I Feel Good: A Memoir of a Life of Soul

by James Brown, Marc Eliot (Introduction)

The Godfather of Soul shares his own journey from a humble childhood in Georgia to the heights of American music, tracing his success in the world of R&B and his turbulent, frequently destructive personal life and long and difficult path to redemption.

Genres: Music, Biography, History, Nonfiction, Memoir

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

James Joseph Brown, commonly referred to as "The Godfather of Soul" and "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business", was a two-time Grammy Award-winning and mutiple Grammy Award-nominated American entertainer recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music. He was renowned for his shouting vocals, feverish dancing and unique rhythmic style.

As a prolific singer, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer, Brown was a pivotal force in the evolution of gospel and rhythm and blues into soul and funk. He left his mark on numerous other musical genres, including rock, jazz, disco, dance and electronic music, reggae and hip hop. Brown's music also left its mark on the rhythms of African popular music, such as afrobeat, jùjú and mbalax, and provided a template for go-go music.

Brown began his professional music career in 1953, and rose to fame during the late 1950s and early 1960s on the strength of his thrilling live performances and string of smash hits. In spite of various personal problems and setbacks he continued to score hits in every decade through to the 1980s. In addition to his acclaim in music, Brown was a presence in American political affairs during the 1960s and 1970s, noted especially for his activism on behalf of fellow African Americans and the poor. During the early 1980s, Brown's music helped to shape the rhythms of early hip-hop music, with many groups looping or sampling his funk grooves and turning them into what became hip hop classics and the foundations of this music genre.

Brown was recognized by a plethora of (mostly self-bestowed) titles, including Soul Brother Number One, Sex Machine, Mr. Dynamite, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, Minister of The New New Super Heavy Funk, Mr. Please Please Please, The Boss, and the best-known, the Godfather of Soul.

Reviews

[Nandi Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book written a year before his death, James Brown candidly speaks on his life as well as his forays to jail. Good or bad, the Godfather was a man who tried to help his community, encouraged kids by paying for them to go to college. yet, he was complex, but I tend to feel if you had problems as he did growing up, absent mom, dad whipping him, it will leave something on you.

[Stephan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I respect the Godfather of Soul, he has done many great things for different communities, but this book is merely a motley of ranting and ravings from the mouth of a megalomaniac. Did anyone fact check anything before publication?

[Tree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice easy read. Unique perspective from a legend with historical references that refresh and educate. Liked it, wished it told more and was grittier at times, but that's a little vague, has to be without giving too much away, ironically.

[Tuli Márquez · Rating 2 out of 5]

huir de las memorias

[Orion A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I choose this book because in speech class we were assigned to do a speech on a band from the 60's-80's. I choose James Brown and this book looked like it had a lot of info on him. The book starts off describing his life in poverty during the great depression in Georgia. His mom left him when he was 8 and then his dad when he was 11. He was left with his dad's friend who acted like foster mother to him. She didn't watch him that well so one day we went to church. Where he found his new love for this loud and proud gospel music. He would end up in jail where Bobby Byrd discovered his talent. He sung with the Starlight's and bailed James out of jail and took him into his house. They would sing at church and clubs as the starlight's. Their talent would be discovered by King Records and would change their name to James Brown and the Famous flames. They would perform all around the South but would become really famous after playing at the Apollo in New York with the Rolling Stone. James would have his struggles with relationships and drugs. Which would lead him to lose everyone but Bobby for awhile. He would later die in 2006 after performing greatest hits tours. The memorial was held where the stardom began, The Apollo in New York with attendees such as Micheal Jackson. James Brown had a hard life but that made him work hard to change music forever.

[David Ward · Rating 1 out of 5]

James Brown: I Feel Good - A Memoir of Life and Soul by James Brown with an introduction by Marc Eliot (New American Library 2005)(Biography). I'd never heard of Marc Eliot before I read this book and then typed his name into Goodreads. He's apparently the ghostwriter to the stars! He also has tossed off dozens of biographies. It appears that the only A-lister he has yet to write for is Burt Convy. Eliot's biographies appear to have been researched entirely from the pages of People Magazine. I heard James Brown speak too many times to accept that it would be possible to finesse the Godfather's own syntax and vocabulary into sounding like this. This isn't editing, this is wholly ghostwritten. Oh well, at least James is smiling in the pictures. My rating: 1/10, finished 2/25/14.

[Paul Rockthief · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you are looking for some basic information about James Brown then you will find some here, not a lot, but some. If you are wanting a well-written book with substance then avoid this book like a bad cold. I loved the man's music, but life was about him and no one else really counted. His massive ego and self-centerness are apparent in the book. I wish there had been more about his music. I don't recommend the book and give it one star for its music information. Back in the 1980s I saw Brown in concert. He still nailed the songs, but I found myself wondering about what kind of man he was. Give Brown A for music but F for humanity. It was not an easy task reading a poorly written book about this man who consistently stroked his ego and used his power over others. Music! Let me know about the music.

[MaryAlice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recorded "I Feel Good: A Memoir of a Life of Soul" as "Living in America" by James Brown as told to Marc Eliot

"..check their anger at the door because there's nothing to be angry about in the world of James Brown."

"...so much of the harder edge of my kind of music is directly connected to the sexuality of bother the performer and the listener."

"...a hard look and sex appeal are intertwined and the music doesn't make a lot of sense without it."

[Sheehan · Rating 2 out of 5]

What can I say, it is endearing because it's JB's own words, it pops and its full of hope, and THAT is worth the read alone...

I'd lie if I said it was a good biography of his life, but like most oral histories, you get a better sense of James as he sees himself, which is a great thing in and of itself.

I think saying it left me "Bewildered" would be appropriate.

hehehe

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the introduction to this book. That was far more informative than the memoir itself.

The voice of Mr. Brown definitely comes through in the book. It was a quick read, and entertaining, but not very in depth.

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Brown wanted to make a hologram of himself. And he lived in a house that was built on an ancient burial ground.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read . . . James take on his life is very interesting.

[Beth Gardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, and interesting story and an insight into the man James Brown.