James Brown

Star Time

James Brown - Star Time

05/07/1991 | Polydor / Umgd 

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All Music Guide Review

When the four-disc Star Time box was released in 1991, James Brown's catalog sorely needed an overhaul; much of it was out of print, and what was available was hardly befitting of his magnitude. Star Time got everything right: it put Brown's hugely influential career into striking perspective, helping to complete his critical renaissance, and the richness of its music set a standard for box sets in general. It was no easy task to balance Brown's lengthy, multi-part funk workouts with the need to include all of his most significant tracks, and the compilers did an excellent job in deciding when and when not to truncate ("Cold Sweat," for example, must be heard in its entirety). There's nothing from Live at the Apollo (which should be experienced start to finish), and his last hurrah on the pop charts, "Living in America," is missing, but these 71 tracks cover all the other high points, and make an eloquent case for Brown as the greatest R&B artist of all time. Disc One covers Brown's early R&B years, when his pleading intensity helped lay the groundwork for soul music. Disc Two, however, is where his genius truly crystallizes -- it basically chronicles the birth of funk, as Brown gradually discards song structure in favor of working hard grooves; it also offers a picture of Brown's emergence as a bandleader and spokesman for black pride. Disc Three features Brown's hardest funk, including his much-revered material with the Bootsy Collins band. Disc Four traces Brown's later creative decline, yet he duplicated his former glories often enough to make this disc a surprisingly solid listen; plus, his massive impact on hip-hop is underlined on the last track, the Afrika Bambaataa duet "Unity." Star Time paved the way for several other excellent compilations which highlighted different parts of Brown's vast legacy, but as the definitive retrospective of one of the most important musicians of the 20th century (black or otherwise), it has yet to be equaled. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Star Time Track Listing

  • Track#
  • Title
  • time
  • lyrics
  • 1
  • Please, Please, Please
  • 2:43
  • Sound Clip for Please, Please, Please from Star Time


  • 2
  • Why Do You Do Me
  • 2:59
  • Sound Clip for Why Do You Do Me from Star Time


  • 3
  • Try Me
  • 2:30
  • Sound Clip for Try Me from Star Time


  • 4
  • Tell Me What I Did Wrong
  • 2:20
  • Sound Clip for Tell Me What I Did Wrong from Star Time


  • 5
  • Bewildered
  • 2:21
  • Sound Clip for Bewildered from Star Time


  • 6
  • Good Good Lovin'
  • 2:18
  • Sound Clip for Good Good Lovin' from Star Time


  • 7
  • I'll Go Crazy
  • 2:05
  • Sound Clip for I'll Go Crazy from Star Time


  • 8
  • I Know It's True
  • 2:40
  • Sound Clip for I Know It's True from Star Time


  • 9
  • (Do the) Mashed Potatoes, Pt. 1
  • 1:39
  • Sound Clip for (Do the) Mashed Potatoes, Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 10
  • Think
  • 2:46
  • Sound Clip for Think from Star Time


  • 11
  • Baby, You're Right (Alternate Take)(#)
  • 2:58
  • Sound Clip for Baby, You're Right (Alternate Take)(#) from Star Time


  • 12
  • Lost Someone
  • 3:28
  • Sound Clip for Lost Someone from Star Time


  • 13
  • Night Train
  • 3:38
  • Sound Clip for Night Train from Star Time


  • 14
  • I've Got Money
  • 2:29
  • Sound Clip for I've Got Money from Star Time


  • 15
  • I Don't Mind (Live)
  • 2:29
  • Sound Clip for I Don't Mind (Live) from Star Time


  • 16
  • Prisoner of Love
  • 2:24
  • Sound Clip for Prisoner of Love from Star Time


  • 17
  • Devil's Den
  • 4:48
  • Sound Clip for Devil's Den from Star Time


  • 18
  • Out of the Blue (Alternate Take)(#)
  • 2:15
  • Sound Clip for Out of the Blue (Alternate Take)(#) from Star Time


  • 19
  • Out of Sight
  • 2:19
  • Sound Clip for Out of Sight from Star Time


  • 20
  • Grits
  • 3:58
  • Sound Clip for Grits from Star Time


  • 21
  • Maybe the Last Time
  • 3:02
  • Sound Clip for Maybe the Last Time from Star Time


  • 22
  • It's a Man's Man's Man's World
  • 3:22
  • Sound Clip for It's a Man's Man's Man's World from Star Time


  • 23
  • I Got You
  • 2:27
  • Sound Clip for I Got You from Star Time


  • 24
  • Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Pts. 1-3 (Complete Take)(#)
  • 6:56
  • Sound Clip for Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Pts. 1-3 (Complete Take)(#) from Star Time


  • 25 (2)
  • Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Pt. 1
  • 2:06
  • Sound Clip for Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 26 (2)
  • I Got You (I Feel Good)
  • 2:45
  • Sound Clip for I Got You (I Feel Good) from Star Time


  • 27 (2)
  • Ain't That a Groove
  • 3:31
  • Sound Clip for Ain't That a Groove from Star Time


  • 28 (2)
  • It's a Man's Man's Man's World
  • 2:46
  • Sound Clip for It's a Man's Man's Man's World from Star Time


  • 29 (2)
  • Money Won't Change You (Complete Version)(#)
  • 6:01
  • Sound Clip for Money Won't Change You (Complete Version)(#) from Star Time


  • 30 (2)
  • Don't Be a Dropout (Unedited Version)(#)
  • 4:31
  • Sound Clip for Don't Be a Dropout (Unedited Version)(#) from Star Time


  • 31 (2)
  • Bring It Up (Hipster's Avenue) (Unedited Version)(#)
  • 3:48
  • Sound Clip for Bring It Up (Hipster's Avenue) (Unedited Version)(#) from Star Time


  • 32 (2)
  • Let Yourself Go (Unedited Version)(#)
  • 3:53
  • Sound Clip for Let Yourself Go (Unedited Version)(#) from Star Time


  • 33 (2)
  • Cold Sweat
  • 7:30
  • Sound Clip for Cold Sweat from Star Time


  • 34 (2)
  • Get It Together
  • 8:57
  • Sound Clip for Get It Together from Star Time


  • 35 (2)
  • I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me), Pt. 1
  • 3:29
  • Sound Clip for I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me), Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 36 (2)
  • I Got the Feelin'
  • 2:39
  • Sound Clip for I Got the Feelin' from Star Time


  • 37 (2)
  • Licking Stick-Licking Stick
  • 4:52
  • Sound Clip for Licking Stick-Licking Stick from Star Time


  • 38 (2)
  • Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)
  • 2:59
  • Sound Clip for Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) from Star Time


  • 39 (2)
  • There Was a Time (Live)
  • 4:59
  • Sound Clip for There Was a Time (Live) from Star Time


  • 40 (2)
  • Give It Up or Turnit a Loose
  • 3:10
  • Sound Clip for Give It Up or Turnit a Loose from Star Time


  • 41 (2)
  • I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door, I'll Get ...)
  • 5:59
  • Sound Clip for I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door, I'll Get ...) from Star Time


  • 42 (3)
  • Mother Popcorn
  • 6:18
  • Sound Clip for Mother Popcorn from Star Time


  • 43 (3)
  • Funky Drummer
  • 7:00
  • Sound Clip for Funky Drummer from Star Time


  • 44 (3)
  • Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine
  • 5:15
  • Sound Clip for Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine from Star Time


  • 45 (3)
  • Super Bad, Pts. 1-2 (Stereo Mix)
  • 4:26
  • Sound Clip for Super Bad, Pts. 1-2 (Stereo Mix) from Star Time


  • 46 (3)
  • Talking Loud and Saying Nothing (Extended Version)
  • 8:59
  • Sound Clip for Talking Loud and Saying Nothing (Extended Version) from Star Time


  • 47 (3)
  • Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved
  • 7:09
  • Sound Clip for Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved from Star Time


  • 48 (3)
  • Soul Power, Pt. 1 & 2 (Stereo Mix/Unedited)
  • 4:25
  • Sound Clip for Soul Power, Pt. 1 & 2 (Stereo Mix/Unedited) from Star Time


  • 49 (3)
  • Brother Rapp/Ain't It Funky Now (Live)(#)
  • 7:44
  • Sound Clip for Brother Rapp/Ain't It Funky Now (Live)(#) from Star Time


  • 50 (3)
  • Hot Pants, Pt. 1
  • 3:06
  • Sound Clip for Hot Pants, Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 51 (3)
  • I'm a Greedy Man, Pt. 1
  • 3:36
  • Sound Clip for I'm a Greedy Man, Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 52 (3)
  • Make It Funky, Pt. 1
  • 3:34
  • Sound Clip for Make It Funky, Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 53 (3)
  • It's a New Day (Live)
  • 3:48
  • Sound Clip for It's a New Day (Live) from Star Time


  • 54 (3)
  • I Got Ants in My Pants (And I Want to Dance), Pt. 1
  • 3:01
  • Sound Clip for I Got Ants in My Pants (And I Want to Dance), Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 55 (3)
  • King Heroin
  • 3:57

  • 56 (4)
  • There It Is, Pt. 1
  • 3:20
  • Sound Clip for There It Is, Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 57 (4)
  • Public Enemy No. 1, Pt. 1
  • 5:09
  • Sound Clip for Public Enemy No. 1, Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 58 (4)
  • Get on the Good Foot
  • 4:07
  • Sound Clip for Get on the Good Foot from Star Time


  • 59 (4)
  • I Got a Bag of My Own
  • 3:44
  • Sound Clip for I Got a Bag of My Own from Star Time


  • 60 (4)
  • Doing It to Death
  • 5:14
  • Sound Clip for Doing It to Death from Star Time


  • 61 (4)
  • The Payback
  • 7:28
  • Sound Clip for The Payback from Star Time


  • 62 (4)
  • Papa Don't Take No Mess, Pt.11
  • 4:22
  • Sound Clip for Papa Don't Take No Mess, Pt.11 from Star Time


  • 63 (4)
  • Stoned to the Bone, Pt. 1
  • 3:28
  • Sound Clip for Stoned to the Bone, Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 64 (4)
  • My Thang (Undubbed Mix)
  • 4:37
  • Sound Clip for My Thang (Undubbed Mix) from Star Time


  • 65 (4)
  • Funky President (People It'sBad)
  • 4:01
  • Sound Clip for Funky President (People It'sBad) from Star Time


  • 66 (4)
  • Hot (I Need to Be Loved, Loved, Loved)
  • 5:03
  • Sound Clip for Hot (I Need to Be Loved, Loved, Loved) from Star Time


  • 67 (4)
  • Get up Offa That Thing
  • 6:14
  • Sound Clip for Get up Offa That Thing from Star Time


  • 68 (4)
  • Body Heat, Pt. 1
  • 4:29
  • Sound Clip for Body Heat, Pt. 1 from Star Time


  • 69 (4)
  • It's Too Funky in Here
  • 5:39
  • Sound Clip for It's Too Funky in Here from Star Time


  • 70 (4)
  • Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses?)
  • 4:36
  • Sound Clip for Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses?) from Star Time


  • 71 (4)
  • Unity, Pt. 1: The Third Coming
  • 3:40

    • Credits of Star Time

    • James Brown
    • Piano, Arranger, Drums, Vocals, Producer, Rap, Main Performer, Liner Notes

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