James Brown – Living In America (1985 Mix)

James Brown – Living In America (1985 Mix) (mp3)

James Brown – Living In America (Extended Dance)

James Brown – Living In America (Extended Dance) (mp3)

James Brown – Living In America (Dubstramental)

James Brown – Living In America (Dubstramental) (mp3)

James Brown – Funky Drummer (Bonus Beats)

James Brown – Funky Drummer (Bonus Beats) (mp3)

James Brown – Funky Drummer (In The Jungle 9-Min Version)

James Brown – Funky Drummer (In The Jungle 9-Min Version) (mp3)

Personal History…

Summer 1984 … 13 years old … by listening to Eddie Murphy‘s stand-up comedy tape Delirious, I’ve learned about James Brown for the first time.

Watch the video clip here.

Summer 1985 … 14 years old … the only thing I knew about James Brown is what Eddie said … but I still haven’t heard any of his music.

Fall 1985, Toronto, Canada … I went to see Rocky-IV movie.

Let’s go back to that night in the movie theatre … below is the scene that I’m currently watching in 1985:

What a way to expose me to James Brown music for the first time … LIVING IN AMERICA. The electric funk blew the sandals off my feet.

I didn’t hesitate to leave the movie theatre right after that scene (half-way through the movie) and ran to Starsound record store, looking for the 12-inch of that track. I was screaming out loud, “LIVING IN A AMERICAAAAAAAA, AMERICAAAAA,” like Eddie’s comic tale ice screeeeeaaaam.

Some dude understood me and pointed to the wall. And there it was … the very same one which I’m holding in my hand (pictured above).

12-inch vinyl cover of Living In America

James Brown In The Jungle Groove…

The most famous and most sampled funky track is Funky Drummer.

I am proving all you people with two original hi-rez source files (top of this page) to comprehend and pay respect to the man who brought you such killer track which spawned loop-sampling to be where it’s at today. Where would D&B and other genres be today if there was no Funky Drummer!?!

I say go out and buy this rare, full album! I shit you not, it’s the funkiest masterpiece ever. So much to sample from … especially the horn stabs and hits.

Front cover of James Brown In The Jungle Groove

Me and the vintage 1983 keytar (Yamaha KX-1 controller)