This CD arrived on a Saturday before my husband and I started out on one of our weekend joy rides ( At over $3.20 a gallon there is just slightly less joy). We slipped the disc in and right from the very opening notes we were possessed. What a performer. We nearly had to pull the car over and start dancing, we COULD NOT sit still.
I love it when Brown gets so worked up he literally squeals with excitement, it send chills up your spine. I would think that listening to this CD would be more effective than medication for the manic depressive personality.

I found James Brown fairly boring back in the day, and I must admit I still find him fairly boring. Back then though I couldn't have predicted that this kind of music would evolve into fusion or Steely Dan pop. It's probably a large exaggeration to say that James Brown and his musicians invented funk, but it may be reasonable to say that they were its chief--or most visible at least--exemplars.

The instrumental parts are of much more interest than James Brown's quasi-parlando, repetitive vocals. The sound quality is generally better than I expected, and the instrumental parts are generally performed cleanly, but the horns are a bit off in "Make it Funky". There is another tune here in which it sounds as if a horn section crescendo is achieved artificially by riding the faders (on the mixing board)--a disagreeable effect.

These must be some of the silliest lyrics ever written, and I find "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World" especially amusingly ridiculous. "Try Me" is supposed to be James Brown's breakthrough tune, but it sounds to me like an utterly conventional, undistinguished fifties recording. At least three of these tracks are essentialy one piece with differing lyrical snippets.

I have been enjoying James Brown for over 50 years.

This CD contains MOST of the songs that I have loved and danced to for years. An excellent collection. Whew!

This is a collection of james brown at his best. You have to have this!

I have a CD that says it is the greatest hits, But this one has all the hits I want to hear from James Brown, it is the Greatest Hits of All Times.

If you like the music of James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, this CD is a must.

this cd brings back childhood memories that was kicking way back when!

This CD is excellent it reminds me of my youth. I would advise anyone to purchase this CD.

My advice to you, take it and your eyes are closed. I would buy it if it's 100$, go for it and you will never be sorry. You got the greatest hits of the father of soul.

This is the one of the best CD's ever, for a good price.

Like Muhamaid Ali,Brother James Brown did not take no mess.Here is a sample of sounds of the great band and the showmanship of one of the greatest pioneers of our lifetime.

This cd reminds one of just how much of a unique and gifted talent James Brown was. From the driving rhythms to his one of a kind vocal style, this is truly a classic.

Under what rock i've been living in? Why did it have to take James Brown death for me to discover his music? This man was THE ORIGINATOR! Everyone have been copying him for YEARS! I have heard so many so-called artists that copy his sound, music, moves....he started it all! Mr. Brown, where ever in heaven you are, I bow to you. Thank you for leaving so much good music, ORIGINAL music! He was and still is THE MAN!

James Brown: The Godfather of Soul, Soul Brother #1, the founder of funk, the father of Hip Hop (having been sampled by nearly everyone), a cultural icon, and the Hardest Working Man in Show Business. Ain't never gonna be another.

20 ALL-TIME GREATEST HITS consists of 20 tracks. These are some of his biggest hits, presumably from the 1960s and 1970s, but such information is not provided in this collection. Booklet does not provide any information, other than songwriting credits, about the songs included in this collection. Sound quality is good.

While the packaging is completely lacking, the songs are great. There's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", "Hot Pants", "Night Train", "Cold Sweat", "Sex Machine", the ballads "Try Me" and "It's a Man's Man's Man's World", and my personal favorite, "The Payback", in its 7+ minute version.

Get this collection as a James Brown sampler only. This is not for fans looking for a comprehensive collection or a historical album.

Music: 5 stars
Packaging: 0 stars

Trying to explain this CD to someone who's never heard JB is like trying to explain sex to a virgin. I won't even try. If you listen to this and it doesn't make you jump out of your seat, then I wish you and your Celine Dion collection all the best.

I love the music of James Brown. His music just makes me happy. The slow soulful track It's a Man's Man's World is my favorite. Night Train is my second favorite track. This is a very upbeat track with excellent saxophone playing. I love his signature tunes like I Feel Good and Get Up. I Got The Feelin and Papa's Got A New Bag are two good songs to dance to. Give It Up Turn It Loose and Super Bad are two very groovy songs. James Brown may be gone, but his music will live on forever.

With the painful death of James Brown the glorious book of the soul movement has lost his last exponent. He is now part of the legend as well as Wilson Picket.

I bought this CD several years ago; while I grew up listening to James Brown, I really HEARD him while listening to this CD. I began to appreciate what he did for American music. My favorite is Try Me, something I never heard until I bought this CD. What a voice!

You can't go wrong buying this CD-you'll enjoy it for years to come!
The Godfather of Soul may be gone, but his music will live on, forever!

Among the many choices out there, this CD is among the best for the occasional listener who wants the highlights from Brother James Brown's lengthy career. There are other selections of equal merit for those seeking to probe deeper into the music and complexity that was James Brown. Listening to this CD, I can still see him doing a split on stage.

Isn't it funny how singers become even more popular once they've died. James Brown was already a legend in life and he's as much of a legend in death. I've always loved his music and he set a presidence for acts to follow all the way down the track.
I really love this cd, because it truly has some of his best best work. I especially love Make It Funky Pt 1, Try Me and my all time favourite Get Up Offa That Thing. This is a cd that you can really enjoy because the music is contagious and you can't help dancing.
What an amazing talent James was and I'm sure he'll be missed by all his fans. If you aren't a fan already, take a listen to the long list of hits on this cd and you might become a fan yourself. I love this.

Sometimes I feel so nice, Good God, I jump back- I gotta kiss myself!
Especially when I listen to this stuff. A couple of relative clunkers (I could do without "Man's World", myself) but overall a collection of masterworks by the one and only.

There's gotta be room on your shelf for at least one CD of James Brown, and this is as good a compilation as any.

If you are a James Brown fan, you will love this album. When you listen to the songs you can almost see him singing them on stage. The album is, pure and simple, James Brown at his best.

Oh, man...James Brown...oh, he is super bad...but bad in a good way, not bad in a bad way and if you really needed me to explain to you what I meant, maybe you shouldn't even be considering this album. That's it...slowly put down the James Brown and go back to your Barry Mannilow and your Christopher Cross...

This music is crazy, funky, and my wife is even instructed to play "Sex Machine" at my memorial. This music is actually a great way to overcome the noon-time blahs. You know those times when your soul wants to party but your feet are dragging? Take a couple of hits from this CD and be prepared to get funkified. It'll make those lulls in the day alive without the caffeine jitters. Who needs stimulants when JB is in the house.

I used to work night crew at a grocery store and this CD got me through many a long night. Of course, my corn fed, tight underwear wearin', Metallica induced co-workers didn't enjoy it too much, but so what? There will always be people who aren't funked up.

Pity.

But please, get this...really...I haven't lied to you before in 140+ reviews and I'm not about to now. I'm waiting till I get in the 200s to start lying...

just kidding...

Get the CD and turn your frown upside down with the help of James Brown.

You cannot stay in a bad mood with his music. A great mood lifter and most of the songs are great for a workout at the gym.

Yes...Mr. Brown and the boys virtually invented the genre. Although other acts were 'dabbling' with similar ideas during the late 60s/ early 70s such as The Funky Meters, Parliment/Funkadelic and to a degree Motown's Funk Brothers, none can lay claim to 'catapulting' the genre onto the listening public like James did. For the readers information, I am a white male who "cut my musical teeth" on R-n-R, Metal and Hard Rock, so it wasn't till my mid-to-late 20s that I started to appreciate and explore Funk, Soul, R+B and black music in general. So when I began laying down my money on this "new found" music, I knew, from hearing James' more popular songs on the radio, that I had to pick-up at least one of his albums....And I'm thrilled it was this greatest hits package---- if you want a perfect 'dose' of this man's brand of Funk, then look no further. This release covers James' and the JBs most "fruitful" era. A little bit of all the music that made James an American musical Icon are represented here---- early Soul hits such as "Try Me", "Please,Please,Please" and "Its a Man's,Man's World" are here...along with the Funk hits he has become most indentifiable with, "Get Up...", Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "...I Feel Good" and "Make it Funky". However for me, its the tracks I hadn't heard that really caught my attention. Tunes like "Super Bad", "Papa Don't Take No Mess", "I Got The Feelin", "Give it Up or Turn it a Loose" and many others, are truly the tracks that turned me into a "Funkster". And though I have explored many other Funk artists and bands, when I want a "piece" of the REAL DEAL, this is the one I always come back to. This man (and band) played such a 'pivotal' role in the Heritage of American Music Culture that I can't imagine his music not being part of my collection or any music aficionado's collection....if you don't own any of JB's music, this is THE perfect place to start....Enjoy!

P.S. as a sidenote, I feel fortunate to live in the panhandle of Florida....not just because of the water, beaches and general 'way of life'....but also because John "Jabo" Starks has taken up residence close by and plays weekly at a local 'hot-spot' here. For anybody not familiar with "Jabo", he was one of three drummers who worked with James during his most groundbreaking years---- and this man's groove is simply immpecable! Sure he's starting to show his age, but one thing I can attest to, is that when the serious jams are needed, this man can still kick out the meanest grooves ever.

Great cd with some of the hits of James Brown

What can I say? James Brown is the man! I may not love him in real life, but he is a welcome addition to my music collection.

Like Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder, James Brown possessed the uncanny ability of having a distinguished, instantly recognisable and unique vocal style of his own. In his case, his primal vocal delivery was capable of such immense and impressive volume and power that was purely adrenalin-driven.

Visually, James Brown was a larger-than-life figure from his wildly over-the-top slicked hairdo to his acrobatic, athletic-like dancing in his seemingly improvised stage performances. James Brown just effortlessly conveyed such raw and passionate energy both on stage and on record. He quickly became one of the giants and most important names in black music history.

He has apparently disputed his birth on a number of occasions for some unknown reason though it is most commonly believed to be somewhere in Georgia, USA. James was certainly no stranger to poverty and had a struggling upbringing and whilst still at school, he worked constantly as a shoe shiner and a newspaper boy. It was during his childhood that he became super-proficent on the piano, organ, bass and drums.

James Brown became widely known for his catchphrase "I'm black and i'm proud". He stood for a lot in black culture and equally became an innovator and inspiration for whites too. His work explored relevant social issues and often made some sort of profound political statement though he fully maintained that raw, burning sexual energy taht made so much of his music dynamic.

It was from around 1965 to the mid 1970's that James Brown enjoyed his most commercially favourable period and indeed during this time he made some of the most remarkable recordings in popular music that set standards for many of todays artists.

The roaring Papas Got A Brand New Bag was a cross-Atlantic smash hit in 1965. Undertones of pure, pulsating funk wrapped up dynamically by James Browns explosive and rocketing vocal delivery made this instantly infectious track such a phenomenal classic.

James Brown style always carried an earthy, urban R&B style that encapsulated traditional black soul with gospel undertones and a hint of Pop, hence why he enjoyed so much cross-ver success on the charts. Upbeat in its content was the astounding I Got You (I Feel Good) which was most certainly an ultimately feel-good song. It contained such an undeniably catchy hook to its melody.

It's A Mans, Mans, Mans World is one of my all-time favourite James Brown classics. His angst-ridden delivery which impressivley surfboards along the somewhat complex, tidal wave of musical arrangements, is so gutwrenchingly soulful. Only an artist with as much credibility, skill and artistic integrity as James Brown could deliver such a rock-solid performance. This is his song and nobody could possibly do it better! EXCELLENT!

The repetitive rhythm of (Get Up I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine, was almost hypnotic and became something of his trademark. This became another notably sizeable hit to his credit and also was one of his most famous and popular classics.

At the emerging of the Black Pride Movement following the horrendous riots of the civil rights wars in the 60's, James Brown made a significant contribution with his music. The explicity political and undeniably effective, Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud, became a monster hit and indeed was another masterpiece recording to his credit.

Continuing his dance-floor appeal through the late 60's were the dynamic classics Say It Loud and the compelling masterpiece, Give It Up Or Turn It Loose, which stormed its way up the British and Amercian charts in 1969.

The trance-like electronic funk styles of solid soul classics such as Super Bad, Get Up, Get Into It And Get Involved, Talkin' Loud And Sayin Nothing, Soul Power and a fantastic live intepretation of Give It Up Or Turn It Loose all became other landmarks in his lengthy career.
The critics had by now fully recognised his genius and artistic efforts with his work meeting with such wide critical acclaim.

Into the seventies and James Brown continued churning out exciting classics such as Escapism, Get On The Good Foot, Stoned To The Bone, The Payback. They all contained hard-grinding and startling guirtar riffages that proved highly effective.

But the regularity of his hits and the fire in his work began to dwindle though he remains an A-list novelty act.

This compilation gathers his most remarkable period between the mid 60's to mid 70's therefore is essential!

Ian Phillips

This CD does what a 1-CD "Best Of" compilation must, it squeezes as many "must-have" tracks onto one disk as possible. Ending with Please, Please, Please was a master-stroke. If you love the funk, it's great to have so many winners by The Godfather in one place. If you don't, you will after you work through this compilation a few times and let it flow up from your feet into your hips. James Brown wrote the book, he is a true original. (Please don't blame the audio plague known as "rap" on him.)

Brown has recorded a lot, and there are many mediocre compilations floating around. This is easily the best, with the most select play list. Use it as your starting position. After that you might want to check out Live At The Apollo, or drop in on The J.B.'s. It does get addictive. When it comes to James Brown, "If it's all night it's all right".

JAMES BROWN-20 ALL TIME GREATEST HITS!: No self respecting lover of modern music would be caught DEAD without a copy of the Black Elvis' funkiest stuff in his or her collection, and here are the goods! Like the album's immensely entertaining liner notes state, only the King himself had more chart hits, but we're talkin' 'bout the REAL king here, natch, the KING OF SOUL! The Mother Like No Other! The Godfather! The Hardest Workin' Man in Sho' Biz! Soul Bro' Numero Uno! The cat with the coolest moves, the tightest band, and the most paint peelin' SCREAM in all of the entertainment world! Among his many other accomplishments, JB was both a funk AND a rap pioneer, and not surprisingly, the latter genre's most sampled artist. Brown's biggies, from the early slow groover PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE to dance floor-fillers I GOT YOU (I FEEL GOOD) and PAPA'S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG to funk overloaders SEX MACHINE and GET UP OFFA THAT THING, are here in all their cold sweat-soaked splendor. If you make ONE soul purchase, this is THE one---Brown is to RNB what the Fab Four are to rock, Bob Marley is to reggae, and Hank Sr. is to country. Don't mind me if I "SAY IT LOUD"!!! RATING: FIVE YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAHS!!!!!

I like JB because he was so good back then. Right now, he is okay, and dosen't have the funk anymore, but I bought this because there are some of his hits that I like. But This was a very mediocre compilation. I like "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "I feel Good", And "Get Up (I feel like being a sex machine)", But "Get Up Offa That Thing"? Gimme a break! That song sounds like Brown has a cold and is trying to cough it up by singing. Plus, the album is not remastered.

To be honest with ya, I never was a huge fan of him, but there is some stuff by him I like. So overall, this is the WORST Brown compilation EVER!

If you want a good one, buy the 50th anneversary box set.

This is James Brown at his best. He is truly the Godfather of Soul. This is real music.

James Brown is the man!! and this is his best single disc collection. Simply amazing..buy this album NOW!!

Every person can actually hand pick their favorites from any artist and all come out different. This album, 20 All-Time Greatest Hits! is the 20 I would have chosen for my own collection. James Brown's music is probably the most sampled and reused material in all of Black music. As most of these song make you want to dance the night away, hence some of the titles. It does seem as most of the songs are impromptu with a few exceptions. James' band should get credit as well as their unmatched style and talent backed James Brown and these songs we love.

James Brown is one of the greatest and most influential artists in music history so that only make it justifiable that he has a greatest hits collection of his best known meterial. Buy this collection learn how James Brown became the most sampled artist in history.