I Got You (I Feel Good)

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" is a song by American singer James Brown. First recorded for the album ''Out of Sight'' and then released in an alternate take as a single in 1965, it was his highest-charting song and is arguably his best-known recording.

Description

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" is a twelve-bar blues with a brass-heavy instrumental arrangement similar to Brown's previous hit, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag". It also features the same emphasis "on the one" (i.e. the first beat of the measure) that characterizes Brown's developing funk style. The lyrics have Brown exulting in how good he feels ("nice, like sugar and spice") now that he has the one he loves, his vocals punctuated by screams and shouts. The song includes an alto sax solo by Maceo Parker.

Precursors

"I Got You (I Feel Good)" developed from an earlier Brown-penned song, "I Found You", with a nearly identical melody and lyrics. "I Found You" had been recorded by Brown's back-up singer Yvonne Fair and released as a single (King 5594) in 1962, with little success.

In 1964, Brown recorded an early version of "I Got You (I Feel Good)" with a different arrangement, including a stuttering rhythm and prominent baritone sax line, under the title "I Got You". This version appeared on the Smash Records album ''Out of Sight'' and in the 1965 film ''Ski Party'', in which Brown lip synchs his performance. It was intended for a single release but was withdrawn due to a court order from King Records, with whom Brown was involved in a contract dispute.

Recording

In 1965, after visiting Criteria Studios in Miami and being impressed by the sound of the studio's custom recording console, King Records owner Syd Nathan booked an October recording session for Brown, during which he recorded the version of "I Got You (I Feel Good)" released by the label as a single.

Reception

Of Brown's 91 hits to reach the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, "I Got You (I Feel Good)" is Brown's highest-charting song, peaking at No. 3. The song remained at the top of the ''Billboard'' Rhythm and Blues Singles chart for six non-consecutive weeks, after his previous single, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", held the number-one spot for eight weeks. Brown's screams at the beginning and end of the song have been sampled a number of times for hip hop and dance songs. The song has also been covered many times by other performers, and is frequently played at sporting events. The song is played at the Zentralstadion whenever RB Leipzig scores a goal.

''Cash Box'' described it as a "rhythmic, funky ode about a real lucky guy who wants nothing more than to be near his gal."

In 2000, "I Got You (I Feel Good)" reached No. 21 on VH1's ''100 Greatest Songs in Rock and Roll'' and No. 75 on VH1's ''100 Greatest Dance Songs'', one of only seven songs to make both lists. In 2004, "I Got You (I Feel Good)" was ranked No. 78 on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Appearances in film and television

In 1965, James Brown, and his vocal group, The Famous Flames (Bobby Byrd, Bobby Bennett and Lloyd Stallworth)
performed the song in a cameo in the American International Pictures comedy film ''Ski Party''. Since then, the song has appeared in numerous film soundtracks, including '' The Big Chill'' (2004's Delux Edition), ''The Nutty Professor''; ''Good Morning, Vietnam''; ''Home Alone 4''; '' Mr. Jones''; '' It Takes Two''; ''Dr. Dolittle''; '' Boat Trip''; '' Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre''; '' K-9''; '' Garfield: The Movie'', where it was used as the main theme; ''Exit Wounds''; '' Ernst & Lyset'', ''Transformers'', ''Paddington'', and ''Big Eyes''. It has also appeared in film trailers, including '' It Could Happen to You''.

The song's television appearances include ''Tour of Duty'' episode "The Road to Long Binh", ''The Simpsons'' episode "Bart's Inner Child" (with Brown himself singing it), the ''Alvin and the Chipmunks'' episode "Kong!" (a parody of the 1976'' King Kong'' film) as performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks, the ''Full House'' episode "The Return of Grandma", the ''Malcolm in the Middle'' episode " Morp", the ''Lost'' episode " The Greater Good", and the ''Miami Vice'' episode "Missing Hours" in which Brown made a guest appearance as a former music star-turned-con man who promotes extraterrestrial life. In the series finale of ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', "I, Done", Philip Banks dances to the song on his birthday; also in the episode "Cold Feet, Hot Body", when Will Smith sees the homewrecker girl Denise again at Lisa's bridal shower he screams and then sings this song just so Lisa doesn't know that he and Denise kissed, but Will already turned Denise down since he loves Lisa and becomes friends with Lisa afterwards, thus being invited to the bridal shower. In the ''Family Matters'' episode "Father of the Bride," Carl sings this song to celebrate that he doesn't have to take Steve Urkel bowling after Laura agrees to go bowling with Urkel after Carl bribes her. '' Step By Step'' episode "Home Alone" when Frank and Carol Lambert are on a romantic weekend at a hotel and when Frank throws his back out and doesn't want Carol to know he threw his back out he sings this song when he screams "Ow!" out of pain; also in the episode of Step By Step "College Bound" when Dana gets her first D and her siblings find out, Mark starts singing this song to celebrate that he's now the number one smartest kid in the family. Also in the episode of Step By Step "Party Animal" this song can be heard playing at the party at the sorority house that Dana moved into and when she is drunk. In the ''Punky Brewster'' episode "Just Say No", Mike Fulton sang this song to Punky Brewster when he was telling her his life story about peer pressure and how he does an impression of James Brown and sings this song. Kids Incorporated covered "I Feel Good" in 1993 in the Season 9 episode "Dating Anxiety". It is heard in a 2020 TV commercial for Applebee's.

It was also played on NTV7, a Malaysian television channel, as it plays the song accompanied by the clips of its programmes at the start and end of the day's broadcast since its launch in 1998 until around 2006. It reflects the slogan of the channel, that is "Your Feel Good Channel". It also makes occasional appearances on ''Soccer Saturday'' when presenter and lifelong Hartlepool United fan Jeff Stelling produces a doll each time winger James Brown scores, much to the mirth of the studio experts and the viewers (with some viewers being made to drink if they are playing the drinking game to accompany it).

The song, recorded possibly by a sound-alike band, was used in a commercial for ''Autolite'' spark plugs in the 1980s where human beings were used as spark plugs and were dancing or exercising to the song and informing the person who opened the hood about their guarantee.

Personnel

* James Brown — vocals

''with the James Brown Orchestra:''
* Ron Tooley — trumpet
* Joe Dupars — trumpet
* Levi Rasbury — trombone
* Mike Ridley — trumpet
* Nat Jones — alto saxophone, Hammond organ
* St. Clair Pinckney — tenor saxophone
* Eldee Williams – tenor saxophone
* Al "Brisco" Clark – tenor saxophone
* Maceo Parker — alto saxophone
* Jimmy Nolen

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