3. James Brown – Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud) (Parts 1 & 2) (James Brown–Alfred „Pee Wee“ Ellis)
von: Single (King, 1968; R & B #1, Pop #10) (von: Foundations of Funk – A Brand New Bag: 1964–1969, 2 CD, Polydor, 1996)
Die Single erschien im August 1968 und hielt sich sechs Wochen lang auf Platz 1 der R & B-Charts. Der Song entstand inmitten einer schwierigen Zeit – Brown hatte den Bezug zu den wichtigen afro-amerikanischen Strömungen verloren, wurde für seinen Truppenbesuch in Vietnam kritisiert ebenso wie für seine Ansichten. Die Zeitung der Nation of Islam, „Muhammad Speaks“, stellte seine Loyalität in Frage. Der Song kam Brown mitten in der Nacht in den Sinn, am nächsten Tag ging man gleich ins Studio. Pee Wee Ellis half, das Stück zu arrangieren, Drummer Clyde Stubblefield trug ebenfalls zum Arrangement bei. Das Stück lebt von der Lead-Gitarre Jimmy Nolens und den rohen Background-Vocals. Brown beauftragte (seinen künftigen Manager) Charles Bobbit damit, ein paar Kids aufzutreiben und dieser brachte, wen er in der Nähe des Studios in Van Nuys so auftreiben konnte – „‚We kept it quiet that most of the kids on the record were Asian or white‘, [Bobitt] said with a chuckle years later“ (aus den Liner Notes zu: „The Singles, Volume Five: 1967–1969“, 2 CD, Hip-O-Select/Universal, 2007).
Uh, with your bad self
Say it louder (I got a mouth)
Say it louder (I got a mouth)
Look a’here, some people say we got a lot of malice
Some say it’s a lotta nerve
I say we won’t quit moving
Til we get what we deserve
We’ve been buked and we’ve been scourned
We’ve been treated bad, talked about
As just as sure as you’re born
But just as sure as it take
Two eyes to make a pair, huh
Brother, we can’t quit until we get our share
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud, one more time
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud, huh
I’ve worked on jobs with my feet and my hands
But all the work I did was for the other man
And now we demand a chance
To do things for ourselves
we tired of beating our heads against the wall
And working for someone else
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud, oowee
Ooowee, you’re killing me
Alright uh, you’re out of sight
Alright, so tough, you’re tough enough
Ooowee uh, you’re killing me, oow
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud
Now we demand a chance to do things for ourselves
We’re tired of beating our heads against the wall
And working for someone else
A look a’here,
One thing more I got to say right here
Now, we’re people like the birds and the bees
We rather die on our feet,
Than keep living on our knees
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud, hu
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud, hu
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud, Lord’a Lord’a Lord’a
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud, ooooh
Uh, alright now, good Lord
You know we can do the boog-a-loo
Now we can say we do the Funky Broadway!
Now we can do, hu
Sometimes we dance, we sing and we talk
You know I do like to do the camel walk
Alright now, hu, alright,
Alright now, ha
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud, let me hear ya
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud
Now we’s demands a chance to do things for ourselves
We’re tired of beating our heads against the wall
And working for someone else, hu
Now we’re our people, too
We’re like the birds and the bees,
But we’d rather die on our feet,
Than keep a’living on our knees
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud, let me hear ha’, huh
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud, hu
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud
Oooow, oowee, you’re killing me, alright
Uh, outa sight, alright you’re outa sight
Ooowee, oh Lord,
Ooowee, you’re killing me
Ooowee, ooowee, ooowee, ooowee, ow
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud, hu
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud , Lord I feel it
Say it loud,
I’m black and I’m proud
Say it louder,
I’m black and I’m proud
--
"Don't play what the public want. You play what you want and let the public pick up on what you doin' -- even if it take them fifteen, twenty years." (Thelonious Monk) | Meine Sendungen auf Radio StoneFM: gypsy goes jazz, #165: Johnny Dyani (1945–1986) - 9.9., 22:00 | Slow Drive to South Africa, #8: tba | No Problem Saloon, #30: tba