January 24, 2007 

Culturally Speaking…
By Oliver Ragsdale, Jr.

He Turned the Beat Around

Before Donna Summers ever sang the words “Turn the Beat Around”, the “Godfather of Soul”, James Brown had actually turned the beat around.  He did it in 1965 with “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” when he shifted the beat from the traditional two-four backbeat to a one-two-three-four.  “I changed from the upbeat to the downbeat”, Mr. Brown said. 

James Brown’s death captured our attention.  Yes, there was the horse drawn carriage and parade through Harlem. The long lines at the Apollo Theatre.  People traveling from all over (including Michael Jackson) to pay last respects.  And we will not soon forget the Homecoming (or Homegoing, depending on which television network you watched) Celebration in Augusta.  But the death of James Brown also provided a reason to pause and reflect on the impact of his music on our culture and the little credit that he received.

 James Brown’s music did so much more than turn the beat around!

 “Soul Brother No. 1’s” music provided a social and political conscious.  He said “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud”. To some it was militancy but to many it was a song of pride.  We would sing it, say it and most importantly believed it.  There was “Don’t Be a Dropout”.  Definitely a tune that every student needs to know today!

 If you watched Brown and his band in a concert, you saw the “hardest working man in show business” running a disciplined music machine.  He was a taskmaster.  There are many stories of Brown fining his musicians for missing notes or for unshined shoes.  But that discipline made the music tight.  It made you want to dance.  The music of the “Mr. Dynamite” told us “I Feel Good”.  Because, as he said, “I Knew that I Would.”  It made you want to smile and laugh.

 While his music topped the R & B charts (before Urban) for years, he never had a No. 1 hit on the “Pop” chart.  But James Brown’s music set the stage for the future.  His music is the base for funk and hip-hop.  A New York Times article mentions “his 1970 instrumental “Funky Drummer” may well be the most widely sampled rhythm in hip-hop.” 

 I was on a panel with actor Ted Lange (Isaac) of “The Love Boat” fame a few years ago and he told the story of his nineteen year old son telling him about this great singer who had just hit the scene.  His music had a beat that would not quit.  Everyone wanted to dance to his music.  And, the music had a message.  Ted asked, “who is this singer?   I want to hear some of his music!”  Ted’s son said the “new” singer’s name was James Brown!  Ted just started to laugh.  He said, “Boy he was a “new” singer when I was your age!

 Well I guess there is one more name to add to the list… James Brown, “A Music Man through the Ages.”

 Oliver Ragsdale, Jr. is President of the Arts League of Michigan.