"James Brown Is Dead" is a song by Dutch electronic dance music duo L.A. Style, produced by Wessel van Diepen and Denzil Slemming. It was released in August 1991 as the lead single from their debut album, L.A. Style (1993). The song was a major hit across Europe, reaching number-one in Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. Additionally, it also reached the top 10 in Australia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. In the US, it peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4]
| "James Brown Is Dead" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by L.A. Style | ||||
| from the album L.A. Style | ||||
| Released | 19 August 1991 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 5:38 | |||
| Label | ZYX Records Decadance Records Arista Records Watts Music | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Denzil Slemming | |||
| Producer(s) | Wessel van Diepen Denzil Slemming | |||
| L.A. Style singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "James Brown Is Dead" on YouTube | ||||
The song inspired multiple answer songs and is considered a "techno classic" with artists like DJ Irene mixing it into their sets and DJ Boozy Woozy who used samples of Mary J. Blige's "Family Affair" with the main sample of "James Brown Is Dead" to create his song "Party Affair" (2002).[4] In 2001, Wessel van Diepen and Arista Records released "James Brown Is Dead 2001", a new version of the L.A. Style original.[citation needed]
Critical reception
editAndy Kastanas from The Charlotte Observer wrote, "This is high energy rave at its frantic beat. Racing forward like a locomotive, it never slows down until you're exhausted. The voice tells you that 'James Brown is dead' while the beat rocks your body from here to eternity."[5] Robert Hilburn from Los Angeles Times commented in his year-end review of 1992, "A good starting point because this record's self-conscious, yet unapologetic celebration of dance-floor minimalism helped give the movement credibility and direction. Released in 1991, but it enjoyed its greatest success this year."[6]
Spin's Charles Aaron describes "James Brown Is Dead" as "the first pure techno single ever to chart on Billboard's Top 100."[7]
Track listing
edit- Europe, CD single (1991)
- "James Brown Is Dead" (Radio Edit) - 3:32
- "James Brown Is Dead" - 5:38
- "James Brown Is Dead" - 5:09
- US, CD single (1992)
- "James Brown Is Dead (7" Version of Original Mix (Without Rap))" 3:06
- "James Brown Is Dead (7" Version of Original Mix (With Rap))" - 3:30
- "James Brown Is Dead (Rock Radio Mix)(Vocals – Chris Randall of Sister Machine Gun)" - 3:20
- "James Brown Is Dead (Crossover Radio Mix)" - 3:57
- "James Brown Is Dead (Original Mix (Without Rap))" - 5:38
- "James Brown Is Dead (Original Mix (With Rap))" - 6:04
- "James Brown Is Dead (Deadly Remix)" - 5:26
- "James Brown Is Dead (Wide Awake Remix)" _ 5:21
- "James Brown Is Dead (Take Outs)" - 0:55
Charts
edit| Chart (1991–1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[8] | 7 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] | 24 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] | 1 |
| Germany (GfK)[11] | 6 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[12] | 21 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] | 1 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] | 1 |
| Spain (AFYVE)[15] | 1 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] | 7 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] | 2 |
| UK Dance (Music Week)[18] | 19 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[19] | 59 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard) | 4 |
Answer songs
edit- In the wake of "James Brown Is Dead" the song "James Brown Is Still Alive" was released that same year by Holy Noise, a techno group also from the Netherlands. Although the first song's lyrics do actually assert that James Brown (1933–2006), "the hardest working man in showbiz is alive", the Holy Noise song is regarded as an answer to the L.A. Style song.[20][21]
- In 1992, Mexican comedian Memo Ríos recorded a Spanish parody called "Pedro Infante murió" ("Pedro Infante Is Dead") referring to the Mexican film actor.
In popular culture
editProfessional wrestler and mixed martial artist Yoji Anjo has used the song as his entrance music in UWF International.[22]
References
edit- ^ "I'm Raving - L.A. Style - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ "History of Techno [ZYX] - Various Artists - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ "L.A. Style - Biography & History - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ a b Jason Ankeny (2016). "L.A. Style | Awards". Allmusic.com.
- ^ Kastanas, Andy (25 September 1991). "Sounds of Progress". p. 10. The Charlotte Observer.
- ^ Hilburn, Robert (31 December 1992). "Dance Energy Saves Dreary '92: Year-End Review". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- ^ Aaron, Charles (December 1992). "Scene of the Year: Techno". Spin. 8 (9): 41. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "L.A. Style – James Brown Is Dead". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "L.A. Style – James Brown Is Dead" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^ "L.A. Style – James Brown Is Dead" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "L.A. Style – James Brown Is Dead" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved June 6, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "L.A. Style".
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – L.A. Style" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "L.A. Style – James Brown Is Dead" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ "L.A. Style – James Brown Is Dead". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "L.A. Style – James Brown Is Dead". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 2 November 1991. p. 24. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- ^ "Artist Search for "la style"". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ "Holy Noise vinyl, CD & digital download track discography at RollDaBeats". www.rolldabeats.com. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ "James Brown". IMDb. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Yoji Anjo". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved October 27, 2021.