The Word: This page is all James Brown and his "funky people" (productions, band members, divas, former band members, etc.)! We do not buy everything, just what should appeal beyond the more commonly available items.
The best James Brown and James Brown productions (JBs, Bobby Byrd, Lyn Collins, etc.). You should still check the main funk pages for LPs with covers of James Brown hits. Also the main pages may have more records by people loosely associated with James Brown or labels associated with James Brown.
We are always looking for unusual James Brown items in trade, especially rare singles. If the earliest and rarest turn up (pre-King/Federal), we'd at least appreciate the info.
James Brown LPs...below...and James Brown 45s
Links: are to subpages or artists bio/discog pages in the Hyp Records guide:
Images: accurately represent items but are not always the exact copy listed/purchased
Discount: ALWAYS try to buy more than one item at a time
Vicki Anderson: Message from a Soul Sister; Famous Flame FF-1028; N/N S $75 (or N-/N- S $60, specify) (or 2nd N/N S $50, specify) -- funk; rare/fantastic/long-out-of-print singles compilation prod. by James Brown himself (similar to the Lyn Collins LP)!; chock full of heavy, heavy hits--absolutely essential (even if you're lucky enough to have all the rare singles in top shape, as this has the title cut full-length); Message from the Soul Sisters (here complete--the single is abridged!), Sound Funky, Super Good, Answer to Mother Popcorn (very slight noise on all pressings--JB probably didn't go back to the master tape for this cut), I'm Too Tough for Mr. Big Stuff, Once You Get Started, I'll Work it Out, In the Land of Milk & Honey..
James Brown: Mr. Dynamite; King 883; 1964; second E-/E $15 -- "Pure Dynamite!"; recorded live at the Royal Theatre in Baltimore, all new and live, except two with overdubbed applause; Oh Baby Don't You Weep, These Foolish Things, Signed Sealed & Delivered, Like a Baby, I'll Never Let You Go, Please Please Please, Good Good Lovin', Shout and Shimmy
James Brown: Showtime; Mercury/Smash SRS-67054; 1964; E+/N S $30 -- one of his audience-dubbed-in "live" LPs but better for it--one of his best for the label & tough to find in stereo/top shape; songs are among his lesser-known but worthy, shows the scope of his repertoire at the time; Evil, Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens, Caldonia, Sweet Lorraine, Out of the Blue..
James Brown & the Famous Flames: I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me; King 1030; 1968; 2nd N-/N- shrink S $40 (or 2nd cutout N/N- shrink S $30, specify) -- funk; 1 of his 2 best, hippest, funkiest, & rarest original LPs; LOUD & PROUD, w/great solos & heavy drum breaks galore--YOU NEED THIS!!!; groovy jacket tops off one of the best JB LPs (which is saying a lot), scarce, original, top shape; I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me Parts 1 & 2, There Was a Time, The Soul of JB, Get It Together Parts 1 & 2, Funky Soul #1..; highest recommendation
James Brown & the Famous Flames: I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me; King 1030; 1968; 1st/"knife-edge" super-heavy vinyl V+/V+ S $25 -- funk; press bump/warp in the title cut (brief low noise) but quite nice overall (jacket, disc, and play); better than the grade and low price indicate and we have never seen it otherwise--it's that rare!!!
James Brown & the Famous Flames: Nothing But Soul; King 1034; 1968/1967-68; V+/V+ S $20 -- funky soul-jazz organ instrumental; great value (some flaws but not bad and the price is right) on a rare one; his first step out of the hit-single game, with real success (great lesser-known instrumental tracks for DJs!); Soul with Different Notes, Go On Now, Gittin' a Little Hipper, Fat Soul, Little Fellow, Buddy-E
James Brown: A Soulful Christmas; King KS-1040; cutout N/N- shrink S $60 (or E-/E- S $40, specify)-- funk/Xmas; one of his two best, hippest, funkiest, and rarest original LPs--certainly "the big one" of his three Christmas LPs and a top prize for funk DJs; kills not just for his best Xmas tunes (vocal and instrumental, some with vibes) but also for some of his heaviest funk EVER!!! (In the Middle, Christmas is Coming, Say it Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud..); photos (including Marva Whitney) trim the tree
James Brown: Hot Pants; Gema 2425-086 (German import = Polydor PD-4054; 1971) E+/N S $20 (or US LP V+/E+ S $15, specify) -- funk; original import in top shape, just some staple holes on the right edge of jacket, which has a different (and better) hot-pants photo on the jacket back; just four substantial, unabridged tunes (as such it's very progressive for its time, could have been made anytime in the prime early '70s) and they're perfect for DJs: Blues & Pants, Can't Stand It (update), Escape-Ism, Hot Pants
James Brown: Sex Machine Today; Polydor PD-6042; 1975; cutout N-/N S $20 -- funk/"disco soul"; the last great single LP by JB really is as essential and lovable as most of the earlier ones, thanks to arrangements by JB and Fred Wesley; with at most only a nod toward disco, really it's more of a JBs+JB funk LP with some revisiting of the old as well as the "new new super heavy funk"; Sex Machine Parts 1 & 2 (12:05!), I Feel Good, Problems, Dead On It (13:10!), Get Up Off of Me, Deep In It
Lyn Collins: Female Preacher; Famous Flame FF-1027; sealed S $75 (or N/V+ shrink S $25, specify) (or spare jacket, specify) -- rare/fantastic/long-out-of-print singles compilation prod. by James Brown himself (similar to the Vicki Anderson LP); 10 killer cuts, some on her 2 LPs (Think, Mr. Big Stuff), some not!; Mama Feelgood, Give It Up or Turn It Loose, Things Got to Get Better, You Can't Love Me if You Don't Respect Me..; also, we have a spare empty jacket for this title for someone wanting a cardboard upgrade (or hip decor)
The J.B.'s: Doing it to Death; People PE-5603; 1973; red label E/V+ shrink S $30 -- funk/James Brown (with Fred Wesley and the JBs); great value on the original, which is as much of a masterpiece as the previous (Food for Thought); plays well with only slight wear/noise in spots
Various: James Brown's Funky People; Polygram/People 422-829417-1; 1986/1971-6; E+/N S $40 -- funk; excellent compilation of the heavy, heavy singles on the People label, most of which are very hard to find (and here you get clean stereo & liner notes); this & the 2-LP "Funky People Volume 2" are essential for DJs & JB collectors--a 1-stop shop for classic party records; Hot Pants Road (JBs), Mama Feelgood (Lyn Collins), Givin' Up Food for Funk (JBs), Think (Lyn Collins), Pass the Peas (JBs), Gimme Some More (JBs), Parrty (Maceo & the Macks)..
James Brown, JB Productions, & Related 45s
Vicki Anderson: I'll Work It Out/Answer to Mother Popcorn (I Got a Mother for You); King SK-6251; 1969; black/orange stereo E+ S $60 -- funk; legendary cut, looks clean but all copies play w/a little noise (even the LP comp JB made!)
[Vicki Anderson as] Myra Barnes: Super Good Parts 1 & 2 (Answer to Super Bad); King 6344; 1970; black label E- $25 -- funk; incredible hit, w/JB in the background; a few marks but plays well (just a couple of mild pops on Side 2)
Hank Ballard: Butter Your Popcorn/same; King 6244; 1969; promo N/E S $30 -- funk; stereo promo; one of his heavy rare grooves from the time of the legendary King LP tho this isn't on it!
Hank Ballard: Finger Poppin' Time/With Your Sweet Lovin' Self; People PE-606; 1972; purple label! V+ $40 -- super-rare original release!; ultra-funky A-side found only on a later Polydor 45 (also rare); B-side also on super-rare LP 1052 (unreissued)
James Brown & the Famous Flames: Night Train/Why Does Everything Happen To Me; King 5614; 1962 (rec. 1961 & 1957); N $15
James Brown: Out of Sight/Maybe the Last Time; Smash S-1919; 1964; N- $15 -- vocal; his huge hit for this label, not King! (the original LP was withdrawn within days bc of a new version of "I Got You")
James Brown & the Famous Flames: Papa's Got a Brand New Bag Parts 1 & 2; King 5999; 1965; E $15 -- never hurts to have the original funk song on 45, esp. for the lesser-heard but jazzy Part 2
James Brown & the Famous Flames: Ain't That a Groove Parts 1 & 2; King 6025; N- $15
James Brown & the Famous Flames: The Christmas Song Versions 1 & 2; King 6064; 1966; N $15 -- wonderful original release!
James Brown & the Famous Flames: Let's Make This Christmas Mean Something Parts 1 & 2; King 6072; 1966; blue E+ $15 -- his first major original Xmas hit in all its original-release glory
James Brown: I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)/There Was a Time; King 45-6144; 1967; blue E+ $15 -- awesome!
James Brown: Tit for Tat (Ain't No Taking Back)/Believers Shall Enjoy (Non-Believers Shall Suffer); King 6204; 1968; N- $15
James Brown: Funky Drummer Parts 1 & 2; King 6209; 1970/1969; orange/black E- S $20 -- one of his most-wanted singles, for good reason!
James Brown Plays & Directs: Soul Pride Parts 1 & 2; King 6222; 1969; yellow-label promo E S $25 -- terrific instrumental, scarce single; has the "A James Brown Production--The Sound of Success" logo
James Brown: Let a Man Come in & Do the Popcorn Part 1/Sometime; King 6245; 1970; black/orange N- S $20 -- funk; the A-side is a killer
James Brown: Santa Claus is Definitely Here to Stay/instrumental; King 6340; 1970; white-label promo picture sleeve w/lyrics E-/E $20 -- Xmas; slight warp but plays fine; rare
I Got Ants in My Pants [and I Want to Dance] Parts 1 & 15-16; Polydor PD-14162; 1972; N- S $15 -- funk; NON-LP funk track!!!; oddly, it's "and I need to dance" in the song; in any case, this is one of the last great single-only releases of the period and you need it if you need anything here
James Brown: Stone to the Bone Parts 1 & 2; Polydor PD-14210; 1973; E S $10
James Brown: Living in America/Vince Dicola: Farewell; CBS/Scotti Bros.; 1985; picture sleeve E/N S $10 -- from Rocky IV; famously catchy tune and here with the sleeve image
James Brown: Star Generation/same; Polydor PD-2005; 1979; white-label promo E+ S $10 -- disco; from one of the later LPs (you may not need)
James Brown: Rapp Payback (Where iz Moses) Parts 1 & 2; T.K. TKX-1039; 1980; N- S $15 -- disco funk; yes, it's the monster funk "revenge" track redone for a later generation (and was itself a big hit in the UK), and it would be a killer at the top of everyone's list IF the original funk masterpiece hadn't set the bar at its highest; but even as disco-era funk goes, it's great, and as remakes go, it's all you could hope for; at about 8 minutes rather than the later 14 minutes on LP, it's pretty useful to the DJ
James Brown: Give That Bass Player Some Parts 1 & 2; Polydor PD-2167; 1981; N- S $10 -- disco; nearly seven minutes of the best track from one of the later LPs (you may not need)
James Brown w/Bobby Byrd: I Need Help Parts 1 & 2; King 6323; white-label promo E- S $15 -- marred only by audible scratch at the very end (Pt. 2), otherwise fine
James Brown w/Bobby Byrd: Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved Parts 1 & 2; King 6347; 1970; N- $25
Bobby Byrd: If You Don't Work You Can't Eat/You've Got to Change Your Mind; King 6342; 1970; N $25 (or E+ $20, specify) -- funk; monster track A-side!; B side with James Brown
Bobby Byrd: I Know You Got Soul/It's Not I Who Love You (Not Him Anymore); King 6378; 1971; perfection in King sleeve with jukebox label N $50 (or N- $40, specify) (or white-label promo N $75, specify) -- masterpiece!; the song that made "Pump Up the Volume" worth listening to, although confusingly Wikipedia doesn't even credit it (seems to be a case of theft of theft of theft by English djs), but anyway this is the source, the real thing, the One True funk bomb; if you don't have a 45 that's guaranteed to wake the dead, treat yourself
Bobby Byrd: Keep On Doin' What You're Doin'/Let Me Know; Polydor/Brownstone 4205; E+ S $15 -- funk; one of his smokers
Lyn Collins: Think (About It)/Ain't No Sunshine; Polydor/People PE-608; 1972; E+ $15 -- monster cut on 45!
Lyn Collins: Me & My Baby Got a Good Thing Going/I'll Never Let You Break My Heart Again; Polydor 2066.273 (import version of People PE-615; 1972) picture sleeve E/N- S $20 -- A-side listed as "Me & My Baby Got Our Own Thing Going"; get it for the sleeve!
Lyn Collins: We Want to Parrty, Parrty, Parrty/You Can't Beat Two People in Love; People PE-630; 1973; N $20 -- funk!
Lyn Collins: Don't Make Me Over/Take Me Just as I Am; People PE-633; 1974/1973-4; E- S $15 -- great hard funky B-side; priced low for some noise on the A-side ballad
Lyn Collins: Don't Make Me Over/mono; People PE-633; 1974/1973-4; white-label promo E S(1/2) $15 -- fantastic ballad with help from Bobby Byrd?
Lyn Collins: Wide Awake in a Dream/same; People PE-641; 1974; white-label promo N- S $20
Lyn Collins & the Famous Flames: Baby Don't Do It/mono; People PE-657; 1975; white-label promo N- S/M $20
Bill Doggett: Honky Tonk Popcorn/same (promo); King 45-6239; E+ S $30 -- killer funk instrumental in all its glory (loud gain, stereo, clean)
Nat Kendrick & the Swans: (Do the) Mashed Potatoes Parts 1 & 2; Dade 1804 (= Dade 5004); 1959; E+ $20 -- mod soul/r&b; one of the biggest hits for a JB protege; features the amazing sometime-collaborator King Coleman (shouting "mashed potatoes!")
Maceo & All the King's Men: Got to Get'cha/same; House of the Fox HOF-1; 1970; white-label promo N $40 -- funk/New Orleans funk; rare!; not a JB production, as it's the result of Maceo Parker's defection from the band, except that he also took the whole band ("all the king's men"), and the sound on this track is like the very best Meters, yeah!
Maceo & the Macks: Soul Power '74 Parts 1 & 2; People PE-631; 1973; N S $20 -- it's the one w/the kid crying, "open up the door," & other delights; not rare, just ideal
Soul East: Funky Lady Parts 1 & 2; Starday/DeLuxe 108; E+ $30 -- funk (funky chicken scratching); not a JB production but similar funky King label stuff prod. Bud Scott
[Fred Wesley &] The J.B.s: My Brother Parts 1 & 2; Starday-King/People 2502; 1971; white label E- $20 -- funk; A-side is on "Food for Thought" but not the B-side!
[Fred Wesley &] The J.B.s: [Escape-ism Part 1]/[To] My Brother Part 2; Starday-King/People 2502; 1971; white label N $30 -- funk; to the eye it's identical to what it's supposed to be (labeled as My Brother Parts 1 & 2) but this is a [probably super-rare] mistake pressing, with Escape-ism as the A-side instead; A-side is on "Food for Thought" but not the B-side!
[Fred Wesley &] The J.B.s: Gimme Some More/The Rabbit Got the Gun; People PE-602; 1971; 1971; E- S $15 -- funk; rare B-side
Fred Wesley & the J.B.s: Rockin' Funky Watergate Part 1/Rockin' Funky Watergate Parts 1 & 2; People PE-643; 1974; E+ S $20 -- "live"; full-length B-side!
Fred & the New J.B.s: Breakin' Bread/Funky Music Is My Style; People PE-648; 1974; N- S $20 -- funk (or disco-funk); the two best cuts on the LP
Marva Whitney: You Got to Have a Job (If You Don't Work-You Can't Eat)/I'm Tired, I'm Tired, I'm Tired (Things Better Change Before It's Too Late); King 6218; blue N $40 -- killer live A-side w/JB & the B-side is one of her strongest too
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