THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

349-James Brown-Bodyheat.

1977-Number 36 single.

Best Bit-At 0.57. In this song James Brown, the ‘Godfather of Soul’ tells us that even in his tender adolescent years, he was already blessed with ‘THE FUNK.’

James Joseph Brown was born on May 3rd, 1933, in Barnwell, South Carolina, United States, he died on Christmas Day 2006, at the age of 73 from congestive heart failure, resulting from complications of pneumonia. Brown’discography comprises of 59 studio Albums released between 1958-2002, and 144 singles released between 1956-2007. His highest charting single in America on Billboard was his 1965 Number 3 hit ‘I Got You (I Feel Good)’ while in the UK his only ever top 10 single didn’t happen until ‘Living in America’ made Number 5 in 1985.

‘Bodyheat’ (sometimes spelled ‘Body Heat’) was the title track from James Brown’s 44th studio Album released in 1976. It was the first of two tracks selected for single release, the other was the less successful ‘Kiss in 77.’ The song was written by James Brown, but as with many of his releases from that period the songs writing was credited to his then wife Diedre, and their two daughters, Deanna, and Yamma, as Brown was at that time in trouble with the ‘IRS’ for failure to pay back taxes.

It was around 1967 that James Brown (see also best songs 880-270 and 88) began to define his new sound, with many music critics agreeing that he released the first true ‘Funk’ song with ‘Cold Sweat.’ Brown is also considered a major influence on ‘Rap’ music, with his style of vocal delivery, where much of his output was not quite sung, but also not quite spoken. He is also the most sampled artist of all time, with many of his songs benefiting the development of ‘Hip-Hop’ music.

By 1976 ‘Disco’ music had taken over as the number one genre in black music, and as a consequence James Brown’s record sales were slowing down, so in an attempt to keep up with the times the ‘Body Heat’ Album included elements of Disco music. The back of the cover of the ‘Bodyheat’ Album features a text written by James Brown entitled ‘Brand New Sound,’ it reads ‘Sometimes the serpent of the devil is so strong, it takes the body heat of God to keep him away. So do good, think good, and you’ll be good to your fellow man, and to all humanity. Listen to the Album, not only will the spiritual feeling get to you, but the ‘groove’ will too. Undying Dedication to you, James Brown, with the feeling of a new beginning, ‘A New Sound.’

‘When I was a little boy about the age of one, my mother told me that you’re a loving son of a gun. When I was a little boy about the age of two, get myself, then I had to do.’