| "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag Part I" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single byJames Brown andthe Famous Flames | ||||
| B-side | "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag Part II" | |||
| Released | June 1965 (1965-06) | |||
| Recorded | February 1965 (1965-02) | |||
| Studio | Arthur Smith Studios (Charlotte,North Carolina)[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
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| Label |
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| Songwriter | James Brown | |||
| Producer | James Brown | |||
| James Brown charting singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "James Brown - Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (Part 1)" onYouTube | ||||
"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is a song written and recorded byJames Brown.[3] Released as a two-partsingle in 1965, it was Brown's first song to reach theBillboard Hot 100 Top Ten, peaking at number eight, and was a number-oneR&B hit, topping the charts for eight weeks.[4][5] It won Brown his firstGrammy Award, forBest Rhythm & Blues Recording.[6]
Consolidating the rhythmic innovations of earlier James Brown recordings such as "I've Got Money" and "Out of Sight", "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is considered seminal in the emergence offunk music as a distinct style. As Brown sings the praises of an old man brave enough to get out on the dance floor of anightclub ("brand new bag" meaning new interest, taste, or way of doing something[7]), his band provides ahorn-heavy backdrop with a prominent rhythm and anelectric guitar riff for a hook. Both singer and musicians place overwhelming emphasis on the first beat of each measure ("on the One"). The song is Brown's first recording to featureJimmy Nolen on guitar.
It's a little beyond me... it's a thing that's just out there. Take any record, even one of my records, and you won't find one that sounds like this. You know what it is? It's the bass don't ever make a change – it stays right there. We were tired when we cut it so we weren't strong enough to make it faster but we wouldn't let the groove drop.
— James Brown, in a July 1965 interview withAlan Leeds,The Singles, Volume III: 1964–1965
The taped recording of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" was edited and sped up for its single release, increasing thetempo and raising thepitch by ahalf step. In 1991, the recording was released in unedited form at its original speed on thebox setStar Time.[8] The track includes lead-in studio chatter, with Brown throatily (and presciently) shouting "This is a hit!" just before the drum and horn intro. The song was recorded in just one take.[9]
In 2004, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" was ranked number 72 onRolling Stone magazine's list ofthe 500 greatest songs of all time. (In 2010, the magazine updated its list, and the song was moved up a rank to number 71.)[10]
In 1999, the 1965 recording of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (Part 1)" byJames Brown on King Records was inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame.[11]
Aninstrumental version of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" was released as theB-side of Brown's 1965 single fromSmash called "Try Me". He also recorded abig band jazz arrangement of the song withLouie Bellson's Orchestra for his 1970 albumSoul on Top.
Live performances of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" appear on the albumsHot on the One,Live in New York,Soul Session Live,Live at the Apollo 1995, and the 2009 Expanded Edition ofLive at the Garden. It is also featured inmedleys onLove Power Peace andSay It Live and Loud.
with the James Brown Band:
Pigbag's 1981 single "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" is a play on the title of Brown's original.
"Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse", an episode ofThe Fresh Prince of Bel Air, was named for the song. The song's title was also referenced byThe Simpsons episode "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge".
The 2013 musicalKinky Boots contains the line "Papa's got a brand new shoe" in the song "Everybody Say Yeah" (music and lyrics byCyndi Lauper).
Towards the end of one of the mixes ofPublic Enemy's 1994 song "Give It Up",Flavor Flav is heard to say "Papa's got a brand new bag." The same line is also heard in the rap part ofColor Me Badd's 1991 single "Color Me Badd" andBig Daddy Kane's 1989 song "Warm It Up, Kane".
In 1990, the song was featured in an episode ofThe Wonder Years (season 3, episode 15), "The Tree House". Later it was featured in the 1993 filmMrs. Doubtfire.[17]
A remix of the song was played in the official Season 6 trailer ofCall of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019).[18]
Eminem's song "Just Lose It" features the lyric "Papa's got a brand new bag of toys".
