Funk on Ah Roll

Last updated
"Funk on Ah Roll"
Single by James Brown
from the album I'm Back
Released1998 (1998)
Genre Funk, house, UK garage
Label Georgia-Lina
825
Eagle
073
Inferno
13
Songwriter(s)
  • James Brown
  • Derrick Monk
Producer(s) Derrick "New Funk" Monk
James Brown chartingsingles chronology
"Can't Get Any Harder"
(1993)
"Funk on Ah Roll"
(1998)
"Killing Is Out, School Is In"
(2001)
Audio video
"Funk on Ah Roll (S-Class Mix)" on YouTube

"Funk on Ah Roll" is a song written by James Brown and Derrick Monk and recorded by James Brown. It appears in three different versions on his 1998 album I'm Back , two of which are remixes. A number of additional remixes of the song, including a popular UK garage mix by Grant Nelson as Bump & Flex, were issued on 12" and CD in the United Kingdom in 1999, resulting in the song reaching No. 40 on the UK Singles Chart [1] and No. 1 on the UK Dance Singles Chart. [2] It did not chart in the United States.

The track reuses the guitar part and horn section of Brown's 1971 release "Hot Pants". [3]

Critical reception

Rolling Stone reviewed the song favorably, commenting that it "reclaim[s] Jimmy Nolen chicken scratch for the engine of life it is". [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You've Got a Friend</span> 1971 single by Carole King

"You've Got a Friend" is a 1971 song written by American singer-songwriter Carole King. It was first recorded by King and included on her second studio album, Tapestry (1971). Another well-known version is by James Taylor from his album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. His was released as a single in 1971, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the UK Singles Chart. The two versions were recorded simultaneously in 1971 with shared musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Freak</span> Song by Rick James

"Super Freak" is a 1981 single produced and performed by American singer Rick James. The song, co-written by James and Alonzo Miller, was first released on James' fifth album, Street Songs (1981) and became one of James' signature songs. "Freak" is a slang term for the sexually adventurous, as described in the song's lyrics, "She's a very kinky girl / The kind you don't take home to mother". Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song number 477 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004, number 481 in 2010, and number 153 in an updated list in 2021. The song was nominated for the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 1982 Grammys. The song has been sampled by MC Hammer in 1990, and by Nicki Minaj in 2022.

Grace was a 1990s British dance music act, consisting of the DJs Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne and the jazz singer Dominique Atkins. The group's first single, "Not Over Yet", had lead and backing vocals by the original frontwoman Patti Low. Atkins recorded her own lead vocals for "Not Over Yet" when it was included as the first track on the group's only album If I Could Fly.

<i>The Raw & the Cooked</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Fine Young Cannibals

The Raw & the Cooked is the second and final studio album by British rock band Fine Young Cannibals, released in 1989. The title of the album was lifted from the book of the same name by French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss. Four songs from the album first appeared in film soundtracks in the mid-1980s, three of which were soul tracks from the Tin Men film. The band had already recorded over half of the album by the time David Z came to produce the remainder. His work with the band, which resulted in dance-rock material, included studio experimentation.

Jason Nevins is an American songwriter, record producer and remixer, who is most widely known for his pop and dance productions, including his multi-platinum, multi-million selling production of "It's Like That" by American hip hop group Run–D.M.C. and his multi-million selling production of "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly.

<i>Rewind (1971–1984)</i> 1984 greatest hits album by The Rolling Stones

Rewind (1971–1984) is a compilation album by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in 1984. Coming only three years after Sucking in the Seventies, the album was primarily compiled to mark the end of the band's alliance with Warner Music and EMI, both of whom were the distributors of Rolling Stones Records. It is the second Rolling Stones album to include a lyric sheet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life</span> 1982 song by Indeep

"Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life" is a song written by Michael Cleveland, sung by American group Indeep, and released as a single in 1982 by Sound of New York and Becket Records. It features vocals from Réjane "Reggie" Magloire and Rose Marie Ramsey. The track appears as the third track of the namesake album released in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is How We Do It</span> 1995 single by Montell Jordan

"This Is How We Do It" is the debut single of American singer-songwriter Montell Jordan. It was released by Def Jam Recordings on February 6, 1995, as the lead single from his debut studio album of the same name (1995). The single was Def Jam's first R&B release, and is Jordan's signature song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UK singles chart</span> British singles sales chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-selling singles in the United Kingdom, based upon physical sales, paid-for downloads and streaming. The Official Chart, broadcast on BBC Radio 1 and MTV, is the UK music industry's recognised official measure of singles and albums popularity because it is the most comprehensive research panel of its kind, today surveying over 15,000 retailers and digital services daily, capturing 99.9% of all singles consumed in Britain across the week, and over 98% of albums. To be eligible for the chart, a single is currently defined by the Official Charts Company (OCC) as either a 'single bundle' having no more than four tracks and not lasting longer than 25 minutes or one digital audio track not longer than 15 minutes with a minimum sale price of 40 pence. The rules have changed many times as technology has developed, the most notable being the inclusion of digital downloads in 2005 and streaming in July 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Made It Back</span> Single by Beverley Knight

"Made It Back" is a song by Beverley Knight, released as the first single from her second studio album, Prodigal Sista. It was also the first single Knight released on EMI controlled Parlophone Records after she signed a four album deal with the label in 1997 after disagreements with her previous label, Dome Records. The release instantly proved that Knight had made the right decision after it entered the UK Singles Chart at #21 – her highest charting single up to that point. Featuring US rap star Redman, the song was nominated for Best Single at the 1998 MOBO Awards in London, which Knight lost out on to Another Level's "Freak Me". However, Knight went on to win Best R&B Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Out of Time (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1975 single by The Rolling Stones

"Out of Time" is a song by the Rolling Stones, first released on their 1966 album Aftermath. The most commercially successful version of the song was by Chris Farlowe, an English solo artist. Farlowe's single, produced by Mick Jagger, peaked at number one in the UK Singles Chart on 28 July 1966 and stayed at the top for one week. A shorter alternative mix of the Rolling Stones' recording was released in the US in 1967 on the album Flowers. A third version featuring Jagger's lead vocal and the orchestration and backing vocals from Farlowe's cover version was released on the 1975 rarities album Metamorphosis and as a single.

Grant Nelson, also known as Wishdokta, Bump & Flex and N'n'G, is an English DJ, remixer and record producer. In the 1990s, inspired by producers such as Masters at Work, MK and Eddie Perez, he played an important role in the development of the UK garage genre, being heralded as the "Godfather of UK Garage".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">September (Earth, Wind & Fire song)</span> 1978 song by Earth, Wind & Fire

"September" is a song by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire released as a single in 1978 on ARC/Columbia Records. Initially included as a track for The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1, "September" was very successful commercially and reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. The song remains a staple of the band's body of work and has been sampled, covered, remixed, and re-recorded numerous times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Every Little Step</span> 1989 single by Bobby Brown

"Every Little Step" is a 1989 single by American singer Bobby Brown, written by L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and released by MCA Records. Released as the fourth single on his second album Don't Be Cruel it reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Hot Black Singles chart, and number six on the UK Singles Chart in 1989. The song also appears on Brown's remix album Dance!...Ya Know It!. The single garnered Brown's first career Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 32nd Grammy Awards in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Alert (song)</span> 1999 single by Basement Jaxx

"Red Alert" is a song by English electronic music duo Basement Jaxx. It was released on 19 April 1999 by record label XL as the first single from their debut album, Remedy (1999). The vocals from the track were provided by Blu James. It reached number five on the UK Singles Chart and became their first number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. As of September 2023, the single has sold and streamed 600,000 units in the United Kingdom, allowing it to receive a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higher State of Consciousness</span> 1995 single by Josh Wink

"Higher State of Consciousness" is a song by American electronic dance music DJ, label owner, producer, and remixer Josh Wink. It was both written an produced by Wink and first released in March 1995 by Strictly Rhythm, and then included on his debut album, Left Above the Clouds (1996). The song peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart and was a top-10 hit also in Ireland and Spain. In 2022, Rolling Stone ranked the track number 128 in their list of the "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lovely Day</span> 1977 single by Bill Withers

"Lovely Day" is a song by American soul and R&B singer Bill Withers. Written by Withers and Skip Scarborough, it was released on December 21, 1977, and appears on Withers's sixth album, Menagerie (1977). Withers holds a sustained note towards the end which, at 18 seconds, is one of the longest ever recorded on an American pop song. The song was listed at No. 402 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time" in 2021.

British pop music is popular music, produced commercially in the United Kingdom. It emerged in the mid-to late 1950s as a softer alternative to American rock 'n' roll. Like American pop music it has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, as well as that of the Singles Chart usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs. While these basic elements of the genre have remained fairly constant, pop music has absorbed influences from most other forms of popular music, particularly borrowing from the development of rock music, and utilising key technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes. From the British Invasion in the 1960s, led by The Beatles, British pop music has alternated between acts and genres with national appeal and those with international success that have had a considerable impact on the development of the wider genre and on popular music in general

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Someday (I'm Coming Back)</span> 1992 single by Lisa Stansfield

"Someday (I'm Coming Back)" is a song recorded by British singer, songwriter and actress Lisa Stansfield for the 1992 American romantic thriller film The Bodyguard, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. It was released as a single from the soundtrack album in the United Kingdom on 7 December 1992 and in other European countries in early 1993 by Arista. "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" was written by Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, and produced by Devaney and Morris. An accompanying music video, directed by Marcus Nispel, was also released. The single reached number ten in Portugal and the United Kingdom. "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" was remixed by Absolute and the "Classic" remixes were created by Frankie Knuckles and David Morales.

Club Asylum is the name of UK garage musician Jeremy Sylvester. They were originally a duo which consisted of Sylvester and Paul Emanuel. After the duo decided to go their separate ways, Sylvester continued to produce and remix under the Club Asylum moniker as a solo artist, and is still active to the present day.

References

  1. "Funk on Ah Roll | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  2. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40 (11 April 1999 - 17 April 1999) | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  3. "James Brown". warr.org.
  4. Christgau, Robert (4 January 1999). "I'm Back". Rolling Stone .