♫ I Got You (I Feel Good) ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

After a day of angst, culminating in a bit of a rant in my last post, I thought it was time to blow off some of that darkness and … play something really upbeat!!!  And you just don’t get much more upbeat than James Brown!

The year was 1964, the artist … James Brown.  The tune was the one that became James Brown’s signature tune … I Feel Good!

This song has a very convoluted release history. Brown recorded it in September 1964 and leased it, along with some of his other songs, to Smash Records, who planned to release it as a single but couldn’t because Brown’s label, King Records, filed a lawsuit. In October 1964, a judge ruled that Smash Records would be allowed to issue only instrumental recordings by Brown, and all masters of vocals by JB would become property of King Records.

The song was pulled, but Brown had already been promoting it: he played it on the road (335 nights a year) and performed it on The T.A.M.I. Show and Shindig, as well as a movie called Ski Party. Brown then recorded a new version of the song in May 1965 at Criteria Studios in Miami, creating the first gold record to come out of Criteria, where the Eagles did Hotel California and Derek and the Dominos did Layla. Released by King Records, it shot to the top of the R&B charts, where it stayed for six weeks, and also went to #3 on the Hot 100, Brown’s highest placing on that chart.

The original 1964 version of this song had no guitar. When Brown redid it 1965, he made his screams more pronounced and added some instrumentation, including more sax. Some of the players on the recording were Maceo Parker on sax, his brother Melvin Parker on drums, Nat Jones on organ and Bernard Odum on bass.

Some of the movies that used this song include Good Morning, Vietnam, The Nutty Professor, White Men Can’t Jump, Undercover Brother and Transformers. TV shows that used it include The Simpsons, Miami Vice and The Cosby Show.

I Got You (I Feel Good)
James Brown

Wo! I feel good, I knew that I wouldn’t of
I feel good, I knew that I wouldn’t of
So good, so good, I got you

Wo! I feel nice, like sugar and spice
I feel nice, like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice, I got you

When I hold you in my arms
I know that I can do no wrong
and when I hold you in my arms
My love won’t do you no harm

and I feel nice, like sugar and spice
I feel nice, like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice, I got you

When I hold you in my arms
I know that I can’t do no wrong
and when I hold you in my arms
My love can’t do me no harm

and I feel nice, like sugar and spice
I feel nice, like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice, well I got you

Wo! I feel good, I knew that I wouldn’t of
I feel good, I knew that I would
So good, so good, ’cause I got you
So good, so good, ’cause I got you
So good, so good, ’cause I got you

Hey! Oh yeah-a…

Songwriters: JAMES BROWN
I Got You (I Feel Good) lyrics © Almo Music Corp., Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music, Universal Music Corp.

25 thoughts on “♫ I Got You (I Feel Good) ♫ (Redux)”

    • It seems that most of my UK friends aren’t big fans of James Brown, which rather surprised me! Ah well … yes, he was a class entertainer! Let me try someone else … how do you feel about Louis Armstrong?

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      • It may have been that James Brown reached the UK ears at the midst of our own musical confidence in the 1960s.
        One part of that was very much Blues based inspired by US performers who sat or stood and played electric guitar; something that may have appealed more to brits.
        Another part would have been the arrival of ‘The Tamala Motown’ sound which attracted the ‘dancing’ audience.
        And the third part, American Folk / Protest in all its forms.
        Somehow James Brown would have been squeezed out of the majority scene.
        That said lads I knew who were into ‘Soul Music’ as it was called over here appreciated him, along with other outfits which put on a lively show such as ‘Sam and Dave’.
        Louis Armstrong was very popular over here, but at that stage for me he was from ‘an older generation’, ‘unique’ to be respected, but not followed much in a ‘hands in the pocket, get out the money way’

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        • That explanation actually makes sense! Thanks, Roger! My music taste was usually not in sync with most of my generation … I preferred something a bit softer than actual ‘rock and roll’. Still do, in fact, and today’s music sends me looking for a bottle of Tylenol … or wine!

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          • Ah music. And so it goes on generation and generation 😃.
            When I look at a tune on You Tube from whatever decade there will be someone who will be saying ‘That was the era’.
            And funny how some younger folk react like our parents when they see ‘Surfin’ Bird’ live

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            • Indeed … I often recall my own parents declaring that my generation was going to go deaf and insane from listening to the likes of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and others! And then, by the time my own kids were teens, I was feeling much the same as my parents felt 25 years earlier!

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  3. I love the song, but not the version you chose. Sorry. This video does not show James expressing his energy as only James Brown could do. His dancing is missing. His showmanship is way-turned-down. I will go look for a more normative clip of the Godfather of Soul, and post it below. But it may be a different song…

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        • No need to be sorry, my friend! As I’ve said many a time … we all like what we like, sometimes for reasons that even we don’t understand! Roger also said he wasn’t a fan … I’ll try somebody else … what do you think of Louis Armstrong?

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            • My bad. No, I really thought he would be one you’d like, but … my only excuse is that the heat has cooked my brain so that it no longer functions at more than 25% most days. 😉 Roger didn’t care for him, either, and explained in a comment why he thought Louis wasn’t as popular there as here. Well, I shall try again soon … or, perhaps I should play some Whitney for you? Just kidding!!!

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              • No worries, it’s good to keep you on your toes occasionally 🤣

                I’ve no idea if Louis was as popular here as there. I can only think of two songs by him, Hello Dolly and the one you’ve played today.

                Whitney? 🤮

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                • Indeed it is good to keep me on my toes! Keeps my mind from further atrophying! So, thank you!

                  Ah, well, at least I didn’t make you want to throw up with today’s choice! I love “Hello Dolly” too!

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