–53) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1542-2009. Record Research. p. 84. 

External links

• Song review at Allmusic
• Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics