Say It Loud

James Brown

About Say It Loud

"Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" is a funk song performed by James Brown and written with his bandleader Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis in 1968. The great arranger Belford "Sinky" Hendricks wrote the arrangement for Part 1. Hendricks also arranged the songs "Please, Please, Please", Browns' first hit single, "Try Me", "There Was a Time", "Lost Someone", "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"s, and other James Brown recordings. It was released as a two-part single which held the number-one spot on the R&B singles chart for six weeks, and peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Both parts of the single were later included on James Brown's 1968 album A Soulful Christmas and on his 1969 album sharing the title of the song. The song became an unofficial anthem of the Black Power movement. "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" was Brown's first recording to feature trombonist Fred Wesley. 


Year:
2013
120 

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Uh! Your bad self!
Say it loud! I'm black and I'm proud
Say it louder! I'm black and I'm proud
Look a-here!

Some people say we got a lot of malice, some say it's a lotta nerve
But I say we won't quit movin' until we get what we deserve
We've been buked and we've been scourned
We've been treated bad, talked about as sure as you're born
But just as sure as it take two eyes to make a pair, huh!
Brother we can't quit until we get our share

Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud
One more time, say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, huh!

I've worked on jobs with my feet and my hands
But all the work I did was for the other man
And now we demands a chance to do things for ourselves
We tired of beatin' our head against the wall
An' workin' for someone else

Say it loud! I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud! I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud! I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud! I'm black and I'm proud, oh!

Ooh-wee, you're killin' me
Alright, uh, you're out of sight!
Alright, so tough you're tough enough!
Ooh-wee uh! you're killin' me! oow!

Say it loud! I'm black and I'm proud
Say it louder! I'm black and I'm proud

Now we demand a chance to do things for ourselves
We tired of beatin' our heads against the wall
And workin' for someone else look a-here
There's one thing more I got to say right here
Now, now we're people, we're like the birds and the bees
We rather die on our feet than keep livin' on our knees

Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud huh!
Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud huh!
Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud Lord-a, Lord-a, Lord-a
Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, ooh!

Uh! alright now, good God
You know we can do the boogaloo

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James Brown

James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of funk music and is a major figure of 20th century popular music and dance. more »

2 fans

Written by: James Brown, Alfred James Ellis

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Music Genre Classification
"Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" by James Brown is a funk and soul song, often hailed as an anthem of the Black Power movement in the late 1960s.
Release Date
The song was released as a single in August 1968 in the United States.
Album Information
"Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" is featured on the album with the same name, which got released in 1969.
Chart Performance
The song peaked at No. 10 on Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the R&B charts in 1968.
Sociopolitical Impact
The song played a significant role in the Civil Rights and Black Power movements with its powerful lyrics conveying a clear, concise message of racial pride.
Song's Lyrics
The lyrics of the song directly address the discrimination faced by African Americans by declaring black pride and affirming the importance of their identity.
Group Participation
The song features a group of young children, from the Operation Breadbasket, echoing the song's chorus and helping to emphasize the communal aspect of the song's message.
Criticism
Despite its popularity, the song faced criticism at the time from black leaders who felt the song perpetuated racial stereotypes.
Impact on James Brown's Career
Although it fortified his image as "Soul Brother No. 1" and cemented his influence on the soul music genre, it inadvertently restricted his scope of audience due to its provocative nature.
Legacy
Today, "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" is hailed as a landmark in American popular music history, influencing a number of hip-hop tracks and reinforcing the concept of black identity and pride.
Song Duration
The song has a duration of approximately 2 minutes and 52 seconds.

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