James Brown, aka “The Godfather of Soul”, also credited with inspiring rap, hip-hop, funk and RnB, is the subject of a film biopic, “Get On Up”, produced by Mick Jagger.

The Rolling Stones vocalist was first invited by James Brown’s family to produce a documentary about the soul and funk singer after his death, aged 73, on Christmas Day 2006. Mick Jagger explains: “But then I thought James Brown deserved a feature film, not just a documentary. I met him several times over the years and he was extraordinary. Then I found out there had been a film in the works about him for more than a decade.”

The original idea for the film “Get On Up” was first mooted in 2000, when James Brown was still alive. Actor Eddie Murphy was originally asked to play James Brown but the project was shelved for several years after James Brown’s death, until Mick Jagger resurrected the project in 2012.

Tate Taylor, the “Get On Up” director, describes Mick Jagger’s part as “doing all the heavy lifting, getting this film made. But then he was on set every day, he was passionately committed to it. Even Chad Boseman, who plays James Brown and is no mean dancer, was nervous about singing and dancing in front of Mick Jagger. After all, his moves are so good, we’re still singing about it today.”

Tate Taylor describes the biopic as “traditional, covering as many episodes of his life as possible. The trouble is with James, we can’t pick just one part of his life, and we can’t pick just a few songs. Think of what he’s done – Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag, Living In America, Sex Machine, Get On Up. We may call him the Godfather of Soul, or Mr Dynamite, but actually I would call him Mr Genesis, because most of the music we love, he is the genesis of that beat.”

For the Record Press author, James Brown was a force of nature and like so many geniuses was a complex, flawed man. In my opinion it was that multi-faceted personality that made him the charismatic star he was. So let’s pay tribute to James Brown and mark his genius with this Record Press Top 5 Best James Brown songs –

Top 5 Best James Brown songs

1)   It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World  ( No13 1966 )

2)   Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine  ( No32 1970 )

3)   Living in America  ( No5 1985 )

4)   I Got You ( I Feel Good )  ( No72 1992 )

5)   Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag  ( No25 1965

Which is your favourite James Brown song? Let us know in the Reply Box below.

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