Get on Up (2014) Movie Script
He's a showstopper!
- I love you.
- You special.
Let's represent ourselves, now!
Are we done, Mr. Byrd?
- I'm afraid not, Mr. Brown.
- Get on up here, Mr. Dynamite.
- I'll take you to the money.
- Are we together, or we ain't?
You're so pretty.
Everybody gonna know your name.
- I'm James Brown.
- You're so beautiful.
- James Brown don't need nothing.
- What happened to you?
James Brown don't need no one.
Which brings us on to dental insurance.
Generally speaking...
I'm back!
I'm back!
Get up off of that thing and
dance till you feel better
Get up off of that thing and
dance till you, sing it now!
Get up off of that thing
The law deems it illegal...
And dance till you feel better
Get up off of that thing and
try to release that pressure
Get up off of that thing and
shake till you feel better
But, listen, in my three and a half
years experience in this business...
Get up off!
Good God!
We want to get as many
people on to this...
Everybody ready?
We want to get as many
people on to this...
Follow me!
Want to get that? Good.
All right. So, now, understand that
not everyone has the same kind of needs.
Get up off of that thing...
Mavis.
Mavis!
Mr. Brown, you scared me.
Get up off of that thing and
shake till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
Who in there, Mavis?
I don't know.
If there's anything I want you to take
away from this weekend, let it be this.
They know I own this building.
Ain't got no kind of
business using my bathroom.
Some people may want a high deductible
because they have much more to cover.
But most common folk simply
want the lowest possible plan.
So remember...
Holy shit.
Sit down. Sit down, ma'am.
Sit!
Being a Sunday and all,
I want each and every one of you to
imagine you sitting in church right now.
Now, today's sermon may be good,
but there's something else on your mind.
You realize
you got to take a shit.
Real bad.
And you don't wanna do
it in a church house.
No, sir. So you just sit there.
You think about getting home
to your own toilet and
your own master bath.
What was I talking about?
Oh, yeah.
You got to take a shit.
Now, imagine unhitching your pants.
As you open the door to your
master bath and you see me,
James Brown,
just sitting there, taking a break.
What would you do?
I said, what would you...
Good God.
Tear up the devil.
Gonna have to get that fixed.
Now, I'm a busy man.
And I'm guessing you cats are, too.
But a personal convenience
has been abused here.
Which one of you gentlefolk hung
a number two in my commode?
Was it you, sir?
- Was it you?
- Don't shoot.
I ain't gonna shoot nobody, son!
It was you, wasn't it?
Oh, God.
You took a break in
my bathroom, didn't you?
Yes, you did.
Oh. Now, now, now.
It's gonna be okay.
Gonna be okay.
What's your name?
Shirley Buell.
Shirley Buell. Get on up.
Up.
Sit down. Take your seat.
Shirley Buell,
you had to use the toilet.
You saw an opportunity, and you took it.
I might have got mad,
but you did right by yourself.
I always did right by myself.
I'm James Brown,
and I made a difference.
Y'all cats might not own my records.
But you can bet your bottom dollar,
every record you got,
got a piece of me in them.
Ain't nobody out here today, rapping,
singing, whatever they doing,
ain't been touched by James Brown.
So, Miss Buell,
you did right by yourself.
There ain't no other way to live.
You understand me?
Yes, sir.
Oh, shit, Shirley Buell.
I got to go.
Soul Brother Number 1, James Brown,
the Hardest Working
Man In Show Business,
is embarking on a tour
with a difference.
In association with the USO,
Mr. Brown is performing
a series of shows
for battle-fatigued US
troops across Vietnam.
80% of Ninth Division is brothers.
We been here two years.
What do we get as thanks?
Country music.
Country and...
President Johnson.
I wanna put a bug in your ear.
I wanna go to Vietnam.
I wanna show unity to
the fellas over there,
the beleaguered,
the tired, in the dark.
We got to show awareness.
Mr. President, we got to bring the super
heavy funk to the cats over there.
Captain Jenkins, the James
Brown Orchestra is a 22-piece.
The government, army, powers that be,
say I can only bring six fellas.
What song did he say
we were starting with?
Can't Stand it.
- What?
- Can't Stand it.
You hear that, Mr. Drummer?
What was that?
Are they shooting at us?
Please, Jesus! Please!
Oh, my God.
I ought to be able to bring
as many cats as I want.
We're under attack, Mr. Brown!
Settle down, Captain.
You with me.
James Brown was born dead.
Then I breathed.
God didn't take me then. Sure ain't
gonna call me back right now.
Marva, fellas,
we under attack now.
No shit, Mr. Brown.
Watch that mouth, Maceo.
That's $20 right there.
Mr. Byrd!
Yes, sir, Mr. Brown.
So we gonna begin tonight's
show with I Got The Feelin'.
Well, James started out in Augusta,
and then his family moved to Toccoa.
And that's where we met.
Sound good, Mr. Byrd?
That sound good, Mr. Brown.
Captain Jenkins,
you better put this out!
Great day in the morning!
James Brown!
We're going down!
Everybody brace!
Welcome to Bear Cat, Mr. Brown.
Officer Dooley, USO Liaison.
Can I just say,
I'm a big, big fan of your...
You in charge when Bob
Hope was over, Corporal?
I was.
Mr. Byrd, you think Bob
Hope's plane got shot down?
No, sir, Mr. Brown.
Sorry about the plane trouble.
"Plane trouble"? They tried
to kill James Brown today.
You wanna go down in history as
the man who killed the funk?
About the show, if you could just
keep it to 25, 30 minutes, tops...
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Let me tell you the first
thing about James Brown.
The first thing about James Brown is
James Brown don't tell
no man his business.
He ain't gonna tell you
how to take Pnom Ridge.
He ain't gonna tell you how you
screwed up the Tet Offensive.
I ain't gonna tell you how
to fight your war, Corporal.
So don't tell me when, where,
or for how long I can be funky.
James Brown!
Sorry we're late.
We had a little plane trouble.
You cats ready?
You cats ready?
Hit it, Clyde!
Mama?
Mama?
Mama.
Mom!
I got you. You ain't catch me.
I'm gonna get ya.
Come on.
I won.
Mama, I'm hungry.
You ain't hungry, baby.
You ain't hungry.
That feeling inside your tummy,
that feeling is a spirit inside you.
He in there, tickling you, right now
because you such a good boy.
You ain't hungry.
He in there right now,
trying to make you laugh.
- You a good boy?
- I'm a good boy.
- You a good boy?
- I'm a good boy.
I'm a good boy!
Where you been?
I've been here for nine days
with your child. Where you been?
I've been working turpentine,
baby, been chipping trees.
- And gambling.
- What is this?
Where the money at?
Where the money at?
- What, you think I'm lying?
- You lying!
I ain't lying!
I should have never married you.
Come here. Come here.
Hey, you listen to me.
What I need you to do...
What I need you to do, Susie...
Listen, Susie.
I need you to shut your sweet mouth
and I need you to get
them panties off! Huh?
Come here.
Come here.
I said come here!
Hey!
The money.
And tell me about James' first band,
the Famous Flames.
Well, it started off with five of us.
Sylvester Keels, Baby Roy Scott,
and Nafloyd Scott.
And then they left?
It's my party and I'll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to...
I need to speak with James.
He's resting, Pop.
Gertrude, it's important.
Well, if you insist.
Here we go.
Mr. Brown will see you now, Mr. Bart.
- Gertrude.
- Yes, Mr. Brown.
Didn't I say I didn't
wanna be disturbed?
It's gonna cost you $20.
This better be real, Gertie.
Oh, it's real, Mr. Brown.
James, I just spoke with the producers.
They want the Rolling Stones
to close the show.
Rolling Stones, James.
It will be you, then Rolling
Stones at the top of the bill.
Rolling Stones, huh?
Then why in the world we here, Bobby?
We came to play, James.
You're here because they
want you here, James.
You're James Brown.
I want you here because
this ain't the chitlin' circuit.
We're done with that shit.
We got an audience full
of white faces out there.
You're gonna make them love you,
you're gonna slay them!
You're just not closing the show.
Rolling Stones, huh?
James, James, don't start, please.
I mean, let it go.
This don't matter, James.
Rolling Stones.
We got to go, Gertie.
Rolling Stones ain't even
ever had a hit record here.
Matter of fact,
they ain't even ever played
in America, have they?
Who cares? They're just kids.
In a year, nobody's gonna
know who they are.
They're instant has-beens.
Rolling Stones?
It's just business, James.
When I hit that stage,
you people better be ready.
Especially the white folk.
Yes, sir, Mr. Brown.
And border-to-border...
But where are The Flames?
The Flames are right here, tonight.
James Brown and his Famous Flames!
Got your high-heeled sneakers on
And your slip-in mules
You got your high-heeled sneakers on
And your slip-in mules
All right
You know you're out of sight
You got a shapely figure, mama
Keep it uptight
You got a shapely figure, mama
Keep me uptight
You're too much
You know you're out of sight
You got a sweet disposition
You're always right
You got a sweet disposition
You know you're always right
My heart delights at what you are
You know you're out of sight
You're too much
You're the end, now
You're beautiful, mama
Most of all, you're out of sight
There's no doubt, you're out of sight
Out of sight
Welcome to America.
Here they are, those fine
fellows from England,
the Rolling Stones!
Time is on my side
Yes, it is
See, I can't never quit
when it get hard.
You quit, you're going backwards.
You're going backwards, you're dead.
No, I take it.
And I take it, and I flip it.
I goes forward.
I live.
You leaving,
you take your child with you.
'Cause you his mama.
And I don't need no hungry child!
You keep him and feed him. I can't.
Bye, baby.
You be a good boy.
Yeah, that's right.
That's right. You go try sell
that ass on Twiggs Street!
You could try!
Come on, get outta here.
Come on, baby!
Come on.
I said no.
No!
- No!
- Stop!
I wanna go.
Put him down.
Susie!
Put him down.
Get your ass over here, boy!
Get up in that house now!
Buy yourself a dress.
Maybe I'll come pay you a visit.
No more
My Lord
No more, my Lord
Lord, I'll never
Turn back no more
I have found...
Quit that.
Keep singing.
I said stop.
You didn't hear me?
What'd I say?
No more, my Lord
Boy, come here!
Come here!
Come here to me!
Don't make me come after you!
Boy.
Get your ass back here!
Hey!
Come back here!
Oh, I feel good
I knew that I would, now
I feel good
I knew that I would, now
So good, so good I got you!
I feel nice
Like sugar and spice
I feel nice
Like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice 'cause I got you
Oh, hell, no!
I'm in a honky hoedown.
We gonna have to take this and flip it.
When I hold you in my arms
I know I can do no wrong
When I hold you in my arms
My love can't do me no harm
I feel nice
Like sugar and spice
I feel nice
Like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice
'Cause I got you
I feel good
Like I knew that I would, now
So good, so good
I got you!
Cut!
Wow, James.
You've got some groovy moves, my friend.
Thank you, Mr. Avalon.
Please call me Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown. Yeah.
James, what are you doing?
Get up.
- How many times have I done this split?
- A thousand, maybe two thousand.
Exactly. Now the first and
only time I rip my pants
got to be in front of
all these white folk.
In a white boy sweater.
My bass and my drums spread
all over this cold floor.
Go get me a towel.
Yes, sir, boss.
Boy, pack up. We leaving.
Hurry up!
You miss your mama, boy?
Yes, sir.
We gonna fix that.
Hear?
Yes, sir.
Fannie Lou, you need to
stomp out that cigarette
and go in there and change them sheets.
And I mean change them.
Don't just flip them over.
These men ain't stupid.
Lucille, come wash this dog.
He getting gamey.
Aunt Honey?
Now, Joe, you ain't say
nothing about no donkey.
What the hell am I
supposed to do with that?
Oh, I thought you could sell it.
And it's a mule.
I don't see a mule or
a donkey here, Joe.
It's much appreciated, Honey.
This is mighty kind of you.
Jumping in the army ain't gonna
make this child go away.
Listen, boy.
You look after yourself.
I guess everybody gotta
be somewhere sometime.
What your daddy call you, boy?
Junior.
I guess you gonna be
Little Junior from now on.
Big Junior!
Now, you look it here.
You bring it in,
you and me ain't gonna
have no kind of problems.
Understand?
Yes, ma'am.
Big Junior, show him what to do.
Yes, ma'am.
Come here, jackass.
Come on, Junior, tell 'em!
Pretty girls. Whiskey!
Be louder than that.
Pretty girls! Whiskey!
They ain't paying us no mind.
Come on. Come on.
Come on, fellas.
Come on, fellas.
- Pretty girls, whiskey.
- Pretty girls.
Whiskey this way.
Raise your bet.
Hey.
Come here.
You did all right.
Now, look it here.
Bring me six men tomorrow,
you get the other half.
You got it, Aunt Honey.
Oh, look out now!
Hallelujah!
Who wants the power?
Who want the Holy Ghost?
Say it loud!
The more you give,
the more you're blessed!
The more you give,
the more you're blessed!
If you don't love him like I love him.
The more you're blessed.
You just gotta have faith!
Have faith the size of a mustard
seed and you can move a mountain!
Faith that moves his hands!
Can ya hear me? Can ya hear me?
The more you give,
the more you're blessed!
Move your feet!
Move your feet and let
the Holy Ghost get ya!
Let the Holy Ghost get ya!
God! You gotta love God!
You got to love God!
Do you love him? God!
Give it to Jesus!
Give him the glory!
Say it loud for Jesus.
Louder! Louder! Louder!
Give it to Jesus!
Stop right there, boy!
Hey!
Stop!
I'm 17.
You know what that mean, Big Junior?
Mean they can send my juvenile
behind down for a man's term.
Three, maybe four years.
For robbing a suit?
What about Aunt Honey?
Aunt Honey say she can't
help you right now.
Not this week.
Got money problems.
Sorry.
Sorry?
Big!
Big, don't leave me up in here, man!
Big!
Oh!
Mary, don't you weep
Tell Martha not to moan
Martha, don't you moan
Sweet little Mary
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Tell Martha not to moan
Martha, don't you moan
- Pharaoh's army
- Pharaoh's army
Don't you know that they drowned?
Drowned in the Red Sea
I'm singing, Mary
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Tell Martha not to moan
Martha, don't you moan
Oh, Mary
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Tell Martha not to moan
Martha, don't you moan
Mary
You eyeballing me, Music Box?
I say, you eyeballing me, Music Box?
Stand on the rock
Where Moses stood
What happened to you?
Somebody threw something.
That's too bad.
Walk in the jungle sometime
you get bit by a snake.
I'll remember that next time
I go walking in the jungle.
Say, what's that song you done?
We only done half of it.
Mary Don't You Weep.
It's a old gospel, man.
You ain't heard it before?
Everybody be doing it.
I ain't heard a thing since
my radio got busted.
Sweet song, though.
- Yeah.
- You made it sound hip.
The crowd sure enough
went crazy, didn't they?
You do music?
The only thing keep me sane in here.
How long you in here for?
Five to 13 years.
Oh, what'd you do?
Rob a suit.
You got five to 13 for robbing a suit?
Next.
That's some time, man.
Tell me about it.
You get parole?
The Board say I got to have a
permanent family address and a job.
See, I don't know no folks around here.
Where your folks at?
My daddy in the army.
My mama,
she left.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Seriously,
you think I sung that good?
Yeah, man.
You got that swing feel.
Hitting it late.
That's what a song need.
You got to fill it with something.
It don't got that feel,
it don't move, it don't move,
it don't move nobody.
If I could
I surely would
Stand on the rock
Where Moses stood
- Pharaoh's army
- Pharaoh's army
The Red Sea
I'm singing, Mary
Mary
Martha, don't you moan
Martha, don't you moan
Bobby, we got us enough mouths to
feed and enough butts to clothe.
Daryl! Sarah!
Get down here!
Mama, he could spend 10 years in there,
just because he ain't got no folks.
He ain't got nobody.
Bobby, the answer is no.
Now, go on upstairs and get cleaned up.
What's that thing you've been
telling me since I was little?
About mercy.
What's your saying, Mama?
That thing you always say?
Like I always say, it's a sin
to stand in mercy's way.
Thank you, Mrs. Byrd.
You're welcome.
So, what you in the pokey for?
Grandpa.
You know how Big Mama would have felt,
you bringing this boy over here.
Big Mama married you.
And you was in the
pokey before, Grandpa.
- Bobby Byrd.
- Mama...
If I'm going to be forced to
have a jailbird in my house,
I at least like to know
what I'm dealing with.
- Grandpa.
- No.
He got a right to ask.
I robbed a man's
three-piece suit.
You want to know me?
I'll tell you.
I'm skinny, but I'm strong.
I can read a little bit
and I like to sing.
You know what I think,
God knew when I took that suit I
was gonna end up here with y'all.
Now I ain't never been at a table with
such a fine group of folk in my life.
And a meal with fried chicken,
green beans, cornbread.
Nice curtains.
House that smells good.
Tell you the truth,
I'm glad I took that suit.
Boy. Pass them beans before you
get your bullshit all over them.
Grandpa.
James is gonna sing with us
at church this Sunday, Sarah.
Really?
Maybe me and you could,
work on a little harmony together.
Nafloyd, you always fall
flat on that second verse.
- Hey, Grandpa.
- Hey, Bobby.
Make y'all selves at home.
There's coffee in the kitchen.
Ma!
James!
James! Come meet the band!
Sarah.
Sarah!
I ain't telling you again.
Get down here.
Ma, she coming.
Mama, she coming.
Can you go and fix the boys something
to eat before we go to church?
Steal away home
Steal away to Jesus
I'm gonna steal away to Jesus
Steal away home
I ain't got long to stay here
- The trumpet sounds within my
- Sounds
- Soul, soul
- Soul, soul
I ain't got long to stay here
No time to waste
I ain't got long to stay here
No time for mistakes
I ain't got long to stay here
That's why I'm gonna steal away
Steal away to Jesus
This ought to fit you.
Ooh, I don't know, James.
This don't look like gospel.
What you talking about, Bobby?
Where I'm standing,
your hair is rising up to the Lord.
Rising up to the Lord like a flame.
The flames of hell.
We're The Gospel Starlighters.
We're a gospel group.
This is R&B hair.
Nafloyd, what you think you're
doing when you sing Caldonia?
We just playing around
when we practicing Caldonia.
That don't make us R&B.
We still gospel.
Good Lord, James.
How long I got to keep this in?
I feel like a flame already.
A-wop-bop a-loo-bop
A wop bam boom
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti
Ooh, tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
A-wop-bop a-loo-bop
A wop bam boom
I got a girl named Sue
She knows just what to do
I got a girl named Sue
She knows just what to do
She rocks to the east
She rocks to the west
But she's the girl that I love best
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti
Ooh, tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
A-wop-bop a-loo-bop
Yeah!
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
A-wop-bop a-loo-bop
A wop bam boom
Look at these people, James.
I'm ready.
You know what I mean?
When is it gonna be when we're up there?
We'll be back in 10 to flip you again!
Whoo! Yeah!
Right now.
What?
There's a stage and a piano and
right now ain't nobody on it.
What you talking about?
We can't go up there.
Why not, Nafloyd?
It's like you said, "We just
playing around with Caldonia. "
Let's go play around.
- We on.
- Let's go.
Ladies...
Ladies and gentlemen,
hope you're enjoying the show.
We're The Starlighters...
We're the Famous Flames!
Famous?
Flames?
We're the Famous Flames.
Caldonia!
Caldonia!
What makes your big head so hard?
Walkin' with my baby
She's got great big feet
She's long, lean, and lanky
Ain't got nothing to eat
But she's my baby
and I love her just the same
Crazy 'bout that woman
Because Caldonia is her name
Caldonia, Caldonia
What makes your big head so hard?
Know what? Mama told me
to leave Caldonia alone
Say something's wrong with her
She said,
"Son Keep away from that woman"
Your momma don't know
But Mama didn't know
What Caldonia was putting down
Oh, yeah
Caldonia, Caldonia
What makes your big head so hard?
We the Flames!
We're just keeping it warm for you.
What's your name?
- We're the Famous Flames.
- No. What's your name?
I play a show in Lafayette last week.
Twenty, 30 girls pass clean out.
Need oxygen, James.
I'm killing them!
They should lock me away!
I cut loose and it's
like a spaceship land.
Did I say I got a record out?
They drop it five times a day on WIBB.
Five times a day.
And I'm flipping burgers.
You know why?
Because WIBB antenna reach 60 mile.
Sixty mile, James!
This country is 5,000 miles top-to-toe!
7,000 coast-to-coast.
You catch the wind,
get a hit,
a real hit!
Every inch of that is yours.
How you catch the wind?
- Dottie! Dottie!
- Yeah.
May I borrow your pencil?
You got a hundred bucks?
- No, man.
- Rob a liquor store.
You take a hundred bucks
down to WIBB in Macon.
Ask for Big Sauk.
Say Richard sent you.
You make an acetate.
Ten copies.
You send them to these people.
- It's that easy, why don't you do it?
- Already did.
Baby, this the last time you gonna
see my beautiful ass except on TV.
Six months, the whole
world gonna know me.
I gonna be bigger than Cleopatra!
It's written in the stars,
James. Yes, sir.
I'm gonna have the world on a string.
And that when the trouble start.
And why is that?
That when the Devil come out.
And he ain't gonna be red
with no fiery tail. No.
He gonna be white.
In a fancy suit.
And he gonna look you in your eye
and ask you, "What you want?"
And you best not shake, nor tremble.
You best not blink one eye.
You gonna be ready for him, James?
You got it inside?
You tell me, Richard.
Tell me what you see.
What happened to you?
I know what happened to me, sugar.
What happened to you?
And now, folks,
the Augusta Country Club
is proud to present to y'all
its Annual Charity Extravaganza!
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Battle Royale!
Fight!
Number 2, get up, get up!
What exactly do you call
your style of music?
I call it James Brown Music,
because it's so far ahead of its time.
They ain't got a name for it yet.
Take another record, any record
you got on your box at home.
It ain't gonna sound like mine.
Not even my own old records
sound like this new bag.
It's like the title say,
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.
The funk is in the bag
and the bag is the bass
and the bass never change.
It's a groove.
Soon as you hear that groove,
I know I got ya.
Honey, please
I love you so
Please, please don't go
One more time
Please, please don't go
Please, please don't go
Please, please don't go
Now that was a night.
We sure did kill them, James.
Bobby.
Yeah?
I can't make practice on Thursday,
I'm getting married.
What you talking about?
Who you marrying?
Gal I met after the Stone Mountain show.
Velma.
And what about my sister?
I'll still harmonize with
her from time to time.
This ain't nothing to play with, James.
How you gonna do all this?
Do all what?
Practice, the road, making records.
Starting a family.
I ain't starting nothing.
Except what we doing.
Bobby,
we in there.
All them little grooves.
That's us.
That's all the money we got.
And some we don't.
Yeah, but it's been written.
Now, men gonna lay
with women, that's nature.
But a woman ain't gonna stop a man,
a real man, from doing
what he's supposed to do.
And woman is the glory of man,
but we're the cover for them.
That's God.
Husband, daddy,
that just give us purpose.
Man got to have purpose,
but purpose ain't gonna stop us neither.
Ain't nothing gonna stop us
from what's meant to be.
Nothing.
And that's God, too.
Keep pushing the doggone car.
Man, why don't we just take
a break for a second, man?
- What'd I tell you in Peterstown?
- You said, "Fill her up, Floyd."
That's right. That's what he said.
But I ain't had the
dough to fill her up.
Because Bobby over here done gave James
all the money on some fake records.
Why don't you cool it, Floyd?
I miss you.
Talk to you later. All right, bye.
Our next gig is at the Two Spot,
140 miles west.
We got no gas. No bread.
Am I missing anything?
Velma pregnant.
Congratulations.
So, we gotta make us a business decision.
We got 30 cents.
Question is, do I get a
coffee or do I get a donut?
Knock yourself out.
Hi, honey. Can I get a
coffee and a donut?
You boys from out of town?
Yeah. We musicians.
We the Famous Flames.
More like a flicker.
Baby, all we need is a spark
to keep the lamp down low
till the sun rise up
on us in the morning.
Y'all's broke asses splitting
that donut, ain't you?
Let me go cut it up for you.
Excuse me, ma'am.
I'm looking for some fellas.
Been driving through two
states trying to find them.
They were a no-show last
night at the Tuxedo Room.
Get down.
Have you ever heard
of the Famous Flames?
I ain't supposed to leave Bibb County
without telling my parole officer.
Shit, James. What are we gonna do?
If you can help me out,
I'll make it worth your while.
King Records?
What do you want with them?
King Records?
Excuse me, sir.
I'm Bobby Byrd of the Famous Flames.
I'm Ralph Bass from Federal
Records in Cincinnati.
- Why don't we have a seat?
- Okay.
I heard your acetate.
I want you to come to Cincinnati.
I want you to make a record for King.
King as in King Records?
As in the King Records?
Yeah, you put a lot into that cut.
Those lead vocals.
You got a lot of soul right there.
Oh, that's not me,
that's him, James Brown.
That's you singing?
Yes, sir, that's me.
Oh.
Thank you.
Please, please, please, please
Please, please don't go
Please, please, please
What the hell is this, Ralph?
Where is the rest of the song?
Right there.
Right there? What are you talking about?
He keeps hollering the one word
over and over again! "Please!"
Please, what? Please pay my rent?
What does he want?
Listen, Mr. Nathan. This song is a...
I don't hear any song here, Ralph!
A song has verses.
You know what I mean?
A song has a snappy chorus.
It's not just some unfortunate
nigger just pleading like that!
Where is the song?
Give me the song, Ralph!
It's not about the song!
What?
It's not the song.
You took my love, now you're gone
Please, please don't go
Please, please, please, please, please
Please, please, please, please, please
Please, please don't go
Velma, you gonna smile for me?
There you go.
Teddy Brown.
I love you so!
Please, please don't go
Honey, please don't go
I love you so!
James, I'd like you to meet somebody.
James, this is Ben Bart.
Ben is the President
of Universal Attractions,
New York's biggest booking agency.
Hey, man.
Great show last week over in Jersey!
You blew the roof off the place!
Thank you, sir.
We try real hard to do our best.
Not "we," James.
Not the Famous Flames.
You, James Brown.
- James, what Ben is trying to say...
- I know what Mr. Bart is saying.
I heard him.
Loud and clear.
I see where this thing is going.
Saw it this morning.
Your secretary called,
asked me to come in an hour early.
Alone.
I knew it six months ago.
Hell, I knew it the day I was born.
Okay, fellas, I got
something to show you.
I don't understand.
Is this some sort of... mistake?
"James Brown and his Famous Flames"?
Sir, this ain't right.
We agree.
I believe it should say simply,
"James Brown."
The fact is, gentlemen,
James Brown is a powerhouse talent
who does not need the Famous Flames.
King Records, Universal,
are big companies.
We do not need the Famous Flames.
But James has requested the name
remain in some form or another.
So, you can stay
as salaried employees of James Brown,
working on James Brown's records.
If this is disagreeable to you in
whole or in part, you can go home.
James?
Bobby, it's just a name.
Ain't nothing different between us.
This is for everybody.
It's gonna be good.
James Brown.
I ain't never like you.
Come on.
Let's get out of here.
You wrong, James.
So,
James,
do you know what you want?
I know exactly what I want.
King doesn't do live albums.
They are too expensive. That's it.
But Federal Records can.
- See, Mr. Nathan, I think a live album...
- No, James, you listen to me.
Your audience is Negro.
Negroes don't buy albums.
They don't have the resources.
Especially not for a bunch of
songs which they already got!
Look, it's just
live recording is six, seven times
more expensive than in studio.
And that's just for a
violin concerto at the Met.
Pop, you seen the show.
Mr. Nathan, you ain't even ever
seen the show. Not my show.
I don't need to.
Mr. Nathan, what the hell you doing?
That's the "Mashed Potato."
That ain't nobody's Mashed Potato.
Exactly. I can't do
the Mashed Potato.
That's your job. That's the show.
What I know how to do is the business.
I stick to what I know.
You stick to what you know.
That's the show business.
Syd Nathan wrong.
Book the Apollo.
I'm gonna spend my own money on this.
Forget it. It's too big a risk.
Let's get something to eat.
So I don't understand risk?
No.
I don't understand,
'cause I'm just a show.
That's all I am to you, Pop?
Of course not, James.
Sure it is.
That's all me and my black
brothers are to the white devil.
We the show, and you the money.
And that's how the white
devil keep it all.
I'm just trying to protect you.
And I'm not the white devil.
And don't ever call me that again!
Pop, look me in the eye.
You believe in what we're doing here?
100%, man. You know that.
Then yeah, I am the show.
But if I'm spending my
own money on the show,
I'm gonna be the business, too.
After we slay the Apollo,
I kick over some cash
to the white devil,
whatever I think he deserve.
And, Pop, if I'm paying you,
you gonna help me to do it.
Oi.
Okay. I'll call Nola Sound.
They got these great new
three-track recorders from Ampex.
And I want the best engineer in town.
I don't care what it take.
I don't care what it cost.
And I want everybody in uniform.
The front of house,
the ushers, peanut peddlers.
And I'm gonna be in
a sapphire blue suit.
And I want the rest of the
fellas in purple brocade.
Purple brocade.
Underwear, too.
How's that sound?
James Brown!
We've got the level on his main mic
way up to drown out the crowd!
But he's got to hold back a little
bit during the first number!
You ready, Mr. Byrd?
Yes, sir, Mr. Brown.
James Brown!
I thought I lost someone
But I know where I'm gonna find them
- All aboard?
- Yeah!
- All aboard?
- Yeah!
- All aboard?
- Yeah!
The Night Train.
Here we go, Mr. Byrd!
Miami, Florida
Atlanta, Georgia
Raleigh, North Carolina
Washington D. C.
And Richmond, Virginia too
Baltimore, Maryland
Philadelphia
New York City
Take it home
Boston, Massachusetts
And don't forget New Orleans
The home of the blues
Night train
Carry me home
Are you ready for the night train?
Are you ready for the night train?
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
Now, we're gonna celebrate tonight.
We're gonna do it again tomorrow.
Go on and take it.
I got other vices.
James.
Get you a glass, Bobby.
James? Mr. Brown.
Go on over there now.
There's a woman here now
who say she your mama.
It's right down there.
We got pretty girls and sweet whiskey.
Y'all got y'all's money?
We got our money right here.
Mama?
Mama?
Mama.
Mama, it's me.
You know this little nigger?
Your mama's a
no-account fool, Little Junior.
Daddy, too.
But you ain't gonna be.
You gonna be okay.
It was determined before you were born.
Little Junior, you were born dead.
Did you know that?
When your great-aunt pulled you
into this world, you had gone cold.
She slapped your behind hard,
but you wouldn't take air.
Then she breathed in you one last time
and you got warm and you screamed.
Screamed so loud we heard you all
the way over here in Augusta.
You special, boy.
You got the spirit in you.
And that spirit told me
you gonna be a rich man, Little Junior.
He spoke to me and said
one day, everybody
gonna know your name.
And ain't nothing,
nothing can touch you.
Look at that. You gonna love this place.
Oh, I had a big breakfast.
Look, Jimmy, I got
something to show you.
You got something to show me?
Compliments of Universal Attractions.
This for me?
Lookie here. Lookie here.
And we got us a chauffeur?
Yes, sir, Mr. Brown.
Give me the keys.
How much they paying you, fella?
About $600 a month, sir.
$600?
This here gonna cover you until
you get yourself a new job.
I'm gonna drive myself.
Thank you, Mr. Brown.
Don't mention it.
That's $600 a month
going somewhere else.
I hope the car is acceptable.
Oh, no, we could work with it.
- But you gonna like this catfish.
- I'm stuffed.
Nah, I don't want to hear it!
See, Pop...
- I've been meaning to ask you something.
- What's that, Jimmy?
I only got a seventh grade education,
so you gonna have to excuse me.
I'm looking through the figures
there and it occurred to me
we don't pay the promoter,
the promoter pay us.
Let me explain how it works.
When we book a show. Chicago.
Our promoter in Chicago
there is Lenny J. Frank.
Now, Lenny J. Frank
has been the top
promoter in Chicago
for the past 20 years.
What if we take the gate?
What if we take it ourself?
And still get the show promoted,
but better.
See, Pop,
we go to the radio station.
I understand your frustration, Jimmy,
but you're entering a game here
where the rules are already set.
Say you're a ball player.
You walk on the field.
You can't change how many
innings are being played.
That's American baseball.
I mean, you know, it's like golf.
I mean, you gonna play 18 holes,
scored a certain way.
That's the way the scoring is.
That's the system.
It's like you're in a sand trap, right?
What do you wanna do?
Use a putter in a sand trap?
Can't do it.
Can't do it.
You get my point, right?
Okay, listen up, people.
We go up to the young cats.
The hungry cats.
The late-night cats.
The 20-year-old white DJ
from Richmond, Virginia,
who ain't getting paid nothing.
He only doing it 'cause he love the music.
We go to him, and we ask him
if he want to be the sole James Brown
promoter for the Richmond show.
For a percentage.
He gonna say...
Are you kidding me?
Do you know how much they pay me?
Between nothing and $50 a week.
But he love my music.
Oh, he dig himself some James Brown.
And he got a microphone and a turntable
and four hours of airtime to kill.
Screw payola.
See?
This is Alan Leeds coming back at ya.
Now with his new hit Papa's
Got a Brand New Bag,
it's James Brown.
And at the end he gonna say...
And make sure you catch James Brown
at the arena in Richmond this Tuesday.
And see, 'cause he young, he 20.
And he got strong legs
and he know everybody.
He know the cats at the pool hall.
He know the guy at the barber shop.
He know the fella down
at the garage. See, Pop,
that's how we get our record
played outside payola.
That's how we get our show promoted
better, harder, stronger.
Oh, and, Pop,
that's how we keeps the gate.
You see, the best part is you can
put it all through the system.
Item. Promoter.
Pop, if the show sell, and it's selling,
we talking about thousands
of dollars a night.
Difference per year between
two and three million dollars.
And I'm out of a job.
You forget I don't only
work for James Brown.
Yeah, that's my next point.
Why not?
See, Pop, I can do something for ya,
and you can do something for me,
and it ain't buy me no Cadillac.
You buy Wilson Pickett a Cadillac?
Come on, Pop, you see where
this thing is going.
I got other people
around me don't see it.
Go on and taste the fish, Pop.
- Now you gonna need some hot sauce.
- No, can't have that.
Hey, you gonna need some.
Who's this?
Man, James gonna wear that seat out.
Which seat?
Hers or the bus?
Oh.
I'm Yvonne Fair. I'm a singer.
Let me worry about my own seat.
This is a man's world
This is a man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing
Without a woman or a girl
You see man made the cars
To take us over the road
Man made the train
To carry the heavy load
To carry the heavy load
Police have the same problem.
Man made the electric light
To keep us out of the dark
Man made the boat for the water
Like Noah made the ark
This is a man's, man's, man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing
Without a woman or a girl
And after man's made everything
Everything he can
Do you know that man makes money
Yeah!
To buy from other man
This is a man's world
I don't want to live here
Without a woman or a girl
A man needs a woman
He needs a woman
Woman
He needs a woman
Woman
He needs a woman
You need a woman when you're feeling bad
Woman
You need a woman when you're feeling sad
Woman
You need a woman when
you're feeling glad
Woman
it's the best thing a man ever had
Woman
You need a woman in the morning
Woman
A woman's always right
Woman
You got to have a woman
Woman
Lord, you got to have a woman
Please
Please
Baby, I love you so
Please, please, please, please
Keep your eyes closed, Bobby.
Keep them closed.
- Is you peeking, brother?
- No.
Don't try to look through no cracks.
I know you now.
- You ready?
- Yep.
You ready?
Ta-da!
Ain't that something?
Brother, that is something.
Ain't that something?
JB.
Can you dig that?
Now that's a bird, Bobby Byrd.
Now here they come.
You been crying, boy?
Oh, my word.
What is this?
Boy, what's that shit round your mouth?
All that shit around his mouth,
that's impetigo.
It's highly contagious.
Come here.
Which one of you cats want a
ride to Reno on Daddy's plane?
Me!
I'm just saying, I wouldn't
go too near Teddy.
Not unless you want to catch it.
Thank you, Velma.
I'll consider myself warned.
Warned?
Honey, that's a whole
other conversation.
Welcome to the family, Mrs. Brown.
Thank you, Velma.
You need anything?
I'm putting a big list
together right now.
How you doing, boss?
Mr. Brown?
- Mr. Brown?
- The Journal, Mr. Brown?
Right here in the blue.
Thank you. Hi. Welcome
to Reno, Mr. Brown.
Thank you.
What exactly is the groove?
Well, the groove is something you feel.
The groove is solid.
It don't move.
It's like a heartbeat.
Driving everything inside you.
Hard. Flat.
Can you exactly define it?
I just did, lady.
See, there's some things that
don't fit inside of a magazine.
But you all feel it.
You feel it, Teddy?
Yes, sir.
Okay.
What's your favorite food?
Bobby, tell this pretty
white lady what we eat.
Thank you.
We eat everything.
We do, too.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, little man,
you've been good this year?
Yes, Mr. Brown.
All right, Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
I know you've been good now.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, sweetheart!
You been naughty, you been nice?
- Nice.
- You been nice?
- Merry Christmas.
- Nice. Thank you, Mr. Brown.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, Merry Christmas, now.
All right, move on, sir.
Merry Christmas, man.
All right.
It was a good crowd today, baby.
You want me to make you some dinner?
You gonna stand up in my yard,
dressed like that for every man to see?
Cover yourself.
That mean I got to get that punch.
See? Now, if I do one of these...
Got to give it some heat.
I need that heat!
You see?
I might do it on this side.
See that there?
Heat.
I need that heat.
Mr. Brown, what's it mean when
you lift your shoulders and go...
Mitchell?
Cathy, it appears his hands are tied.
These people are guests at the hotel.
But so are we.
- I know, sweetheart. Let's go.
- I don't understand.
- Sir, we are good people.
- Cathy...
We have paid good money.
We did not drive all the
way down to New Orleans
- to swim in a pool full of niggers!
- Entertainers!
Entertainers.
You looking mighty good there,
Miss Anderson.
You looking mighty good there,
too, Mr. Byrd.
Give me some of that.
You sure you want this, Vicki?
Don't be looking up there at Mr. Brown.
Here.
You keep your eyes focused on me.
Later.
Count on it.
Man, he done called a rehearsal.
When?
Right now.
Oh, shit.
Tell me you kidding.
One! Two!
Hit it!
Quit it!
Clyde, I need that...
From the top!
From the top!
Understand?
It drop before the beat.
You dig it?
Does he mean the top of the bar?
He means on a down beat.
- All right.
- Mr. Brown?
Yes, Maceo.
We rehearsed it just like you told us.
We got it just like you like it.
Jimmy can't play that
with the part he's got.
We can change the part if you like.
Don't change it.
Did I say change the part?
What's wrong?
You lost your soul?
You lost your feeling?
No, sir. I ain't lost no feeling.
James.
Rest of y'all lost your soul?
Come on now, James.
You lost your feeling?
What's going on, Maceo?
- I said what's wrong, sir?
- James.
You got something to say, Mr. Byrd?
'Cause a man got something
to say, he should just say it!
You got something to say?
Well...
No, sir, Mr. Brown.
Well, then you're just holding
up the rehearsal, Mr. Byrd!
I can't have people
holding up the rehearsal!
If I can't do it right,
I ain't gonna do it at all!
We got to get on!
Get ahead!
Now you know the rules.
If you're late, you're off,
or you hold us up,
it's no good, Mr. Byrd.
It's gonna cost you half a yard.
Maceo, I like the part he playing.
I just want it in a different place.
What's this here?
A snare, Mr. Brown.
A snare what?
Drum.
Correct. What's this?
A guitar.
No, it's not.
Pee Wee, what's this?
Drum, Mr. Brown?
Now we getting it!
What's Maceo holding?
A drum, Mr. Brown.
Fellas, what's them shiny things
y'all holding over there?
Drums.
Now we all
got our drums.
Now when you're playing a drum
it don't matter what key you in,
what bar you in,
what planet you on!
But, Mr. Brown.
Clyde'll be in a different time
than the rest of the band.
It doesn't work musically.
How many hit records you got, sir?
Fellas, does it sound good?
- Yeah.
- Does it feel good?
Yeah.
God made your ears.
You didn't make them.
You gonna argue with God's ears?
If it sound good and it feel good,
then it's musical.
So, play it like I say play it.
From the top!
One! Two! One, two!
Hit it!
Now we're talking!
I don't care
About your past
I just want
Our love to last
I don't care, darling
About your faults
I just want
To satisfy your pulse
Oh!
When you kiss me
When you mess me
Hold my hand
Make me understand
I break out
In a cold sweat
Get it
Bobby, James Brown is my meal ticket.
So, I just shut my ears and
chomp down on his bullshit.
But why you soak it up, man?
You his best friend.
You known him a time, brother.
And he treat you like that.
If I was you, I'd bust
him in his damn mouth.
I hang in there
because I remember the day I knew,
knew I was never gonna be in front.
You work so hard at this one thing,
and one day you realize
it ain't supposed to be you.
But James,
he's supposed to be in front.
I saw it happen.
And the man in front
got to be the man in front.
Now it ain't gonna be
pretty all the time,
but it's the man's responsibility
if he want to stay there.
And you and me, we can't know that.
We're not supposed to.
So, don't lie to yourself, Maceo.
Every man in this band walk taller
'cause he with James Brown.
Every man in this band believes
in himself a little more
'cause he with James Brown.
You sure you just ain't too
scared to be in the front?
Open up your ears.
Mine are open.
The man's a genius,
and he's taking us with him.
DeeDee?
DeeDee Brown!
I'm up here, baby.
DeeDee!
Woman, I called you yesterday.
You wasn't home?
I was home all day.
You were home all day?
Why didn't you pick up?
I don't know.
What time did you call?
I called you at 1:00.
And I called you again a quarter after.
I called you again at 2:00,
and then I called you at 3:00.
Well, you must have wanted
to talk to me pretty bad.
Where were ya?
In the bathtub.
For two hours?
You want me to take shorter baths?
We don't have a phone
in the bathroom, James.
Well, damn!
What are you gonna do?
You gonna fine me?
James.
James.
Now we got a phone in the bathroom!
No, I ain't gonna fine you.
You fine enough already.
Then get on up here, Mr. Dynamite.
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Popcorn
Some like 'em fat and some like 'em tall
Some like 'em short
Skinny legs and all
I like 'em all
I like 'em proud
And when they walk
You know they draw a crowd
See
You gotta have a mother for me
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Quit it!
Something missing.
You know, Pee Wee,
why don't you go on up to the
mic and bring that horn box.
That's where you keep the wig, ain't it?
Some like 'em fat
and some like 'em tall
I like 'em proud
And when they walk
They always draw a crowd
See
Hey, you got to have a mother for me
He think he got me down, don't he?
It's Dr. King.
They shot Dr. King.
Dr. Martin Luther King
has been killed by
an assassin's bullet
in Memphis, Tennessee.
I just got off the phone with
the Mayor of Boston's office.
He wanted us to know they're canceling
the show at the Garden tomorrow night.
- What?
- He's worried about rioting.
Tell that man I sold 30 million records
and 95% of 'em was in the black community!
They listen to me!
Politics 101. Don't put
10,000 angry blacks
in one place in the middle of the city
and broadcast it live to the world.
Mr. Mayor, the way I see it,
you already lost your next election.
You lost it at 7:05 p.m., Memphis time.
You're asking me to put the
future of my city in your hands.
And tomorrow night,
you either got 10,000 angry
folk in the Boston Garden
or you got 10,000 angry
folk on your front lawn.
So, all I ask you tonight is this...
To let us look at each other,
here in the Garden and back at home,
and pledge that no matter what
any other community might do,
we, in Boston, will honor
Dr. King in peace.
Thank you.
Before we get into this
next thing, I just want to say
he's a young man, you dig?
He's a young man,
so he's thinking together.
The young man is together.
Give him another round of applause.
Two, three, four...
I got the feelin', baby
Baby, I got the feelin', now
Sometimes I roam
But I'll be coming back home
Sometimes I seem to be fly
You don't know, mama
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Come on
Yeah
All right
Let's go
Get off! Get off the stage!
When you touch me
When you touch me
Good God
Can't stand your love
Can't stand it
Can't stand your love
When you touch me
Good God
You touch me
Can't stand your love
Wait a minute.
Step off Move off
Oh, no.
I'll be fine. I'll be all right.
You wanna dance?
Let him go. Let him go.
You wanna dance?
You dance.
Let him go.
Leave them alone.
Let them go.
I'll be fine.
Hey, wait a minute!
Wait a minute!
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Let me finish the show
for everybody else.
Everybody else want to see the show.
You got to show that you're men,
young men and young ladies.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Ladies and gentlemen!
This is no way! We are black!
We are black!
Let's represent ourselves now!
Go back down.
Y'all go back down.
Nobody else come back up here.
Let's represent ourselves.
No, you make me look bad.
We are black,
don't make us all look bad.
Get on back down, son.
Sir, why are you up here?
You want to see the show, then go
back down, let me do the show.
You ain't doing right by
yourself or me either.
I asked the police to step back
'cause I figure I could get some
respect from my own people!
Don't make no sense.
Now, are we together or we ain't?
Hit that thing, man.
When you touch me
When you touch me
Good God
I can't stand it
I can't stand your love
They got kids out there that can't eat,
robbing and stealing and doing
what they got to do to survive.
And if we don't do something about it,
we gonna lose the country.
I go to Harlem, I talk to Rap Brown,
I talk to the Nation of Islam,
and you white folk tell
me I'm a separatist.
Now we headed to the White House,
and them same brothers
telling me I'm Uncle Tom.
So what I'm supposed to do, Pop?
Write a check to Rap Brown so he
can buy rifles and machine guns
and rally on 125th Street
and take it south?
What it say to you, Pop?
A street kid from Augusta, Georgia,
headed to the White House right now.
It says you're kissing
up to The Man, James.
So, you telling me to turn this plane
around and stand up the President?
No. I'm saying you're
screwed already, man.
Think about it.
You stand up Lyndon Johnson
and go kiss up to the Panthers,
you ain't gonna be playing
in Vegas anytime soon.
Because if they know
you can stop a riot,
they'll sure as hell
expect you to start one.
So here I am, just a sorry soul
brother whining on his private jet.
With a tired, old, lucky Jew.
James, look at me.
Don't you be scared, my friend.
Because if you're scared,
it does not end well for the black man.
Just do your thing, James.
It's worked for you so far.
Make a circle around.
Make a circle around.
Make a circle around.
How y'all doing?
- Great.
- Good.
Good. It's good to have you here.
Now we brought y'all here today
to tell you something very important.
I want you all to know that you
can do anything you want in life.
And let nobody tell you
any different. Understand?
Yes, sir.
I want y'all to repeat after me.
If you want it...
If you want it...
...you got to learn it.
...you got to learn it.
Then you got to build it...
Then you got to build it...
And then we can earn it.
Then we can earn it.
That's the money and
that's the respect now.
Hey, you think if they mess up,
he gonna take their pocket money?
All right, let's make some music.
One, two, three, four.
With your bad self
Say it loud
I'm black and I'm proud
One more time
Say it loud
I'm black and I'm proud
I worked on jobs
With my feet and my hands
But all the work I did
was for the other man
And now we demand a chance
to do things for ourselves
We're tired of beating our
head against the wall
And working 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
James.
You the man, Teddy Brown?
I'm the man, Mr. Brown.
That's right.
Gertrude, the band ready?
They ready,
Mr. Brown.
It don't look like it.
Come on, boy.
Check out how Papa don't take no mess.
Fellas...
Y'all cats act like y'all
don't know what time it is.
You better get them horns
out and them sticks ready.
Or I'll start raining down fines.
I've been elected spokesman
on behalf of the band.
Spokesman? Elected?
We asked to be paid on time.
We haven't been paid in weeks.
We asked to have scheduled days off.
Every day off we get,
you make us rehearse.
We asked to get paid for recordings,
but you just include it in our salary.
Teddy, go on and wait outside.
Yes, sir.
Fellas, I hear ya.
I really do.
And I appreciate your honesty.
Can't be easy. No, sir.
You got your grievances.
You got yourselves to think about.
Hell, you're men!
I dig it.
I don't think you understand,
Mr. Brown, sir.
We know you owe the
government back taxes.
Your restaurant, radio stations,
your recording studios, labels,
all different businesses,
all kind of cash passing between them,
unaccounted for.
It's a mess, Mr. Brown.
And if you want us to be a part of it,
we gonna need our cash, too.
Right now!
And most of all, none of us
wants to be fined for anything,
ever again.
You know what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna think about it.
That's all.
You son of a bitch!
Son, what you say to me?
Fuck you!
You better get on out of here right...
You ain't gonna make
me come out myself!
You better get on out of here right now!
Go! Get the hell out!
Bobby, it's like I always say,
you got to know who you are,
you got to know where
you are in this world.
Five minutes ago, them boys was
the baddest band on the planet!
Now they nothing!
Just a bunch of sidemen with
their hearts beating fast.
I ain't no slave driver. I just
want you to do right by yourself!
Maceo, come in here talking
about my taxes! My taxes!
All I've done for this country and
they come after James Brown! Why?
You can't make everybody happy!
And still stay on top!
Nah.
You don't get it!
They don't get it.
You say "fuck you" to James Brown!
You along for the ride,
long as everything is groovy, but then
you're gonna kick me when I'm down.
Well, you think I'm down!
'Cause James Brown ain't never down!
Nah. You're either on the train or
you off it. Go on, get on out of here.
Get on out of here!
Go on!
You might can catch them.
They're gonna need themselves a singer.
Negro, what makes
you think I'm leaving?
I've been here this long,
and I'm still here.
See, that's the thing about the funk.
The funk don't quit.
Last time I checked.
Because if the funk up
and quit, then that's it.
That's why the funk don't quit.
Are we done, Mr. Byrd?
I'm afraid not, Mr. Brown.
I said, are we done?
I think we still got
more funk in the trunk.
Say, who those kids from Cincinnati?
The Blackenizers.
Who that young cat that play bass?
- Bootsy.
- Bootsy.
Yeah, call him up.
Call him up.
Men gotta work hard if
they want to break ground.
We breaking new ground every day.
My record Live at the Apollo
is the first R&B album in the history
of the world to reach top 10.
Stayed up there for 66 weeks.
Man, that record come across.
I mean, it hit hard!
Slowly but surely, the whole
world knew who we were.
See, in show business there's two parts.
There's a show
and there's a business.
Brothers and sisters,
you better believe I'm both.
- Get up
- Get on up
- Get up
- Get on up
- Stay on the scene
- Get on up
- Like a sex machine
- Get on up
- Get up
- Get on up
- Get up
- Get on up
- Stay on the scene
- Get on up
- Like a sex machine
- Get on up
- Bobby
- Yeah
- You gonna take it to the bridge?
- Take 'em to the bridge
- Take 'em to the bridge
- Take 'em to the bridge
- Take them all the way
- Right on
- To the boogie room
- All the way
- Take 'em all the way
- All the way
Come on
Feel it
it's the way it is
I got mine
Don't worry about his
- Take 'em back
- Right to the top
- Way back
- All the way back
- Way back
- One more time
- Way back
- Yeah
- Get on up
- Get on up
- Get up
- Get on up
- Stay on the scene
- Get on up
- Like a sex machine
- Get on up
Get on up
- Baby
- Get on up
- Come on
- Get on up
- Baby
- Get on up
Get on up
- Come on
- Get on up
Get on up
Get on up
Shake your money maker
Shake your money maker
Shake your money maker
Shake your money maker
Bobby Byrd
Hit it
Watch me
I got it
Watch me
I got it
I got something that
makes me wanna shout
I got that thing
That tells me what it's all about
I've got soul
And I'm super bad
I've got soul
And I'm super bad
Get it
Yeah
Good God
I finally feel
What I wanna do
Set me free
All for you
Feel the beat
Like we can do
- What you need
- Soul power
- We got to have
- Soul power
- We want it
- Soul power
- Give it to me
- Soul power
Get down, down, down, down, down
- Said what we want
- Soul power
- We got to have
- Soul power
- We need
- Soul power
- Give it to me
- Soul power
- Get in the bracket
- Soul power
- You know how I like it
- Soul power
- We got what you need
- Soul power
- Yeah
- Soul power
Come on
We did it, didn't we?
A good show tonight.
You know what I think, James?
Maybe I can play Paris or the Apollo.
How's that?
I'm saying, we put out my next record,
I bet I can fill this place
all by myself. No problem.
Fellas, we're gonna need some privacy.
You can finish it up later.
Thank you, fellas.
Now, what the hell you talking about?
What? You saying I'm slipping?
No, James, I'm not saying you slipping.
You James Brown.
You ain't never slipping.
People copy me,
Mr. Byrd. They copy me.
People gonna copy my moves until
the Earth go dark, you understand?
Now you think people
gonna buy that record,
your record,
like they buy my record?
That's what you saying?
No, James, that's not what I'm saying.
But forget about it, never mind.
Who you been telling this to?
You been saying this to
the people at the Apollo?
No, I ain't been saying it
to the people at the Apollo.
You the only one I told this to.
I ain't said it to
nobody but you, James.
We just talking.
And I thought you'd be cool with that.
I try to produce a record for you,
you let it go to your head.
You go talking big behind my back.
- You go sneaking around.
- I never talk big behind your back.
Making heat on another man's name.
And now we're here,
we're doing something,
and you making plans, sucker?
I ain't never made plans!
And I ain't never talked about you
behind your back! Now, that's it!
I'm ashamed of you, Mr. Byrd.
You ashamed of me?
You ought to be ashamed of you.
Now you're trying to
run around with Vicki.
Don't jive yourself, brother.
Don't jive yourself!
Now, Vicki,
Vicki could fill this place.
That's true, James, she could.
But Vicki ain't yours.
And me and Vicki ain't none
of your damn business.
She could have been my business before.
You stepping too far, James.
You are stepping too far!
I can't do this no more.
You're damn right,
you can't do this no more.
No, I can't do this no more, James!
I can't.
And the funny part...
Funny part is, is you say that like
it's some kind of big thing to me.
Like, "Oh, my God!
"Bobby Byrd gonna leave
James Brown on his own.
"What he gonna do?"
Oh! Oh!
No, the funny thing is, James,
ain't nobody leaving you on your own.
You already on your own.
You always were.
Where you going, Mr. Byrd?
Bobby, I said, where you going?
All right, that's enough.
Thank you, fella.
Thank you, Mr. Brown.
Bobby,
get everybody out of here.
Go wait outside.
Okay. Everybody out!
Everybody out.
You heard the man.
Come on, baby.
Put some pep in your step.
I was on the subway the other day,
and these little boys
sitting over me arguing...
Talking about who's better,
James Brown or Little Willie John.
This little boy,
he got so mad, he said,
"James Brown, ain't nobody
better than James Brown."
He started dancing and carrying on.
I was so proud.
Why tonight?
Why you come here
tonight?
Well, sugar...
I live in Brooklyn,
and my baby playing at the Apollo.
I don't want you to feel proud.
I ain't your sugar. I ain't your baby.
Not then. Not now.
And I don't want you to
tell nobody you my mama
because me and you
know that ain't true.
Well...
Well, I ain't never wanna be no mama.
But you were inside of me,
I carried you,
I had you, so I chose you.
You chose me?
I chose you.
See, I thought about this a lot.
A whole lot.
I know it wasn't personal.
That's why this ain't neither.
I ain't need you.
Turned out fine
because I ain't need you.
I look after James Brown.
Made sure he was okay.
No one else.
No one else helped me.
Well...
You know, I hadn't had nothing
to make no choice with.
I ain't know nothing
about being no wife.
I didn't know nothing
about being no mama.
I didn't know nothing about nothing.
Just country.
All your daddy did was beat on me.
And beat you real bad.
But I loved-ed you, so I stayed.
And I left...
Because I loved you.
And then I was gone.
And I did the best I could.
I did that.
I did.
And I'm ashamed.
And now look at you.
Don't cry now.
Don't do it.
Don't cry. Here.
Clean yourself up.
There ain't nothing to cry about.
I'm James Brown.
James Brown don't need nothing.
James Brown don't need no one.
Now, why are you really here?
What do you really want?
Here.
Here's a hundred dollars.
Sorry, but I'm gonna have
to ask you to leave now.
You're so pretty.
You're so beautiful.
Make sure she's taken care of.
Anything she need.
- James?
- Hey, Velma.
There's been a car accident.
He's gone, James.
Teddy's gone.
You special, boy.
What happened to you?
- You got the spirit in you.
- Play it like I say play it.
I figure I could get some
respect from my own people.
I talk to the Nation of Islam, and you
white folk tell me I'm a separatist.
Do you know what you want?
You special.
What happened to you?
Are we together, or we ain't?
You already on your own.
You ain't gonna make me come out myself!
You better get on out of here right now!
- You miss your mama, boy?
- Play it like I say play it.
I'm not the white devil.
Do as I say, not as I do.
Their needs is what's
going to sell the policy.
Go on now.
You better move on!
- Stop!
- Get out of the way!
Get out of the car!
You ain't got me!
You think you got me?
They ain't got me.
Come on, Brown.
Come on, Brown!
Yeah.
Yeah!
Come on, Brown!
Come on, Brown!
Come on, Brown!
Come on, Brown!
James Brown.
Morning, Mr. Byrd.
Morning, Billy.
Come to shut down that pool.
I got a real algae problem back there.
I'll take a look.
Sure. If you need anything, come inside.
Yes, sir.
James.
What you doing out here
in your pajamas, Mr. Byrd?
I come out to sneak a smoke.
Supposed to quit. Vicki don't know.
I ain't gonna tell it.
I was just passing...
Got a show at the Omni tonight.
Right.
Say, maybe you and Vicki
want to come along.
Got a hot new horn section.
Tight.
We're coming along, Mr. Byrd.
We got plans, James.
Vicki family coming over.
Well, you think about it.
See what Vicki say.
Yeah.
She still in charge.
You're looking well.
You know, I just get
stronger and stronger.
Get better and better every day.
I ain't seen you since...
- Teddy's funeral.
- Right.
Teddy's funeral.
Well, you looking damn good.
I wish you would have called...
We brought him home to Augusta,
though, didn't we, Mr. Byrd?
We brought him on home.
Sent him on to the Lord.
Okay, Mr. Byrd.
Fixed your problem.
I'll be back in the
spring to open her up.
Excuse me, Mr. Brown.
We come a long way,
haven't we, Mr. Byrd?
Got white folk cleaning our pool.
Yeah, we come a long way, James.
You still making the steps?
Here and there.
Maybe you and Vicki got a friend
who could use them.
Good seats, too.
See you around, Mr. Byrd.
How we doing out there, Gertie?
To the rafters, Mr. Brown.
To the rafters.
That's good.
Why don't y'all give me a minute?
James Brown.
James Brown, James Brown,
James Brown, James Brown...
James Brown!
James Brown!
James Brown!
James Brown!
James Brown!
The more you're blessed!
You just gotta have faith!
Faith that moves his hands!
Faith that moves his hands!
James Brown.
James Brown.
James Brown.
Faith that moves his hands!
James Brown.
James Brown.
James Brown. James Brown.
James Brown. James Brown.
James Brown.
The more you give,
the more you're blessed!
You just got to have faith!
And you can move a mountain!
James Brown! James Brown! James Brown!
Can ya hear me?
Can ya hear me?
I paid the cost to be the boss.
James Brown. James Brown.
James Brown. James Brown.
Atlanta, Georgia!
Try me
Try me
Darling, tell me
I need you
Try me
Try me
And your love
Will always be true
Oh
I need you
Sure enough I do
Oh
Walk with me
Talk with me
I want you to stop my
Heart from crying
Oh, now
Walk with me
Talk with me
And your love
Will stop my heart from dying
Oh
I need you
Sure enough I do
I need you
Oh, now
Hold me
Hold me
I want you right here
By my side
Hold me
Hold me
And your love
We won't hide
Oh
I need you
Need you
I'm back
I'm back
I'm back
Get up off of that thing
And dance till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And dance till you
Sing it now
Get up off of that thing
And dance till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And try to release that pressure
Pressure
Get up off of that thing
And shake till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And shake till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And shake till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And try to release that pressure
Hit me
- I love you.
- You special.
Let's represent ourselves, now!
Are we done, Mr. Byrd?
- I'm afraid not, Mr. Brown.
- Get on up here, Mr. Dynamite.
- I'll take you to the money.
- Are we together, or we ain't?
You're so pretty.
Everybody gonna know your name.
- I'm James Brown.
- You're so beautiful.
- James Brown don't need nothing.
- What happened to you?
James Brown don't need no one.
Which brings us on to dental insurance.
Generally speaking...
I'm back!
I'm back!
Get up off of that thing and
dance till you feel better
Get up off of that thing and
dance till you, sing it now!
Get up off of that thing
The law deems it illegal...
And dance till you feel better
Get up off of that thing and
try to release that pressure
Get up off of that thing and
shake till you feel better
But, listen, in my three and a half
years experience in this business...
Get up off!
Good God!
We want to get as many
people on to this...
Everybody ready?
We want to get as many
people on to this...
Follow me!
Want to get that? Good.
All right. So, now, understand that
not everyone has the same kind of needs.
Get up off of that thing...
Mavis.
Mavis!
Mr. Brown, you scared me.
Get up off of that thing and
shake till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
Who in there, Mavis?
I don't know.
If there's anything I want you to take
away from this weekend, let it be this.
They know I own this building.
Ain't got no kind of
business using my bathroom.
Some people may want a high deductible
because they have much more to cover.
But most common folk simply
want the lowest possible plan.
So remember...
Holy shit.
Sit down. Sit down, ma'am.
Sit!
Being a Sunday and all,
I want each and every one of you to
imagine you sitting in church right now.
Now, today's sermon may be good,
but there's something else on your mind.
You realize
you got to take a shit.
Real bad.
And you don't wanna do
it in a church house.
No, sir. So you just sit there.
You think about getting home
to your own toilet and
your own master bath.
What was I talking about?
Oh, yeah.
You got to take a shit.
Now, imagine unhitching your pants.
As you open the door to your
master bath and you see me,
James Brown,
just sitting there, taking a break.
What would you do?
I said, what would you...
Good God.
Tear up the devil.
Gonna have to get that fixed.
Now, I'm a busy man.
And I'm guessing you cats are, too.
But a personal convenience
has been abused here.
Which one of you gentlefolk hung
a number two in my commode?
Was it you, sir?
- Was it you?
- Don't shoot.
I ain't gonna shoot nobody, son!
It was you, wasn't it?
Oh, God.
You took a break in
my bathroom, didn't you?
Yes, you did.
Oh. Now, now, now.
It's gonna be okay.
Gonna be okay.
What's your name?
Shirley Buell.
Shirley Buell. Get on up.
Up.
Sit down. Take your seat.
Shirley Buell,
you had to use the toilet.
You saw an opportunity, and you took it.
I might have got mad,
but you did right by yourself.
I always did right by myself.
I'm James Brown,
and I made a difference.
Y'all cats might not own my records.
But you can bet your bottom dollar,
every record you got,
got a piece of me in them.
Ain't nobody out here today, rapping,
singing, whatever they doing,
ain't been touched by James Brown.
So, Miss Buell,
you did right by yourself.
There ain't no other way to live.
You understand me?
Yes, sir.
Oh, shit, Shirley Buell.
I got to go.
Soul Brother Number 1, James Brown,
the Hardest Working
Man In Show Business,
is embarking on a tour
with a difference.
In association with the USO,
Mr. Brown is performing
a series of shows
for battle-fatigued US
troops across Vietnam.
80% of Ninth Division is brothers.
We been here two years.
What do we get as thanks?
Country music.
Country and...
President Johnson.
I wanna put a bug in your ear.
I wanna go to Vietnam.
I wanna show unity to
the fellas over there,
the beleaguered,
the tired, in the dark.
We got to show awareness.
Mr. President, we got to bring the super
heavy funk to the cats over there.
Captain Jenkins, the James
Brown Orchestra is a 22-piece.
The government, army, powers that be,
say I can only bring six fellas.
What song did he say
we were starting with?
Can't Stand it.
- What?
- Can't Stand it.
You hear that, Mr. Drummer?
What was that?
Are they shooting at us?
Please, Jesus! Please!
Oh, my God.
I ought to be able to bring
as many cats as I want.
We're under attack, Mr. Brown!
Settle down, Captain.
You with me.
James Brown was born dead.
Then I breathed.
God didn't take me then. Sure ain't
gonna call me back right now.
Marva, fellas,
we under attack now.
No shit, Mr. Brown.
Watch that mouth, Maceo.
That's $20 right there.
Mr. Byrd!
Yes, sir, Mr. Brown.
So we gonna begin tonight's
show with I Got The Feelin'.
Well, James started out in Augusta,
and then his family moved to Toccoa.
And that's where we met.
Sound good, Mr. Byrd?
That sound good, Mr. Brown.
Captain Jenkins,
you better put this out!
Great day in the morning!
James Brown!
We're going down!
Everybody brace!
Welcome to Bear Cat, Mr. Brown.
Officer Dooley, USO Liaison.
Can I just say,
I'm a big, big fan of your...
You in charge when Bob
Hope was over, Corporal?
I was.
Mr. Byrd, you think Bob
Hope's plane got shot down?
No, sir, Mr. Brown.
Sorry about the plane trouble.
"Plane trouble"? They tried
to kill James Brown today.
You wanna go down in history as
the man who killed the funk?
About the show, if you could just
keep it to 25, 30 minutes, tops...
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Let me tell you the first
thing about James Brown.
The first thing about James Brown is
James Brown don't tell
no man his business.
He ain't gonna tell you
how to take Pnom Ridge.
He ain't gonna tell you how you
screwed up the Tet Offensive.
I ain't gonna tell you how
to fight your war, Corporal.
So don't tell me when, where,
or for how long I can be funky.
James Brown!
Sorry we're late.
We had a little plane trouble.
You cats ready?
You cats ready?
Hit it, Clyde!
Mama?
Mama?
Mama.
Mom!
I got you. You ain't catch me.
I'm gonna get ya.
Come on.
I won.
Mama, I'm hungry.
You ain't hungry, baby.
You ain't hungry.
That feeling inside your tummy,
that feeling is a spirit inside you.
He in there, tickling you, right now
because you such a good boy.
You ain't hungry.
He in there right now,
trying to make you laugh.
- You a good boy?
- I'm a good boy.
- You a good boy?
- I'm a good boy.
I'm a good boy!
Where you been?
I've been here for nine days
with your child. Where you been?
I've been working turpentine,
baby, been chipping trees.
- And gambling.
- What is this?
Where the money at?
Where the money at?
- What, you think I'm lying?
- You lying!
I ain't lying!
I should have never married you.
Come here. Come here.
Hey, you listen to me.
What I need you to do...
What I need you to do, Susie...
Listen, Susie.
I need you to shut your sweet mouth
and I need you to get
them panties off! Huh?
Come here.
Come here.
I said come here!
Hey!
The money.
And tell me about James' first band,
the Famous Flames.
Well, it started off with five of us.
Sylvester Keels, Baby Roy Scott,
and Nafloyd Scott.
And then they left?
It's my party and I'll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to...
I need to speak with James.
He's resting, Pop.
Gertrude, it's important.
Well, if you insist.
Here we go.
Mr. Brown will see you now, Mr. Bart.
- Gertrude.
- Yes, Mr. Brown.
Didn't I say I didn't
wanna be disturbed?
It's gonna cost you $20.
This better be real, Gertie.
Oh, it's real, Mr. Brown.
James, I just spoke with the producers.
They want the Rolling Stones
to close the show.
Rolling Stones, James.
It will be you, then Rolling
Stones at the top of the bill.
Rolling Stones, huh?
Then why in the world we here, Bobby?
We came to play, James.
You're here because they
want you here, James.
You're James Brown.
I want you here because
this ain't the chitlin' circuit.
We're done with that shit.
We got an audience full
of white faces out there.
You're gonna make them love you,
you're gonna slay them!
You're just not closing the show.
Rolling Stones, huh?
James, James, don't start, please.
I mean, let it go.
This don't matter, James.
Rolling Stones.
We got to go, Gertie.
Rolling Stones ain't even
ever had a hit record here.
Matter of fact,
they ain't even ever played
in America, have they?
Who cares? They're just kids.
In a year, nobody's gonna
know who they are.
They're instant has-beens.
Rolling Stones?
It's just business, James.
When I hit that stage,
you people better be ready.
Especially the white folk.
Yes, sir, Mr. Brown.
And border-to-border...
But where are The Flames?
The Flames are right here, tonight.
James Brown and his Famous Flames!
Got your high-heeled sneakers on
And your slip-in mules
You got your high-heeled sneakers on
And your slip-in mules
All right
You know you're out of sight
You got a shapely figure, mama
Keep it uptight
You got a shapely figure, mama
Keep me uptight
You're too much
You know you're out of sight
You got a sweet disposition
You're always right
You got a sweet disposition
You know you're always right
My heart delights at what you are
You know you're out of sight
You're too much
You're the end, now
You're beautiful, mama
Most of all, you're out of sight
There's no doubt, you're out of sight
Out of sight
Welcome to America.
Here they are, those fine
fellows from England,
the Rolling Stones!
Time is on my side
Yes, it is
See, I can't never quit
when it get hard.
You quit, you're going backwards.
You're going backwards, you're dead.
No, I take it.
And I take it, and I flip it.
I goes forward.
I live.
You leaving,
you take your child with you.
'Cause you his mama.
And I don't need no hungry child!
You keep him and feed him. I can't.
Bye, baby.
You be a good boy.
Yeah, that's right.
That's right. You go try sell
that ass on Twiggs Street!
You could try!
Come on, get outta here.
Come on, baby!
Come on.
I said no.
No!
- No!
- Stop!
I wanna go.
Put him down.
Susie!
Put him down.
Get your ass over here, boy!
Get up in that house now!
Buy yourself a dress.
Maybe I'll come pay you a visit.
No more
My Lord
No more, my Lord
Lord, I'll never
Turn back no more
I have found...
Quit that.
Keep singing.
I said stop.
You didn't hear me?
What'd I say?
No more, my Lord
Boy, come here!
Come here!
Come here to me!
Don't make me come after you!
Boy.
Get your ass back here!
Hey!
Come back here!
Oh, I feel good
I knew that I would, now
I feel good
I knew that I would, now
So good, so good I got you!
I feel nice
Like sugar and spice
I feel nice
Like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice 'cause I got you
Oh, hell, no!
I'm in a honky hoedown.
We gonna have to take this and flip it.
When I hold you in my arms
I know I can do no wrong
When I hold you in my arms
My love can't do me no harm
I feel nice
Like sugar and spice
I feel nice
Like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice
'Cause I got you
I feel good
Like I knew that I would, now
So good, so good
I got you!
Cut!
Wow, James.
You've got some groovy moves, my friend.
Thank you, Mr. Avalon.
Please call me Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown. Yeah.
James, what are you doing?
Get up.
- How many times have I done this split?
- A thousand, maybe two thousand.
Exactly. Now the first and
only time I rip my pants
got to be in front of
all these white folk.
In a white boy sweater.
My bass and my drums spread
all over this cold floor.
Go get me a towel.
Yes, sir, boss.
Boy, pack up. We leaving.
Hurry up!
You miss your mama, boy?
Yes, sir.
We gonna fix that.
Hear?
Yes, sir.
Fannie Lou, you need to
stomp out that cigarette
and go in there and change them sheets.
And I mean change them.
Don't just flip them over.
These men ain't stupid.
Lucille, come wash this dog.
He getting gamey.
Aunt Honey?
Now, Joe, you ain't say
nothing about no donkey.
What the hell am I
supposed to do with that?
Oh, I thought you could sell it.
And it's a mule.
I don't see a mule or
a donkey here, Joe.
It's much appreciated, Honey.
This is mighty kind of you.
Jumping in the army ain't gonna
make this child go away.
Listen, boy.
You look after yourself.
I guess everybody gotta
be somewhere sometime.
What your daddy call you, boy?
Junior.
I guess you gonna be
Little Junior from now on.
Big Junior!
Now, you look it here.
You bring it in,
you and me ain't gonna
have no kind of problems.
Understand?
Yes, ma'am.
Big Junior, show him what to do.
Yes, ma'am.
Come here, jackass.
Come on, Junior, tell 'em!
Pretty girls. Whiskey!
Be louder than that.
Pretty girls! Whiskey!
They ain't paying us no mind.
Come on. Come on.
Come on, fellas.
Come on, fellas.
- Pretty girls, whiskey.
- Pretty girls.
Whiskey this way.
Raise your bet.
Hey.
Come here.
You did all right.
Now, look it here.
Bring me six men tomorrow,
you get the other half.
You got it, Aunt Honey.
Oh, look out now!
Hallelujah!
Who wants the power?
Who want the Holy Ghost?
Say it loud!
The more you give,
the more you're blessed!
The more you give,
the more you're blessed!
If you don't love him like I love him.
The more you're blessed.
You just gotta have faith!
Have faith the size of a mustard
seed and you can move a mountain!
Faith that moves his hands!
Can ya hear me? Can ya hear me?
The more you give,
the more you're blessed!
Move your feet!
Move your feet and let
the Holy Ghost get ya!
Let the Holy Ghost get ya!
God! You gotta love God!
You got to love God!
Do you love him? God!
Give it to Jesus!
Give him the glory!
Say it loud for Jesus.
Louder! Louder! Louder!
Give it to Jesus!
Stop right there, boy!
Hey!
Stop!
I'm 17.
You know what that mean, Big Junior?
Mean they can send my juvenile
behind down for a man's term.
Three, maybe four years.
For robbing a suit?
What about Aunt Honey?
Aunt Honey say she can't
help you right now.
Not this week.
Got money problems.
Sorry.
Sorry?
Big!
Big, don't leave me up in here, man!
Big!
Oh!
Mary, don't you weep
Tell Martha not to moan
Martha, don't you moan
Sweet little Mary
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Tell Martha not to moan
Martha, don't you moan
- Pharaoh's army
- Pharaoh's army
Don't you know that they drowned?
Drowned in the Red Sea
I'm singing, Mary
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Tell Martha not to moan
Martha, don't you moan
Oh, Mary
Oh, Mary, don't you weep
Tell Martha not to moan
Martha, don't you moan
Mary
You eyeballing me, Music Box?
I say, you eyeballing me, Music Box?
Stand on the rock
Where Moses stood
What happened to you?
Somebody threw something.
That's too bad.
Walk in the jungle sometime
you get bit by a snake.
I'll remember that next time
I go walking in the jungle.
Say, what's that song you done?
We only done half of it.
Mary Don't You Weep.
It's a old gospel, man.
You ain't heard it before?
Everybody be doing it.
I ain't heard a thing since
my radio got busted.
Sweet song, though.
- Yeah.
- You made it sound hip.
The crowd sure enough
went crazy, didn't they?
You do music?
The only thing keep me sane in here.
How long you in here for?
Five to 13 years.
Oh, what'd you do?
Rob a suit.
You got five to 13 for robbing a suit?
Next.
That's some time, man.
Tell me about it.
You get parole?
The Board say I got to have a
permanent family address and a job.
See, I don't know no folks around here.
Where your folks at?
My daddy in the army.
My mama,
she left.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Seriously,
you think I sung that good?
Yeah, man.
You got that swing feel.
Hitting it late.
That's what a song need.
You got to fill it with something.
It don't got that feel,
it don't move, it don't move,
it don't move nobody.
If I could
I surely would
Stand on the rock
Where Moses stood
- Pharaoh's army
- Pharaoh's army
The Red Sea
I'm singing, Mary
Mary
Martha, don't you moan
Martha, don't you moan
Bobby, we got us enough mouths to
feed and enough butts to clothe.
Daryl! Sarah!
Get down here!
Mama, he could spend 10 years in there,
just because he ain't got no folks.
He ain't got nobody.
Bobby, the answer is no.
Now, go on upstairs and get cleaned up.
What's that thing you've been
telling me since I was little?
About mercy.
What's your saying, Mama?
That thing you always say?
Like I always say, it's a sin
to stand in mercy's way.
Thank you, Mrs. Byrd.
You're welcome.
So, what you in the pokey for?
Grandpa.
You know how Big Mama would have felt,
you bringing this boy over here.
Big Mama married you.
And you was in the
pokey before, Grandpa.
- Bobby Byrd.
- Mama...
If I'm going to be forced to
have a jailbird in my house,
I at least like to know
what I'm dealing with.
- Grandpa.
- No.
He got a right to ask.
I robbed a man's
three-piece suit.
You want to know me?
I'll tell you.
I'm skinny, but I'm strong.
I can read a little bit
and I like to sing.
You know what I think,
God knew when I took that suit I
was gonna end up here with y'all.
Now I ain't never been at a table with
such a fine group of folk in my life.
And a meal with fried chicken,
green beans, cornbread.
Nice curtains.
House that smells good.
Tell you the truth,
I'm glad I took that suit.
Boy. Pass them beans before you
get your bullshit all over them.
Grandpa.
James is gonna sing with us
at church this Sunday, Sarah.
Really?
Maybe me and you could,
work on a little harmony together.
Nafloyd, you always fall
flat on that second verse.
- Hey, Grandpa.
- Hey, Bobby.
Make y'all selves at home.
There's coffee in the kitchen.
Ma!
James!
James! Come meet the band!
Sarah.
Sarah!
I ain't telling you again.
Get down here.
Ma, she coming.
Mama, she coming.
Can you go and fix the boys something
to eat before we go to church?
Steal away home
Steal away to Jesus
I'm gonna steal away to Jesus
Steal away home
I ain't got long to stay here
- The trumpet sounds within my
- Sounds
- Soul, soul
- Soul, soul
I ain't got long to stay here
No time to waste
I ain't got long to stay here
No time for mistakes
I ain't got long to stay here
That's why I'm gonna steal away
Steal away to Jesus
This ought to fit you.
Ooh, I don't know, James.
This don't look like gospel.
What you talking about, Bobby?
Where I'm standing,
your hair is rising up to the Lord.
Rising up to the Lord like a flame.
The flames of hell.
We're The Gospel Starlighters.
We're a gospel group.
This is R&B hair.
Nafloyd, what you think you're
doing when you sing Caldonia?
We just playing around
when we practicing Caldonia.
That don't make us R&B.
We still gospel.
Good Lord, James.
How long I got to keep this in?
I feel like a flame already.
A-wop-bop a-loo-bop
A wop bam boom
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti
Ooh, tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
A-wop-bop a-loo-bop
A wop bam boom
I got a girl named Sue
She knows just what to do
I got a girl named Sue
She knows just what to do
She rocks to the east
She rocks to the west
But she's the girl that I love best
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti
Ooh, tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
A-wop-bop a-loo-bop
Yeah!
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
Tutti frutti, aw rooty
A-wop-bop a-loo-bop
A wop bam boom
Look at these people, James.
I'm ready.
You know what I mean?
When is it gonna be when we're up there?
We'll be back in 10 to flip you again!
Whoo! Yeah!
Right now.
What?
There's a stage and a piano and
right now ain't nobody on it.
What you talking about?
We can't go up there.
Why not, Nafloyd?
It's like you said, "We just
playing around with Caldonia. "
Let's go play around.
- We on.
- Let's go.
Ladies...
Ladies and gentlemen,
hope you're enjoying the show.
We're The Starlighters...
We're the Famous Flames!
Famous?
Flames?
We're the Famous Flames.
Caldonia!
Caldonia!
What makes your big head so hard?
Walkin' with my baby
She's got great big feet
She's long, lean, and lanky
Ain't got nothing to eat
But she's my baby
and I love her just the same
Crazy 'bout that woman
Because Caldonia is her name
Caldonia, Caldonia
What makes your big head so hard?
Know what? Mama told me
to leave Caldonia alone
Say something's wrong with her
She said,
"Son Keep away from that woman"
Your momma don't know
But Mama didn't know
What Caldonia was putting down
Oh, yeah
Caldonia, Caldonia
What makes your big head so hard?
We the Flames!
We're just keeping it warm for you.
What's your name?
- We're the Famous Flames.
- No. What's your name?
I play a show in Lafayette last week.
Twenty, 30 girls pass clean out.
Need oxygen, James.
I'm killing them!
They should lock me away!
I cut loose and it's
like a spaceship land.
Did I say I got a record out?
They drop it five times a day on WIBB.
Five times a day.
And I'm flipping burgers.
You know why?
Because WIBB antenna reach 60 mile.
Sixty mile, James!
This country is 5,000 miles top-to-toe!
7,000 coast-to-coast.
You catch the wind,
get a hit,
a real hit!
Every inch of that is yours.
How you catch the wind?
- Dottie! Dottie!
- Yeah.
May I borrow your pencil?
You got a hundred bucks?
- No, man.
- Rob a liquor store.
You take a hundred bucks
down to WIBB in Macon.
Ask for Big Sauk.
Say Richard sent you.
You make an acetate.
Ten copies.
You send them to these people.
- It's that easy, why don't you do it?
- Already did.
Baby, this the last time you gonna
see my beautiful ass except on TV.
Six months, the whole
world gonna know me.
I gonna be bigger than Cleopatra!
It's written in the stars,
James. Yes, sir.
I'm gonna have the world on a string.
And that when the trouble start.
And why is that?
That when the Devil come out.
And he ain't gonna be red
with no fiery tail. No.
He gonna be white.
In a fancy suit.
And he gonna look you in your eye
and ask you, "What you want?"
And you best not shake, nor tremble.
You best not blink one eye.
You gonna be ready for him, James?
You got it inside?
You tell me, Richard.
Tell me what you see.
What happened to you?
I know what happened to me, sugar.
What happened to you?
And now, folks,
the Augusta Country Club
is proud to present to y'all
its Annual Charity Extravaganza!
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Battle Royale!
Fight!
Number 2, get up, get up!
What exactly do you call
your style of music?
I call it James Brown Music,
because it's so far ahead of its time.
They ain't got a name for it yet.
Take another record, any record
you got on your box at home.
It ain't gonna sound like mine.
Not even my own old records
sound like this new bag.
It's like the title say,
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.
The funk is in the bag
and the bag is the bass
and the bass never change.
It's a groove.
Soon as you hear that groove,
I know I got ya.
Honey, please
I love you so
Please, please don't go
One more time
Please, please don't go
Please, please don't go
Please, please don't go
Now that was a night.
We sure did kill them, James.
Bobby.
Yeah?
I can't make practice on Thursday,
I'm getting married.
What you talking about?
Who you marrying?
Gal I met after the Stone Mountain show.
Velma.
And what about my sister?
I'll still harmonize with
her from time to time.
This ain't nothing to play with, James.
How you gonna do all this?
Do all what?
Practice, the road, making records.
Starting a family.
I ain't starting nothing.
Except what we doing.
Bobby,
we in there.
All them little grooves.
That's us.
That's all the money we got.
And some we don't.
Yeah, but it's been written.
Now, men gonna lay
with women, that's nature.
But a woman ain't gonna stop a man,
a real man, from doing
what he's supposed to do.
And woman is the glory of man,
but we're the cover for them.
That's God.
Husband, daddy,
that just give us purpose.
Man got to have purpose,
but purpose ain't gonna stop us neither.
Ain't nothing gonna stop us
from what's meant to be.
Nothing.
And that's God, too.
Keep pushing the doggone car.
Man, why don't we just take
a break for a second, man?
- What'd I tell you in Peterstown?
- You said, "Fill her up, Floyd."
That's right. That's what he said.
But I ain't had the
dough to fill her up.
Because Bobby over here done gave James
all the money on some fake records.
Why don't you cool it, Floyd?
I miss you.
Talk to you later. All right, bye.
Our next gig is at the Two Spot,
140 miles west.
We got no gas. No bread.
Am I missing anything?
Velma pregnant.
Congratulations.
So, we gotta make us a business decision.
We got 30 cents.
Question is, do I get a
coffee or do I get a donut?
Knock yourself out.
Hi, honey. Can I get a
coffee and a donut?
You boys from out of town?
Yeah. We musicians.
We the Famous Flames.
More like a flicker.
Baby, all we need is a spark
to keep the lamp down low
till the sun rise up
on us in the morning.
Y'all's broke asses splitting
that donut, ain't you?
Let me go cut it up for you.
Excuse me, ma'am.
I'm looking for some fellas.
Been driving through two
states trying to find them.
They were a no-show last
night at the Tuxedo Room.
Get down.
Have you ever heard
of the Famous Flames?
I ain't supposed to leave Bibb County
without telling my parole officer.
Shit, James. What are we gonna do?
If you can help me out,
I'll make it worth your while.
King Records?
What do you want with them?
King Records?
Excuse me, sir.
I'm Bobby Byrd of the Famous Flames.
I'm Ralph Bass from Federal
Records in Cincinnati.
- Why don't we have a seat?
- Okay.
I heard your acetate.
I want you to come to Cincinnati.
I want you to make a record for King.
King as in King Records?
As in the King Records?
Yeah, you put a lot into that cut.
Those lead vocals.
You got a lot of soul right there.
Oh, that's not me,
that's him, James Brown.
That's you singing?
Yes, sir, that's me.
Oh.
Thank you.
Please, please, please, please
Please, please don't go
Please, please, please
What the hell is this, Ralph?
Where is the rest of the song?
Right there.
Right there? What are you talking about?
He keeps hollering the one word
over and over again! "Please!"
Please, what? Please pay my rent?
What does he want?
Listen, Mr. Nathan. This song is a...
I don't hear any song here, Ralph!
A song has verses.
You know what I mean?
A song has a snappy chorus.
It's not just some unfortunate
nigger just pleading like that!
Where is the song?
Give me the song, Ralph!
It's not about the song!
What?
It's not the song.
You took my love, now you're gone
Please, please don't go
Please, please, please, please, please
Please, please, please, please, please
Please, please don't go
Velma, you gonna smile for me?
There you go.
Teddy Brown.
I love you so!
Please, please don't go
Honey, please don't go
I love you so!
James, I'd like you to meet somebody.
James, this is Ben Bart.
Ben is the President
of Universal Attractions,
New York's biggest booking agency.
Hey, man.
Great show last week over in Jersey!
You blew the roof off the place!
Thank you, sir.
We try real hard to do our best.
Not "we," James.
Not the Famous Flames.
You, James Brown.
- James, what Ben is trying to say...
- I know what Mr. Bart is saying.
I heard him.
Loud and clear.
I see where this thing is going.
Saw it this morning.
Your secretary called,
asked me to come in an hour early.
Alone.
I knew it six months ago.
Hell, I knew it the day I was born.
Okay, fellas, I got
something to show you.
I don't understand.
Is this some sort of... mistake?
"James Brown and his Famous Flames"?
Sir, this ain't right.
We agree.
I believe it should say simply,
"James Brown."
The fact is, gentlemen,
James Brown is a powerhouse talent
who does not need the Famous Flames.
King Records, Universal,
are big companies.
We do not need the Famous Flames.
But James has requested the name
remain in some form or another.
So, you can stay
as salaried employees of James Brown,
working on James Brown's records.
If this is disagreeable to you in
whole or in part, you can go home.
James?
Bobby, it's just a name.
Ain't nothing different between us.
This is for everybody.
It's gonna be good.
James Brown.
I ain't never like you.
Come on.
Let's get out of here.
You wrong, James.
So,
James,
do you know what you want?
I know exactly what I want.
King doesn't do live albums.
They are too expensive. That's it.
But Federal Records can.
- See, Mr. Nathan, I think a live album...
- No, James, you listen to me.
Your audience is Negro.
Negroes don't buy albums.
They don't have the resources.
Especially not for a bunch of
songs which they already got!
Look, it's just
live recording is six, seven times
more expensive than in studio.
And that's just for a
violin concerto at the Met.
Pop, you seen the show.
Mr. Nathan, you ain't even ever
seen the show. Not my show.
I don't need to.
Mr. Nathan, what the hell you doing?
That's the "Mashed Potato."
That ain't nobody's Mashed Potato.
Exactly. I can't do
the Mashed Potato.
That's your job. That's the show.
What I know how to do is the business.
I stick to what I know.
You stick to what you know.
That's the show business.
Syd Nathan wrong.
Book the Apollo.
I'm gonna spend my own money on this.
Forget it. It's too big a risk.
Let's get something to eat.
So I don't understand risk?
No.
I don't understand,
'cause I'm just a show.
That's all I am to you, Pop?
Of course not, James.
Sure it is.
That's all me and my black
brothers are to the white devil.
We the show, and you the money.
And that's how the white
devil keep it all.
I'm just trying to protect you.
And I'm not the white devil.
And don't ever call me that again!
Pop, look me in the eye.
You believe in what we're doing here?
100%, man. You know that.
Then yeah, I am the show.
But if I'm spending my
own money on the show,
I'm gonna be the business, too.
After we slay the Apollo,
I kick over some cash
to the white devil,
whatever I think he deserve.
And, Pop, if I'm paying you,
you gonna help me to do it.
Oi.
Okay. I'll call Nola Sound.
They got these great new
three-track recorders from Ampex.
And I want the best engineer in town.
I don't care what it take.
I don't care what it cost.
And I want everybody in uniform.
The front of house,
the ushers, peanut peddlers.
And I'm gonna be in
a sapphire blue suit.
And I want the rest of the
fellas in purple brocade.
Purple brocade.
Underwear, too.
How's that sound?
James Brown!
We've got the level on his main mic
way up to drown out the crowd!
But he's got to hold back a little
bit during the first number!
You ready, Mr. Byrd?
Yes, sir, Mr. Brown.
James Brown!
I thought I lost someone
But I know where I'm gonna find them
- All aboard?
- Yeah!
- All aboard?
- Yeah!
- All aboard?
- Yeah!
The Night Train.
Here we go, Mr. Byrd!
Miami, Florida
Atlanta, Georgia
Raleigh, North Carolina
Washington D. C.
And Richmond, Virginia too
Baltimore, Maryland
Philadelphia
New York City
Take it home
Boston, Massachusetts
And don't forget New Orleans
The home of the blues
Night train
Carry me home
Are you ready for the night train?
Are you ready for the night train?
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
- Night
Now, we're gonna celebrate tonight.
We're gonna do it again tomorrow.
Go on and take it.
I got other vices.
James.
Get you a glass, Bobby.
James? Mr. Brown.
Go on over there now.
There's a woman here now
who say she your mama.
It's right down there.
We got pretty girls and sweet whiskey.
Y'all got y'all's money?
We got our money right here.
Mama?
Mama?
Mama.
Mama, it's me.
You know this little nigger?
Your mama's a
no-account fool, Little Junior.
Daddy, too.
But you ain't gonna be.
You gonna be okay.
It was determined before you were born.
Little Junior, you were born dead.
Did you know that?
When your great-aunt pulled you
into this world, you had gone cold.
She slapped your behind hard,
but you wouldn't take air.
Then she breathed in you one last time
and you got warm and you screamed.
Screamed so loud we heard you all
the way over here in Augusta.
You special, boy.
You got the spirit in you.
And that spirit told me
you gonna be a rich man, Little Junior.
He spoke to me and said
one day, everybody
gonna know your name.
And ain't nothing,
nothing can touch you.
Look at that. You gonna love this place.
Oh, I had a big breakfast.
Look, Jimmy, I got
something to show you.
You got something to show me?
Compliments of Universal Attractions.
This for me?
Lookie here. Lookie here.
And we got us a chauffeur?
Yes, sir, Mr. Brown.
Give me the keys.
How much they paying you, fella?
About $600 a month, sir.
$600?
This here gonna cover you until
you get yourself a new job.
I'm gonna drive myself.
Thank you, Mr. Brown.
Don't mention it.
That's $600 a month
going somewhere else.
I hope the car is acceptable.
Oh, no, we could work with it.
- But you gonna like this catfish.
- I'm stuffed.
Nah, I don't want to hear it!
See, Pop...
- I've been meaning to ask you something.
- What's that, Jimmy?
I only got a seventh grade education,
so you gonna have to excuse me.
I'm looking through the figures
there and it occurred to me
we don't pay the promoter,
the promoter pay us.
Let me explain how it works.
When we book a show. Chicago.
Our promoter in Chicago
there is Lenny J. Frank.
Now, Lenny J. Frank
has been the top
promoter in Chicago
for the past 20 years.
What if we take the gate?
What if we take it ourself?
And still get the show promoted,
but better.
See, Pop,
we go to the radio station.
I understand your frustration, Jimmy,
but you're entering a game here
where the rules are already set.
Say you're a ball player.
You walk on the field.
You can't change how many
innings are being played.
That's American baseball.
I mean, you know, it's like golf.
I mean, you gonna play 18 holes,
scored a certain way.
That's the way the scoring is.
That's the system.
It's like you're in a sand trap, right?
What do you wanna do?
Use a putter in a sand trap?
Can't do it.
Can't do it.
You get my point, right?
Okay, listen up, people.
We go up to the young cats.
The hungry cats.
The late-night cats.
The 20-year-old white DJ
from Richmond, Virginia,
who ain't getting paid nothing.
He only doing it 'cause he love the music.
We go to him, and we ask him
if he want to be the sole James Brown
promoter for the Richmond show.
For a percentage.
He gonna say...
Are you kidding me?
Do you know how much they pay me?
Between nothing and $50 a week.
But he love my music.
Oh, he dig himself some James Brown.
And he got a microphone and a turntable
and four hours of airtime to kill.
Screw payola.
See?
This is Alan Leeds coming back at ya.
Now with his new hit Papa's
Got a Brand New Bag,
it's James Brown.
And at the end he gonna say...
And make sure you catch James Brown
at the arena in Richmond this Tuesday.
And see, 'cause he young, he 20.
And he got strong legs
and he know everybody.
He know the cats at the pool hall.
He know the guy at the barber shop.
He know the fella down
at the garage. See, Pop,
that's how we get our record
played outside payola.
That's how we get our show promoted
better, harder, stronger.
Oh, and, Pop,
that's how we keeps the gate.
You see, the best part is you can
put it all through the system.
Item. Promoter.
Pop, if the show sell, and it's selling,
we talking about thousands
of dollars a night.
Difference per year between
two and three million dollars.
And I'm out of a job.
You forget I don't only
work for James Brown.
Yeah, that's my next point.
Why not?
See, Pop, I can do something for ya,
and you can do something for me,
and it ain't buy me no Cadillac.
You buy Wilson Pickett a Cadillac?
Come on, Pop, you see where
this thing is going.
I got other people
around me don't see it.
Go on and taste the fish, Pop.
- Now you gonna need some hot sauce.
- No, can't have that.
Hey, you gonna need some.
Who's this?
Man, James gonna wear that seat out.
Which seat?
Hers or the bus?
Oh.
I'm Yvonne Fair. I'm a singer.
Let me worry about my own seat.
This is a man's world
This is a man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing
Without a woman or a girl
You see man made the cars
To take us over the road
Man made the train
To carry the heavy load
To carry the heavy load
Police have the same problem.
Man made the electric light
To keep us out of the dark
Man made the boat for the water
Like Noah made the ark
This is a man's, man's, man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing
Without a woman or a girl
And after man's made everything
Everything he can
Do you know that man makes money
Yeah!
To buy from other man
This is a man's world
I don't want to live here
Without a woman or a girl
A man needs a woman
He needs a woman
Woman
He needs a woman
Woman
He needs a woman
You need a woman when you're feeling bad
Woman
You need a woman when you're feeling sad
Woman
You need a woman when
you're feeling glad
Woman
it's the best thing a man ever had
Woman
You need a woman in the morning
Woman
A woman's always right
Woman
You got to have a woman
Woman
Lord, you got to have a woman
Please
Please
Baby, I love you so
Please, please, please, please
Keep your eyes closed, Bobby.
Keep them closed.
- Is you peeking, brother?
- No.
Don't try to look through no cracks.
I know you now.
- You ready?
- Yep.
You ready?
Ta-da!
Ain't that something?
Brother, that is something.
Ain't that something?
JB.
Can you dig that?
Now that's a bird, Bobby Byrd.
Now here they come.
You been crying, boy?
Oh, my word.
What is this?
Boy, what's that shit round your mouth?
All that shit around his mouth,
that's impetigo.
It's highly contagious.
Come here.
Which one of you cats want a
ride to Reno on Daddy's plane?
Me!
I'm just saying, I wouldn't
go too near Teddy.
Not unless you want to catch it.
Thank you, Velma.
I'll consider myself warned.
Warned?
Honey, that's a whole
other conversation.
Welcome to the family, Mrs. Brown.
Thank you, Velma.
You need anything?
I'm putting a big list
together right now.
How you doing, boss?
Mr. Brown?
- Mr. Brown?
- The Journal, Mr. Brown?
Right here in the blue.
Thank you. Hi. Welcome
to Reno, Mr. Brown.
Thank you.
What exactly is the groove?
Well, the groove is something you feel.
The groove is solid.
It don't move.
It's like a heartbeat.
Driving everything inside you.
Hard. Flat.
Can you exactly define it?
I just did, lady.
See, there's some things that
don't fit inside of a magazine.
But you all feel it.
You feel it, Teddy?
Yes, sir.
Okay.
What's your favorite food?
Bobby, tell this pretty
white lady what we eat.
Thank you.
We eat everything.
We do, too.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, little man,
you've been good this year?
Yes, Mr. Brown.
All right, Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
I know you've been good now.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, sweetheart!
You been naughty, you been nice?
- Nice.
- You been nice?
- Merry Christmas.
- Nice. Thank you, Mr. Brown.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, Merry Christmas, now.
All right, move on, sir.
Merry Christmas, man.
All right.
It was a good crowd today, baby.
You want me to make you some dinner?
You gonna stand up in my yard,
dressed like that for every man to see?
Cover yourself.
That mean I got to get that punch.
See? Now, if I do one of these...
Got to give it some heat.
I need that heat!
You see?
I might do it on this side.
See that there?
Heat.
I need that heat.
Mr. Brown, what's it mean when
you lift your shoulders and go...
Mitchell?
Cathy, it appears his hands are tied.
These people are guests at the hotel.
But so are we.
- I know, sweetheart. Let's go.
- I don't understand.
- Sir, we are good people.
- Cathy...
We have paid good money.
We did not drive all the
way down to New Orleans
- to swim in a pool full of niggers!
- Entertainers!
Entertainers.
You looking mighty good there,
Miss Anderson.
You looking mighty good there,
too, Mr. Byrd.
Give me some of that.
You sure you want this, Vicki?
Don't be looking up there at Mr. Brown.
Here.
You keep your eyes focused on me.
Later.
Count on it.
Man, he done called a rehearsal.
When?
Right now.
Oh, shit.
Tell me you kidding.
One! Two!
Hit it!
Quit it!
Clyde, I need that...
From the top!
From the top!
Understand?
It drop before the beat.
You dig it?
Does he mean the top of the bar?
He means on a down beat.
- All right.
- Mr. Brown?
Yes, Maceo.
We rehearsed it just like you told us.
We got it just like you like it.
Jimmy can't play that
with the part he's got.
We can change the part if you like.
Don't change it.
Did I say change the part?
What's wrong?
You lost your soul?
You lost your feeling?
No, sir. I ain't lost no feeling.
James.
Rest of y'all lost your soul?
Come on now, James.
You lost your feeling?
What's going on, Maceo?
- I said what's wrong, sir?
- James.
You got something to say, Mr. Byrd?
'Cause a man got something
to say, he should just say it!
You got something to say?
Well...
No, sir, Mr. Brown.
Well, then you're just holding
up the rehearsal, Mr. Byrd!
I can't have people
holding up the rehearsal!
If I can't do it right,
I ain't gonna do it at all!
We got to get on!
Get ahead!
Now you know the rules.
If you're late, you're off,
or you hold us up,
it's no good, Mr. Byrd.
It's gonna cost you half a yard.
Maceo, I like the part he playing.
I just want it in a different place.
What's this here?
A snare, Mr. Brown.
A snare what?
Drum.
Correct. What's this?
A guitar.
No, it's not.
Pee Wee, what's this?
Drum, Mr. Brown?
Now we getting it!
What's Maceo holding?
A drum, Mr. Brown.
Fellas, what's them shiny things
y'all holding over there?
Drums.
Now we all
got our drums.
Now when you're playing a drum
it don't matter what key you in,
what bar you in,
what planet you on!
But, Mr. Brown.
Clyde'll be in a different time
than the rest of the band.
It doesn't work musically.
How many hit records you got, sir?
Fellas, does it sound good?
- Yeah.
- Does it feel good?
Yeah.
God made your ears.
You didn't make them.
You gonna argue with God's ears?
If it sound good and it feel good,
then it's musical.
So, play it like I say play it.
From the top!
One! Two! One, two!
Hit it!
Now we're talking!
I don't care
About your past
I just want
Our love to last
I don't care, darling
About your faults
I just want
To satisfy your pulse
Oh!
When you kiss me
When you mess me
Hold my hand
Make me understand
I break out
In a cold sweat
Get it
Bobby, James Brown is my meal ticket.
So, I just shut my ears and
chomp down on his bullshit.
But why you soak it up, man?
You his best friend.
You known him a time, brother.
And he treat you like that.
If I was you, I'd bust
him in his damn mouth.
I hang in there
because I remember the day I knew,
knew I was never gonna be in front.
You work so hard at this one thing,
and one day you realize
it ain't supposed to be you.
But James,
he's supposed to be in front.
I saw it happen.
And the man in front
got to be the man in front.
Now it ain't gonna be
pretty all the time,
but it's the man's responsibility
if he want to stay there.
And you and me, we can't know that.
We're not supposed to.
So, don't lie to yourself, Maceo.
Every man in this band walk taller
'cause he with James Brown.
Every man in this band believes
in himself a little more
'cause he with James Brown.
You sure you just ain't too
scared to be in the front?
Open up your ears.
Mine are open.
The man's a genius,
and he's taking us with him.
DeeDee?
DeeDee Brown!
I'm up here, baby.
DeeDee!
Woman, I called you yesterday.
You wasn't home?
I was home all day.
You were home all day?
Why didn't you pick up?
I don't know.
What time did you call?
I called you at 1:00.
And I called you again a quarter after.
I called you again at 2:00,
and then I called you at 3:00.
Well, you must have wanted
to talk to me pretty bad.
Where were ya?
In the bathtub.
For two hours?
You want me to take shorter baths?
We don't have a phone
in the bathroom, James.
Well, damn!
What are you gonna do?
You gonna fine me?
James.
James.
Now we got a phone in the bathroom!
No, I ain't gonna fine you.
You fine enough already.
Then get on up here, Mr. Dynamite.
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Popcorn
Some like 'em fat and some like 'em tall
Some like 'em short
Skinny legs and all
I like 'em all
I like 'em proud
And when they walk
You know they draw a crowd
See
You gotta have a mother for me
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Quit it!
Something missing.
You know, Pee Wee,
why don't you go on up to the
mic and bring that horn box.
That's where you keep the wig, ain't it?
Some like 'em fat
and some like 'em tall
I like 'em proud
And when they walk
They always draw a crowd
See
Hey, you got to have a mother for me
He think he got me down, don't he?
It's Dr. King.
They shot Dr. King.
Dr. Martin Luther King
has been killed by
an assassin's bullet
in Memphis, Tennessee.
I just got off the phone with
the Mayor of Boston's office.
He wanted us to know they're canceling
the show at the Garden tomorrow night.
- What?
- He's worried about rioting.
Tell that man I sold 30 million records
and 95% of 'em was in the black community!
They listen to me!
Politics 101. Don't put
10,000 angry blacks
in one place in the middle of the city
and broadcast it live to the world.
Mr. Mayor, the way I see it,
you already lost your next election.
You lost it at 7:05 p.m., Memphis time.
You're asking me to put the
future of my city in your hands.
And tomorrow night,
you either got 10,000 angry
folk in the Boston Garden
or you got 10,000 angry
folk on your front lawn.
So, all I ask you tonight is this...
To let us look at each other,
here in the Garden and back at home,
and pledge that no matter what
any other community might do,
we, in Boston, will honor
Dr. King in peace.
Thank you.
Before we get into this
next thing, I just want to say
he's a young man, you dig?
He's a young man,
so he's thinking together.
The young man is together.
Give him another round of applause.
Two, three, four...
I got the feelin', baby
Baby, I got the feelin', now
Sometimes I roam
But I'll be coming back home
Sometimes I seem to be fly
You don't know, mama
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Come on
Yeah
All right
Let's go
Get off! Get off the stage!
When you touch me
When you touch me
Good God
Can't stand your love
Can't stand it
Can't stand your love
When you touch me
Good God
You touch me
Can't stand your love
Wait a minute.
Step off Move off
Oh, no.
I'll be fine. I'll be all right.
You wanna dance?
Let him go. Let him go.
You wanna dance?
You dance.
Let him go.
Leave them alone.
Let them go.
I'll be fine.
Hey, wait a minute!
Wait a minute!
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Let me finish the show
for everybody else.
Everybody else want to see the show.
You got to show that you're men,
young men and young ladies.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Ladies and gentlemen!
This is no way! We are black!
We are black!
Let's represent ourselves now!
Go back down.
Y'all go back down.
Nobody else come back up here.
Let's represent ourselves.
No, you make me look bad.
We are black,
don't make us all look bad.
Get on back down, son.
Sir, why are you up here?
You want to see the show, then go
back down, let me do the show.
You ain't doing right by
yourself or me either.
I asked the police to step back
'cause I figure I could get some
respect from my own people!
Don't make no sense.
Now, are we together or we ain't?
Hit that thing, man.
When you touch me
When you touch me
Good God
I can't stand it
I can't stand your love
They got kids out there that can't eat,
robbing and stealing and doing
what they got to do to survive.
And if we don't do something about it,
we gonna lose the country.
I go to Harlem, I talk to Rap Brown,
I talk to the Nation of Islam,
and you white folk tell
me I'm a separatist.
Now we headed to the White House,
and them same brothers
telling me I'm Uncle Tom.
So what I'm supposed to do, Pop?
Write a check to Rap Brown so he
can buy rifles and machine guns
and rally on 125th Street
and take it south?
What it say to you, Pop?
A street kid from Augusta, Georgia,
headed to the White House right now.
It says you're kissing
up to The Man, James.
So, you telling me to turn this plane
around and stand up the President?
No. I'm saying you're
screwed already, man.
Think about it.
You stand up Lyndon Johnson
and go kiss up to the Panthers,
you ain't gonna be playing
in Vegas anytime soon.
Because if they know
you can stop a riot,
they'll sure as hell
expect you to start one.
So here I am, just a sorry soul
brother whining on his private jet.
With a tired, old, lucky Jew.
James, look at me.
Don't you be scared, my friend.
Because if you're scared,
it does not end well for the black man.
Just do your thing, James.
It's worked for you so far.
Make a circle around.
Make a circle around.
Make a circle around.
How y'all doing?
- Great.
- Good.
Good. It's good to have you here.
Now we brought y'all here today
to tell you something very important.
I want you all to know that you
can do anything you want in life.
And let nobody tell you
any different. Understand?
Yes, sir.
I want y'all to repeat after me.
If you want it...
If you want it...
...you got to learn it.
...you got to learn it.
Then you got to build it...
Then you got to build it...
And then we can earn it.
Then we can earn it.
That's the money and
that's the respect now.
Hey, you think if they mess up,
he gonna take their pocket money?
All right, let's make some music.
One, two, three, four.
With your bad self
Say it loud
I'm black and I'm proud
One more time
Say it loud
I'm black and I'm proud
I worked on jobs
With my feet and my hands
But all the work I did
was for the other man
And now we demand a chance
to do things for ourselves
We're tired of beating our
head against the wall
And working 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
James.
You the man, Teddy Brown?
I'm the man, Mr. Brown.
That's right.
Gertrude, the band ready?
They ready,
Mr. Brown.
It don't look like it.
Come on, boy.
Check out how Papa don't take no mess.
Fellas...
Y'all cats act like y'all
don't know what time it is.
You better get them horns
out and them sticks ready.
Or I'll start raining down fines.
I've been elected spokesman
on behalf of the band.
Spokesman? Elected?
We asked to be paid on time.
We haven't been paid in weeks.
We asked to have scheduled days off.
Every day off we get,
you make us rehearse.
We asked to get paid for recordings,
but you just include it in our salary.
Teddy, go on and wait outside.
Yes, sir.
Fellas, I hear ya.
I really do.
And I appreciate your honesty.
Can't be easy. No, sir.
You got your grievances.
You got yourselves to think about.
Hell, you're men!
I dig it.
I don't think you understand,
Mr. Brown, sir.
We know you owe the
government back taxes.
Your restaurant, radio stations,
your recording studios, labels,
all different businesses,
all kind of cash passing between them,
unaccounted for.
It's a mess, Mr. Brown.
And if you want us to be a part of it,
we gonna need our cash, too.
Right now!
And most of all, none of us
wants to be fined for anything,
ever again.
You know what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna think about it.
That's all.
You son of a bitch!
Son, what you say to me?
Fuck you!
You better get on out of here right...
You ain't gonna make
me come out myself!
You better get on out of here right now!
Go! Get the hell out!
Bobby, it's like I always say,
you got to know who you are,
you got to know where
you are in this world.
Five minutes ago, them boys was
the baddest band on the planet!
Now they nothing!
Just a bunch of sidemen with
their hearts beating fast.
I ain't no slave driver. I just
want you to do right by yourself!
Maceo, come in here talking
about my taxes! My taxes!
All I've done for this country and
they come after James Brown! Why?
You can't make everybody happy!
And still stay on top!
Nah.
You don't get it!
They don't get it.
You say "fuck you" to James Brown!
You along for the ride,
long as everything is groovy, but then
you're gonna kick me when I'm down.
Well, you think I'm down!
'Cause James Brown ain't never down!
Nah. You're either on the train or
you off it. Go on, get on out of here.
Get on out of here!
Go on!
You might can catch them.
They're gonna need themselves a singer.
Negro, what makes
you think I'm leaving?
I've been here this long,
and I'm still here.
See, that's the thing about the funk.
The funk don't quit.
Last time I checked.
Because if the funk up
and quit, then that's it.
That's why the funk don't quit.
Are we done, Mr. Byrd?
I'm afraid not, Mr. Brown.
I said, are we done?
I think we still got
more funk in the trunk.
Say, who those kids from Cincinnati?
The Blackenizers.
Who that young cat that play bass?
- Bootsy.
- Bootsy.
Yeah, call him up.
Call him up.
Men gotta work hard if
they want to break ground.
We breaking new ground every day.
My record Live at the Apollo
is the first R&B album in the history
of the world to reach top 10.
Stayed up there for 66 weeks.
Man, that record come across.
I mean, it hit hard!
Slowly but surely, the whole
world knew who we were.
See, in show business there's two parts.
There's a show
and there's a business.
Brothers and sisters,
you better believe I'm both.
- Get up
- Get on up
- Get up
- Get on up
- Stay on the scene
- Get on up
- Like a sex machine
- Get on up
- Get up
- Get on up
- Get up
- Get on up
- Stay on the scene
- Get on up
- Like a sex machine
- Get on up
- Bobby
- Yeah
- You gonna take it to the bridge?
- Take 'em to the bridge
- Take 'em to the bridge
- Take 'em to the bridge
- Take them all the way
- Right on
- To the boogie room
- All the way
- Take 'em all the way
- All the way
Come on
Feel it
it's the way it is
I got mine
Don't worry about his
- Take 'em back
- Right to the top
- Way back
- All the way back
- Way back
- One more time
- Way back
- Yeah
- Get on up
- Get on up
- Get up
- Get on up
- Stay on the scene
- Get on up
- Like a sex machine
- Get on up
Get on up
- Baby
- Get on up
- Come on
- Get on up
- Baby
- Get on up
Get on up
- Come on
- Get on up
Get on up
Get on up
Shake your money maker
Shake your money maker
Shake your money maker
Shake your money maker
Bobby Byrd
Hit it
Watch me
I got it
Watch me
I got it
I got something that
makes me wanna shout
I got that thing
That tells me what it's all about
I've got soul
And I'm super bad
I've got soul
And I'm super bad
Get it
Yeah
Good God
I finally feel
What I wanna do
Set me free
All for you
Feel the beat
Like we can do
- What you need
- Soul power
- We got to have
- Soul power
- We want it
- Soul power
- Give it to me
- Soul power
Get down, down, down, down, down
- Said what we want
- Soul power
- We got to have
- Soul power
- We need
- Soul power
- Give it to me
- Soul power
- Get in the bracket
- Soul power
- You know how I like it
- Soul power
- We got what you need
- Soul power
- Yeah
- Soul power
Come on
We did it, didn't we?
A good show tonight.
You know what I think, James?
Maybe I can play Paris or the Apollo.
How's that?
I'm saying, we put out my next record,
I bet I can fill this place
all by myself. No problem.
Fellas, we're gonna need some privacy.
You can finish it up later.
Thank you, fellas.
Now, what the hell you talking about?
What? You saying I'm slipping?
No, James, I'm not saying you slipping.
You James Brown.
You ain't never slipping.
People copy me,
Mr. Byrd. They copy me.
People gonna copy my moves until
the Earth go dark, you understand?
Now you think people
gonna buy that record,
your record,
like they buy my record?
That's what you saying?
No, James, that's not what I'm saying.
But forget about it, never mind.
Who you been telling this to?
You been saying this to
the people at the Apollo?
No, I ain't been saying it
to the people at the Apollo.
You the only one I told this to.
I ain't said it to
nobody but you, James.
We just talking.
And I thought you'd be cool with that.
I try to produce a record for you,
you let it go to your head.
You go talking big behind my back.
- You go sneaking around.
- I never talk big behind your back.
Making heat on another man's name.
And now we're here,
we're doing something,
and you making plans, sucker?
I ain't never made plans!
And I ain't never talked about you
behind your back! Now, that's it!
I'm ashamed of you, Mr. Byrd.
You ashamed of me?
You ought to be ashamed of you.
Now you're trying to
run around with Vicki.
Don't jive yourself, brother.
Don't jive yourself!
Now, Vicki,
Vicki could fill this place.
That's true, James, she could.
But Vicki ain't yours.
And me and Vicki ain't none
of your damn business.
She could have been my business before.
You stepping too far, James.
You are stepping too far!
I can't do this no more.
You're damn right,
you can't do this no more.
No, I can't do this no more, James!
I can't.
And the funny part...
Funny part is, is you say that like
it's some kind of big thing to me.
Like, "Oh, my God!
"Bobby Byrd gonna leave
James Brown on his own.
"What he gonna do?"
Oh! Oh!
No, the funny thing is, James,
ain't nobody leaving you on your own.
You already on your own.
You always were.
Where you going, Mr. Byrd?
Bobby, I said, where you going?
All right, that's enough.
Thank you, fella.
Thank you, Mr. Brown.
Bobby,
get everybody out of here.
Go wait outside.
Okay. Everybody out!
Everybody out.
You heard the man.
Come on, baby.
Put some pep in your step.
I was on the subway the other day,
and these little boys
sitting over me arguing...
Talking about who's better,
James Brown or Little Willie John.
This little boy,
he got so mad, he said,
"James Brown, ain't nobody
better than James Brown."
He started dancing and carrying on.
I was so proud.
Why tonight?
Why you come here
tonight?
Well, sugar...
I live in Brooklyn,
and my baby playing at the Apollo.
I don't want you to feel proud.
I ain't your sugar. I ain't your baby.
Not then. Not now.
And I don't want you to
tell nobody you my mama
because me and you
know that ain't true.
Well...
Well, I ain't never wanna be no mama.
But you were inside of me,
I carried you,
I had you, so I chose you.
You chose me?
I chose you.
See, I thought about this a lot.
A whole lot.
I know it wasn't personal.
That's why this ain't neither.
I ain't need you.
Turned out fine
because I ain't need you.
I look after James Brown.
Made sure he was okay.
No one else.
No one else helped me.
Well...
You know, I hadn't had nothing
to make no choice with.
I ain't know nothing
about being no wife.
I didn't know nothing
about being no mama.
I didn't know nothing about nothing.
Just country.
All your daddy did was beat on me.
And beat you real bad.
But I loved-ed you, so I stayed.
And I left...
Because I loved you.
And then I was gone.
And I did the best I could.
I did that.
I did.
And I'm ashamed.
And now look at you.
Don't cry now.
Don't do it.
Don't cry. Here.
Clean yourself up.
There ain't nothing to cry about.
I'm James Brown.
James Brown don't need nothing.
James Brown don't need no one.
Now, why are you really here?
What do you really want?
Here.
Here's a hundred dollars.
Sorry, but I'm gonna have
to ask you to leave now.
You're so pretty.
You're so beautiful.
Make sure she's taken care of.
Anything she need.
- James?
- Hey, Velma.
There's been a car accident.
He's gone, James.
Teddy's gone.
You special, boy.
What happened to you?
- You got the spirit in you.
- Play it like I say play it.
I figure I could get some
respect from my own people.
I talk to the Nation of Islam, and you
white folk tell me I'm a separatist.
Do you know what you want?
You special.
What happened to you?
Are we together, or we ain't?
You already on your own.
You ain't gonna make me come out myself!
You better get on out of here right now!
- You miss your mama, boy?
- Play it like I say play it.
I'm not the white devil.
Do as I say, not as I do.
Their needs is what's
going to sell the policy.
Go on now.
You better move on!
- Stop!
- Get out of the way!
Get out of the car!
You ain't got me!
You think you got me?
They ain't got me.
Come on, Brown.
Come on, Brown!
Yeah.
Yeah!
Come on, Brown!
Come on, Brown!
Come on, Brown!
Come on, Brown!
James Brown.
Morning, Mr. Byrd.
Morning, Billy.
Come to shut down that pool.
I got a real algae problem back there.
I'll take a look.
Sure. If you need anything, come inside.
Yes, sir.
James.
What you doing out here
in your pajamas, Mr. Byrd?
I come out to sneak a smoke.
Supposed to quit. Vicki don't know.
I ain't gonna tell it.
I was just passing...
Got a show at the Omni tonight.
Right.
Say, maybe you and Vicki
want to come along.
Got a hot new horn section.
Tight.
We're coming along, Mr. Byrd.
We got plans, James.
Vicki family coming over.
Well, you think about it.
See what Vicki say.
Yeah.
She still in charge.
You're looking well.
You know, I just get
stronger and stronger.
Get better and better every day.
I ain't seen you since...
- Teddy's funeral.
- Right.
Teddy's funeral.
Well, you looking damn good.
I wish you would have called...
We brought him home to Augusta,
though, didn't we, Mr. Byrd?
We brought him on home.
Sent him on to the Lord.
Okay, Mr. Byrd.
Fixed your problem.
I'll be back in the
spring to open her up.
Excuse me, Mr. Brown.
We come a long way,
haven't we, Mr. Byrd?
Got white folk cleaning our pool.
Yeah, we come a long way, James.
You still making the steps?
Here and there.
Maybe you and Vicki got a friend
who could use them.
Good seats, too.
See you around, Mr. Byrd.
How we doing out there, Gertie?
To the rafters, Mr. Brown.
To the rafters.
That's good.
Why don't y'all give me a minute?
James Brown.
James Brown, James Brown,
James Brown, James Brown...
James Brown!
James Brown!
James Brown!
James Brown!
James Brown!
The more you're blessed!
You just gotta have faith!
Faith that moves his hands!
Faith that moves his hands!
James Brown.
James Brown.
James Brown.
Faith that moves his hands!
James Brown.
James Brown.
James Brown. James Brown.
James Brown. James Brown.
James Brown.
The more you give,
the more you're blessed!
You just got to have faith!
And you can move a mountain!
James Brown! James Brown! James Brown!
Can ya hear me?
Can ya hear me?
I paid the cost to be the boss.
James Brown. James Brown.
James Brown. James Brown.
Atlanta, Georgia!
Try me
Try me
Darling, tell me
I need you
Try me
Try me
And your love
Will always be true
Oh
I need you
Sure enough I do
Oh
Walk with me
Talk with me
I want you to stop my
Heart from crying
Oh, now
Walk with me
Talk with me
And your love
Will stop my heart from dying
Oh
I need you
Sure enough I do
I need you
Oh, now
Hold me
Hold me
I want you right here
By my side
Hold me
Hold me
And your love
We won't hide
Oh
I need you
Need you
I'm back
I'm back
I'm back
Get up off of that thing
And dance till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And dance till you
Sing it now
Get up off of that thing
And dance till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And try to release that pressure
Pressure
Get up off of that thing
And shake till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And shake till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And shake till you feel better
Get up off of that thing
And try to release that pressure
Hit me