In the first half of the ‘60s, James Brown established himself as a reliable hitmaker by releasing a series of influential and innovative singles. In the second half of the ‘60s, James Brown reinvented music as we knew it. In essence, he boiled everything down to its rawest essence.

Suddenly, lyrics were mostly inconsequential. Arrangements (meaning song structure) were sparse and simple. Melody was virtually nonexistent. Previously, these had been three of the most important ingredients for a hit record. In the hands of James Brown, they became redundant, even irrelevant. This reinvention of music turned the music world on its ear, but most artists couldn’t even conceive of replicating his formula. More or less single-handedly, James Brown invented funk music, then spent the next decade refining his innovations.

Here’s a list of songs featured in this program;

Let Yourself Go

2) Cold Sweat

Get It Together

I Can’t Stand It (When You Touch Me)

I Got the Feelin’

Licking Stick – Licking Stick

Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud

There Was a Time

I Don’t Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing…