Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things

Last updated
Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things
James Brown Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 1968
Recorded1968
Genre Funk
Length37:36
Label King
Producer James Brown
James Brown chronology
James Brown Plays Nothing But Soul
(1968)
Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things
(1968)
A Soulful Christmas
(1968)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]

Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things is the 21st studio album by American musician James Brown. The album was released in December 1968, by King Records, James Brown, who early in his career had opened shows for John, recorded a tribute album, Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things, a little more than a half year since the death of Little Willie John, a prominent R&B singer from the mid-1950s to the 1960s. Only Side One of the album is cover versions of Little Willie John songs. Side Two is all instrumentals. [1] [3]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Talk to Me, Talk to Me" Joe Seneca 3:28
2."Suffering With the Blues"Lloyd Pemberton, Teddy Conyers3:06
3."Cottage for Sale" (featuring Members of The Dapps & New York Studio Orchestra)Larry Conley, Willard Robison3:29
4."Bill Bailey"Traditional2:44
5."Home at Last" Rudy Toombs 4:49
6."Heart Break (It's Hurtin' Me)"Jon Thomas, Carlee Hoyle3:05
7."What Kind of Man"James Brown, Bud Hobgood, Eddie Setser, Troy Seals 2:06
8."A Note Or Two, Pt. I"James Brown, Bud Hobgood3:08
9."I'll Lose My Mind"James Brown, Bud Hobgood, Bobby Byrd 3:12
10."Fat Eddie"James Brown, Bud Hobgood, Ron Lenhoff2:37
11."You Gave My Heart a Song to Sing"James Brown, Bud Hobgood, Bobby Byrd2:48
12."A Note Or Two, Pt. II"James Brown, Bud Hobgood3:01

Related Research Articles

Little Willie John Musical artist

William Edward "Little Willie" John was an American R&B singer who performed in the 1950s and early 1960s. He is best known for his successes on the record charts, with songs such as "All Around the World" (1955), "Need Your Love So Bad" (1956), "Talk to Me, Talk to Me" (1958), "Leave My Kitten Alone" (1960), "Sleep" (1960), and his number-one R&B hit "Fever" (1956). An important figure in R&B music of the 1950s, he faded into obscurity in the 1960s and died while serving a prison sentence for manslaughter.

Joe Tex American singer and musician

Yusuf Hazziez, known professionally as Joe Tex, was an American singer and musician who gained success in the 1960s and 1970s with his brand of Southern soul, which mixed the styles of funk, country, gospel, and rhythm and blues.

Southern soul is a type of soul music that emerged from the Southern United States. The music originated from a combination of styles, including blues, country, early R&B, and a strong gospel influence that emanated from the sounds of Southern black churches. Bass guitar, drums, horn section, and gospel roots vocal are important to soul groove. This rhythmic force made it a strong influence in the rise of funk music. The terms "deep soul", "country soul", "downhome soul" and "hard soul" have been used synonymously with "Southern soul".p. 18

Fever (Little Willie John song) 1956 single by Little Willie John

"Fever" is a song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, who used the pseudonym John Davenport. It was originally recorded by American R&B singer Little Willie John for his debut album, Fever (1956), and released as a single in April of the same year. The song topped the Billboard R&B Best Sellers in the US and peaked at number 24 on the Billboard pop chart. It was received positively by music critics and included on several lists of the best songs during the time it was released.

"Sentimental Journey" is a popular song, published in 1944. The music was written by Les Brown and Ben Homer, and the lyrics were written by Bud Green.

<i>Phases and Stages</i> 1974 studio album by Willie Nelson

Phases and Stages is the seventeenth studio album by Willie Nelson, which followed the moderate success of his first Atlantic Records release, Shotgun Willie. Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler at a party where Nelson sang songs from an album he planned to record. The single "Phases and Stages" was originally recorded the same year. Nelson recorded the album at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in two days and Wexler produced it.

Ace Records (United Kingdom)

Ace Records Ltd. is a British record label founded in 1978. Initially the company only gained permission from the similarly named label based in Mississippi to use the name in the UK, but eventually also acquired the rights to publish their recordings. When Chiswick Records' pop side was licensed to EMI in 1984, Ace switched to more licensing and reissuing work. In the 1980s it also gained the licensing for Modern Records, and its follow-up company Kent Records, whilst in the 1990s, the company bought the labels including all original master tapes. Tapes supplied by Bumps Blackwell and Little Richard yielded 12-inch and 10-inch albums in the early '80s but a contractual issue has stymied further albums and CDs of Modern and United - Superior material. It is said there are perhaps four albums worth of unreleased songs, copyrighted but vaultbound.

<i>Howlin Wolf</i> (album) 1962 compilation album by Howlin Wolf

Howlin' Wolf is the second album from the Chicago blues singer/guitarist/harmonicist Howlin' Wolf. It is a collection of twelve singles previously released by the Chess label from 1960 through 1962. Because of the illustration on its sleeve, the album is often called The Rockin' Chair Album, a nickname even added to the cover on some reissue pressings of the LP.

"A Cottage for Sale" is a popular song. The music was composed by Willard Robison, and the lyrics were written by Larry Conley. The song was first published in 1929, and over 100 performers have recorded versions of "A Cottage for Sale." The first versions of the song were released by The Revelers in January 1930 and Bernie Cummins with the New Yorker Orchestra in March 1930.

"I'm Ready" is a blues song written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Muddy Waters in 1954. It was a hit, spending nine weeks on the Billboard R&B chart where it reached number four. The song became a blues standard and has been compared to "Hoochie Coochie Man", the standard also written by Dixon that Waters recorded earlier in 1954.

<i>Laying My Burdens Down</i> 1970 studio album by Willie Nelson

Laying My Burdens Down is the eleventh studio album by country singer Willie Nelson, released in the autumn of 1970.

<i>Both Sides Now</i> (Willie Nelson album) 1970 studio album by Willie Nelson

Both Sides Now is the tenth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1970.

<i>Good Times</i> (Willie Nelson album) 1968 studio album by Willie Nelson

Good Times is the eighth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1968. Arrangements were by Anita Kerr, Bill Walker and Ray Stevens.

The Boxmasters American rock band

The Boxmasters is an American rock band founded in Bellflower, California, in 2007 by Academy Award-winning actor Billy Bob Thornton and J.D. Andrew. The group has released eleven albums, with another one being released on April 15, 2022

Need Your Love So Bad

"Need Your Love So Bad", sometimes known as "I Need Your Love So Bad", is a song first recorded by Little Willie John in 1955. Called a "unique amalgam of gospel, blues and rhythm & blues", it was John's second single as well as his second record to reach the US charts.

Willie Murphy (musician) American singer-songwriter

Willie Murphy was an American pianist, singer, producer, and songwriter. He is known for his solo work as a singer and pianist; as a singer, bassist and guitarist for the blues band Willie and the Bees; and for his collaborations with Bonnie Raitt and John Koerner.

Thinkin Bout You (Frank Ocean song) 2012 single by Frank Ocean

"Thinkin Bout You" is a song by American singer Frank Ocean, released as the lead single from his debut studio album Channel Orange (2012). The song was written by Ocean and co-written by Islands label songwriter Jeneen Majasty. Originally to be featured on Bridget Kelly's debut album, Ocean released his version of the track for free on his Tumblr account in 2011. In May 2012, the song was officially sent to radio and released on iTunes as a single by Ocean. Kelly released her version of the track entitled "Thinking About Forever" on her debut EP Every Girl released October 19, 2011.

<i>When Will I See You Again</i> (Johnny Mathis album) 1975 studio album by Johnny Mathis

When Will I See You Again is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released in March 1975 by Columbia Records and was again predominantly composed of covers of recent hit songs by other artists.

Bob Corritore is an American blues harmonica player, record producer, blues radio show host and owner of The Rhythm Room, a music venue in Phoenix, Arizona. Corritore is a recipient of several industry honors, including a Blues Music Award, Blues Blast Music Award, Living Blues Award and a Keeping The Blues Alive Award and more. His accomplishments include producing one album that was nominated for a Grammy Award and contributing harmonica on another.

Bob Wills Is Still the King 1975 song by Waylon Jennings

"Bob Wills Is Still the King" is a song written and performed by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, as a tribute of sorts to the Western swing icon Bob Wills.

References

  1. 1 2 Mark Deming. "Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things - James Brown". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  2. Cross, Charles R. (2004). "James Brown". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  109. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  3. "iTunes - Music - Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things by James Brown". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2015-07-13.