James Brown: Live at the Apollo

James Brown: Live at the Apollo

Album #26 - May 1963

Episode date - May 29, 2024

The Top 500 of The Top 40
0:00
0:00

“Live at the Apollo” surely qualifies as the most legendary live album of all time, and the reasons are self-evident, especially when heard within the context of its time.

By 1963, rock and roll was all but dead, and even hard-edged R&B started to shift toward a more relaxed ‘soul’ sound. The raw intensity of James Brown’s performance, coupled with the driving, spot-on perfection of his backing band represented a sound that most Americans could have hardly imagined in 1963. Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson were precursors, but Brown roughened the edges and raised the ante considerably. The audience itself is an instrument on the album, with screaming girls accentuating climactic moments, suggesting a Beatlemania-like frenzy before anything like that existed.

Amazingly, Syd Nathan, the owner of Brown’s label King Records, had little respect for Brown’s talent and was dead set against releasing the album. To ensure its release, Brown had to pay for the recording himself, making it a no-lose proposition for Nathan. Imagine his surprise when it became the best-selling album in King’s history, climbing to #2 on the pop charts (!), where it lingered for 66 weeks.

As you already know, Brown would go on to become the most influential R&B artist of all time, and Syd Nathan capitalized on Brown’s career by keeping his opinions to himself (mostly). Brown proudly recognized the cultural significance of this recording and attempted to capitalize on it by releasing three more “Live at the Apollo” albums over the course of his career, but the stunning energy of his first live album could never be duplicated. 

Featured Tracks:

Introduction to James Brown and The Famous Flames (by Fats Gonder)

I'll Go Crazy

Try Me

Think

I Don't Mind

Lost Someone

Medley: Please, Please, Please/You've Got the Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You, Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen/Bewildered/Please, Please, Please

Prisoner of Love (1963 single)

Medley – I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad

I’ll Go Crazy 2

May 1963 - Billboard Charted #2

Related Shows

Bob Dylan Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan: Blood On The Tracks - Part 1

Album #240 - January 1975

0:00
0:00
Roxy Music: Country Life

Roxy Music: Country Life

Album #239 - November 1974

0:00
0:00
Kraftwerk: Autobahn

Kraftwerk: Autobahn

Album #238 - November 1974

0:00
0:00
Randy Newman - Good Old Boys

Randy Newman: Good Old Boys

Album #237 - September 1974

0:00
0:00
Little Feat- Feats Don't Fail Me Now

Little Feat: Feats Don't Fail Me Now

Album #236 - August 1974

0:00
0:00
Neil Young: On the Beach

Neil Young: On The Beach

Album #235 - July 1974

0:00
0:00
Stevie Wonder: Fulfillingness' First Finale

Stevie Wonder: Fulfillingness' First Finale

Album #234 - July 1974

0:00
0:00
Grateful Dead - From The Mars Hotel

The Grateful Dead: From The Mars Hotel

Album #233 - June 1974

0:00
0:00
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Second Helping

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Second Helping

Album #232 - April 1974

0:00
0:00
Frank Zappa: Apostrophe (*)

Frank Zappa: Apostrophe (*)

Album #231 - March 1974

0:00
0:00
A New Life  - The Marshall Tucker Band

The Marshall Tucker Band: A New Life

Album #230 - February 1974

0:00
0:00
Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic

Album #229 - February 1974

0:00
0:00