#6 Doin’ It To Death - Fred Wesley & the JBs - by profyousion
Thursday, January 8th, 2009profyousion’s video review doin-it-to-death
funky good time: the anthology
From the opening guitar groove, the tone is set to have “A Funky Good Time” by all involved, musicians and listeners.
The beat is infectious, and draws you into what sounds like a live studio session, or someones’ house party!
While a kid in the 60’s,I got turned onto him by way of a cameo appearance in the movie”Ski Party”, in which he sang “I Feel Good”. Back then, black artists were rarely seen on tv, so it was a kind of event.
Even though James was on the tube, he still seemed like a regular neighborhood cat.
Time passed, and my musical tastes evolved, and became more “sophisticated”, and he kind of faded into my musical background.
He was never the greatest lyricist, but his style of raw funk is something I could never abandon completely.
James, the ultimate frontman, has always had the ability to re-invent himself and his act, and the band assembled for this track was the slickest to date, with a slammin’ trombone solo, which stands the test of time.
Liner Notes from Nation Master Encyclopedia
“Doing It to Death” (also known as “Gonna Have a Funky Good Time”) is a funk song recorded by James Brown and The J.B.’s. It was released as a single in 1973 and was a #1 R&B hit. Although the song has a lead vocal by Brown (who also wrote the tune and the lyrics), the recording is credited to “Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s.” It was the first J.B.’s recording to feature saxophonist Maceo Parker, who had returned to work with Brown again after attempting a career as a bandleader. The most renowned of James Browns many backing bands (previously, the Famous Flames and the James Brown Band), the J.B.s provided musical support for the legendary singer and bandleader for the first half of the 70s.
Fred Wesley (born 1943) is an American jazz and funk trombonist. … A saxophonist is a musician who plays the saxophone. … Maceo Parker (born February 14, 1943) is a noted African American funk and soul jazz saxophone player, best known for his contributions to James Browns distinct sound. …
Unusually for a James Brown song, the actual words “doing it to death” appear nowhere in “Doing It to Death”’s lyrics, which feature the hook “we’re gonna have a funky good time.” The title came from a figure of speech used by Fred Wesley.
A 10-minute, two-part version of “Doing It to Death” was included on a J.B.’s album of the same name. The complete, unedited 13-minute original recording of the song was first issued on the 1995 J.B.’s compilation Funky Good Time: The Anthology.
“Doing It to Death” cover
Single by Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s
from the album Doing It to Death
A-side(s) “Doing It to Death”
B-side(s) “Everybody Got Soul”
Released April 1973
Format 7″
Recorded January 29, 1973, at International Studios, Augusta, GA
Genre Funk
Label People
…
Writer(s) James Brown
Producer(s) James Brown
Peak chart positions
* #1 R&B
* #22 Pop
profyousion’s video review doin-it-to-death
Hit it! How you feelin’ brother? (Feelin’ good!)
You’re feelin’ good
You play so much bone, brother
How you feelin’, man? (I feel alright!)
I won’t call your name
I don’t want no people to know you’re in here
How you feelin’, fellas? (Alright!)
Now jam! Sure gettin’ down looka here… ah!
We’re gonna have a funk good time…x4
We gotta take you higher
Huh! Alright!
We gotta take you higher, huh!
Brothers! Now I want everybody to blow
About two choruses
And then I’m gonna wave you in
I wanna get the fella
With the little horn over there
Fred’s gonna take us higher, take us higher
Fred, Fred, Fred!
trombone solo
You know what, when I hear a groove
Like this groove, oh!
I say, I got to get higher
Yeah baby, yeah, yeah
Look a’here
When someone’s got a groove like this
You know, you know, no!
I need to grit, gotta grit
Gonna eat, gotta eat
Need to grit, gotta grit, no breath
You know, brothers
I’m gettin’ ready to wave y’all in
You know what
I feel so down, I need to get down
In order for me to get down
I got to get in D.
In order for me to get down, I got to get in D.
Need to get in D., dog for D.
Down D., funky D., shakin’ D.,down D.
Oh! Huh! Ha ha!
Get on down!
Look a’here, look at that
What we gotta do
Gotta have a funk good time…
Oh, yeah
I didn’t know you were singin’, Fred
Don’t moan so much
Buddy, don’t moan so much
We gotta take you higher
Wait a minute!
Know who you say that was over there
(Man, you’re lookin’ better)
(I know I’ve seen him somewhere)
Is that Maceo?
Personnel
* James Brown - lead vocal
with Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s:
* Fred Wesley - trombone
* Darryl “Hasaan” Jamison - trumpet
* Jerone “Jasaan” Sanford - trumpet
* Ike Oakley - trumpet
* Maceo Parker - alto saxophone
* St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone
* Eldee Williams - tenor saxophone
* Jimmy Nolen - guitar
* Hearlon “Cheese” Martin - guitar
* Fred Thomas - bass
* John “Jabo” Starks - drums
Jimmy Nolen (April 3, 1934 - December 18 1983) is an American guitarist known for his distinctive chicken scratch rhythm guitar playing in James Browns bands. … John Jabo Starks is an American funk and blues drummer. …
