“Black Caesar” by James Brown - album review

features in: Album Chart of 1973Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s

TJR says

Having witnessed some of the success achieved by the likes of Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield and Bobby Womack, Team JB dived headlong into the soundtrack world with “Black Caesar”, the soundtrack album hitting the shops in February ‘73. The set gets off to a super-strong start with “Down And Out In New York City”: “Here’s A Dime Boy, Gimme A Shine Boy”… WOW! Mnsr. Brown could certainly hit home a lyric – check “Mama’s Dead”: “I wish I had made her proud to call me son”… damn. The album’s highlight comes via the only non-James-Brown track, Lyn Collins stealing the show with her “Mama Feelgood” (though JB nicks a writing credit). Think The J.B.’s in full on dancefloor mode with Aretha Franklin – it’s smokin’ hot. Considering it must serve a greater purpose, this wasn’t a bad album at all. That said, I’ve now seen the film – I’ll tell you what, that Black Caesar was a nasty piece of work. On reflection, this soundtrack could’ve done with being a bit more bad-ass…

The Jukebox Rebel
20–Apr–2012

Tracklist
A1 [04:43] 7.4.png James Brown - Down And Out In New York City (Bodie Chandler, Barry De Vorzon) Disco / Funk
A2 [02:18] 5.5.png James Brown - Blind Man Can See It (James Brown, Charles Bobbit, Fred Wesley) Disco / Funk
A3 [03:50] 4.5.png James Brown - Sportin’ Life (James Brown, Charles Bobbit, Fred Wesley) Film Score / Incidental
A4 [01:29] 5.2.png James Brown - Dirty Harri [1972 version edit] (James Brown) Film Score / Incidental
A5 [03:14] 6.7.png James Brown - The Boss (James Brown, Charles Bobbit, Fred Wesley) Disco / Funk
A6 [03:18] 5.8.png James Brown - Make It Good To Yourself (James Brown, Charles Bobbit, Fred Wesley) Disco / Funk
B1 [03:29] 7.5.png Lyn Collins - Mama Feelgood (James Brown, Lyn Collins) Disco / Funk
B2 [04:47] 6.2.png James Brown - Mama’s Dead (James Brown, Fred Wesley) Soul Ballad
B3 [02:40] 4.7.png James Brown - White Lightning (I Mean Moonshine) (James Brown, Charles Bobbit, Fred Wesley) Disco / Funk
B4 [02:38] 5.5.png James Brown - Chase (James Brown, Charles Bobbit, Fred Wesley, Jan Hammer) Film Score / Incidental
B5 [03:51] 5.8.png James Brown - Like It Is, Like It Was (James Brown) Blues / Rhythm n Blues

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