Star Time (album)

Summary

Star Time is a four-CD box set by American musician James Brown. Released in May 1991 by Polydor Records, its contents span most of the length of his career up to the time of its release, starting in 1956 with his first hit record, "Please, Please, Please", and ending with "Unity", his 1984 collaboration with Afrika Bambaataa. Writing in 2007, Robert Christgau described it as "the finest box set ever released... as essential a package as the biz has ever hawked, not just because it's James Brown, but because compilers Cliff White and Harry Weinger invested so much care and knowledge in it."[7] Its title comes from the question Brown's announcer would ask concert audiences, as heard on the album Live at the Apollo: "Are you ready for star time?"

Star Time
Box set by
ReleasedMay 7, 1991 (1991-05-07)
Recorded1956–1984
Genre
Length292:12
LabelPolydor
ProducerVarious
James Brown chronology
I'm Real
(1988)
Star Time
(1991)
Love Over-Due
(1991)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert ChristgauA+[2]
Entertainment WeeklyA[3]
Mojo
Q
Rolling Stone[4]
Uncut[5]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[6]

Star Time's liner notes, written by Cliff White, Harry Weinger, Nelson George, Alan Leeds, and Brown himself, won a 1991 Grammy Award for Best Album Notes. The notes also include a discography and a one-page comic by Mary Fleener, a visual interpretation of the song "I Got You (I Feel Good)."

In 2003, the album was ranked number 79 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[8] It was the second-highest ranking box set on the list. In 2012, it moved up to 75,[9] while in its 2020 revision, it moved to number 54.[10]

Track listing edit

Adapted from CD booklet's liner notes.

Disc 1 ("Mr. Dynamite")
No.TitleWriter(s)SourceLength
1."Please Please Please"James Brown, Johnny TerryDebut single, A-side, mono, March 19562:43
2."Why Do You Do Me"Bobby Byrd, Sylvester KeelsDebut single, B-side, mono, March 19562:59
3."Try Me"BrownSingle, A-side, mono, October 19582:30
4."Tell Me What I Did Wrong"BrownB-side of "Try Me", mono, October 19582:20
5."Bewildered"Leonard Whitcup, Teddy PowellThink! (1960)2:21
6."Good Good Lovin'"Brown, Albert ShubertSingle, A-side, stereo, July 19592:18
7."I'll Go Crazy"BrownSingle, A-side, stereo, January 19602:05
8."I Know It's True"BrownB-side of "I'll Go Crazy", stereo, January 19602:40
9."(Do the) Mashed Potatoes, Pt. 1"Dessie RozierSingle, A-side, mono, February 19601:39
10."Think"Lowman PawlingSingle, A-side, mono, May 19602:46
11."Baby, You're Right"Brown, Joe TexPreviously unreleased alternate take, September 19602:58
12."Lost Someone"Brown, Byrd, Lloyd Eugene StallworthSingle, A-side, stereo, November 19613:28
13."Night Train"Oscar Washington, Lewis Simpkins, Jimmy ForrestJames Brown Presents His Band, October 19603:38
14."I've Got Money"BrownSingle, A-side, mono, November 19622:29
15."I Don't Mind (live)"BrownLive at the Apollo (1963)2:29
16."Prisoner of Love"Leo Robin, Russ Columbo, Clarence Gaskin)Single, A-side, stereo, April 19632:24
17."Devil's Den"Ted WrightTwo-part single, mono, April 19634:48
18."Out of the Blue"Wright, TerryPreviously unreleased alternate take, March 19642:15
19."Out of Sight"WrightSingle, A-side, mono, July 19642:19
20."Grits"Nat Jones, WrightGrits & Soul (1964)3:58
21."Maybe the Last Time"WrightB-side of "Out of Sight", stereo July 19643:02
22."It's a Man's Man's Man's World"Brown, Betty NewsomePreviously unreleased stereo mix, June 19643:22
23."I Got You"WrightWithdrawn single version, September 19642:27
24."Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Pts. 1, 2 & 3"BrownPreviously unreleased original complete take, February 19656:56
Total length:70:54
Disc 2 ("The Hardest Working Man In Show Business")
No.TitleWriter(s)SourceLength
1."Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Pt. 1"BrownSingle, A-side, mono, July 19652:06
2."I Got You (I Feel Good)"BrownSingle, A-side, mono, November 19652:45
3."Ain't That a Groove"Brown, JonesPreviously unreleased unedited version3:31
4."It's a Man's Man's Man's World"Brown, NewsomeSingle, A-side, mono, April 19662:46
5."Money Won't Change You"Brown, JonesPreviously unreleased complete version6:01
6."Don't Be a Dropout"Brown, JonesPreviously unreleased unedited version4:31
7."Bring It Up (Hipster's Avenue)"Brown, JonesPreviously unreleased unedited version3:48
8."Let Yourself Go"Brown, Bud HobgoodPreviously unreleased unedited version3:53
9."Cold Sweat"Brown, Alfred EllisCold Sweat (1967)7:30
10."Get It Together"Brown, Hobgood, EllisTwo-part single, mono, October 19678:57
11."I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me), Pt. 1"BrownSingle, A-side, stereo, December 1967[note 1]3:29
12."I Got the Feelin'"BrownSingle, A-side, stereo, April 19682:39
13."Licking Stick-Licking Stick"Brown, Byrd, EllisTwo-part single, stereo, May 19684:52
14."Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud, Pt. 1"Brown, EllisSingle, A-side, stereo, August 19682:59
15."There Was a Time (live)"Brown, HobgoodPreviously unreleased4:59
16."Give It Up or Turnit a Loose"Charles BobbittSingle, A-side, stereo, January 19693:10
17."I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open up the Door I'll Get It Myself)"BrownTwo-part single, stereo, March 19695:59
Total length:73:55
Disc 3 ("Soul Brother No. 1")
No.TitleWriter(s)SourceLength
1."Mother Popcorn"Brown, EllisTwo-part single, stereo, June 19696:18
2."Funky Drummer"BrownTwo-part single, stereo, March 19707:00
3."Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine"Brown, Byrd, Ron LenhoffTwo-part single, stereo, July 19705:15
4."Super Bad, Pts. 1 & 2"BrownPreviously unreleased stereo mix[note 2]4:26
5."Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothing"Brown, ByrdPreviously unreleased original extended version[note 3]8:59
6."Get Up, Get into It and Get Involved"BrownPreviously unreleased stereo mix[note 4]7:03
7."Soul Power, Pts. 1 & 2"BrownPreviously unreleased unedited stereo version[note 5]4:25
8."Brother Rapp/Ain't It Funky Now (live)"BrownPreviously unreleased live performance[note 6]7:44
9."Hot Pants, Pt. 1"Brown, Fred WesleySingle, A-side, mono, July 19713:06
10."I'm a Greedy Man, Pt. 1"Brown, BobbitSingle, A-side, stereo, November 19713:36
11."Make It Funky, Pt. 1"Brown, BobbitSingle, A-side, mono3:34
12."It's a New Day (live)"BrownRevolution of the Mind: Live at the Apollo, Volume III (1971)3:48
13."I Got Ants in My Pants, Pt. 1"BrownSingle, A-side, stereo, November 19723:01
14."King Heroin"Brown, Bobbit, Dave Matthews, Manny RosenSingle, A-side, stereo, February 19723:57
Total length:72:12
Disc 4 ("The Godfather Of Soul")
No.TitleWriter(s)SourceLength
1."There It Is, Pt. 1"BrownSingle, A-side, stereo, February 19723:20
2."Public Enemy #1, Pt. 1"Brown, Bobbit, Henry StallingsThere It Is (1972)5:09
3."Get on the Good Foot"Brown, Wesley, Joseph MimsSingle, A-side, mono, July 19724:07
4."I Got a Bag of My Own"BrownSingle, A-side, stereo, November 19723:44
5."Doing It to Death"BrownSingle, A-side, mono, April 1973[note 7]5:14
6."The Payback"Brown, Wesley, John StarksThe Payback (1973)7:28
7."Papa Don't Take No Mess, Pt. 1"Brown, Wesley, Starks, BobbitHell (1974)4:22
8."Stoned to the Bone, Pt. 1"BrownSingle, A-side, mono, November 19733:28
9."My Thang"BrownPreviously unreleased mix[note 8]4:37
10."Funky President (People It's Bad)"BrownSingle, A-side, stereo, October 19744:01
11."Hot (I Need to Be Loved, Loved, Loved)"BrownSingle, A-side, stereo, December 19755:03
12."Get Up Offa That Thing (Release the Pressure)"Diedre Jenkins, Deanna Brown, Yamma BrownNew edit created for Star Time[note 9]6:14
13."Body Heat, Pt. 1"Jenkins, D. Brown, Y. BrownSingle, A-side, stereo, December 19764:29
14."It's Too Funky in Here"George Jackson, Walter Shaw, Brad Shapiro, Robert MillerThe Original Disco Man (1979)5:39
15."Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses)"J. Brown, Susaye Brown, Henry StallingsSingle, A-side, stereo, October 19804:36
16."Unity, Pt. 1"Brown, Khayan Aasim Bambaataa, Douglas Wimbish, Bernard Alexander, Keith LeBlanc, Robin HaplinSingle, A-side, stereo, July 19843:40
Total length:75:11

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[11] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Huey, Steve. "Star Time – James Brown". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert. "CG: James Brown". robertchristgau.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  3. ^ Aletti, Vince (March 31, 2007). "Star Time – Music Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 1, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  4. ^ Considine, J.D. (June 17, 1997). "Star Time – James Brown – Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 12, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  5. ^ "James Brown – Star Time". Uncut. August 1, 2004. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  6. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  7. ^ "Robert Christgau: The Genius: James Brown".
  8. ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: James Brown, 'Star Time'". Rolling Stone. 2003. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  9. ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: James Brown, 'Star Time'". Rolling Stone. 2012. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  10. ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: James Brown, 'Star Time'". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  11. ^ "American album certifications – James Brown – Star Time". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 12, 2022.

Notes edit

  1. ^ The single version was released at a slower speed. The version on Star Time is at its original recorded tempo.
  2. ^ Released as a single A-side in mono on October 1970.
  3. ^ Released as an edited two-part single in stereo on February 1972.
  4. ^ Released as a two-part single in mono on December 1970.
  5. ^ Released as an edited three-part single in mono on March 1971.
  6. ^ Initially, this was meant to appear on Love, Power, Peace, which was shelved until 1992.
  7. ^ Released under the name "Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s".
  8. ^ Released as a single A-side in stereo with percussion overdubs on April 1974.
  9. ^ Original mix released as a two-part single in stereo on May 1976.

External links edit

  • Star Time at Discogs (list of releases)
  • Rolling Stone story
  • Overview at MP3.com