"I Got You" is a song by American singer James Brown. First recorded for the albumOut of Sight and then released in an alternate take as a single in 1965, it was his highest charting song and is arguably his best-known recording.
Description
"I Got You " is a twelve-bar blues with a brass-heavy instrumental arrangement similar to Brown's previous hit, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag". It also features the same emphasis "on the one" that characterizes Brown's developing funk style. The lyrics have Brown exulting in how good he feels now that he has the one he loves, his vocals punctuated by screams and shouts. The song includes an alto sax solo by Maceo Parker.
Precursors
"I Got You " developed from an earlier Brown-penned song, "I Found You", with a nearly identical melody and lyrics. "I Found You" had been recorded by Brown's back-up singer Yvonne Fair and released as a single in 1962, with little success. In 1964, Brown recorded an early version of "I Got You " with a different arrangement, including a stuttering rhythm and prominent baritone sax line, under the title "I Got You". This version appeared on the Smash Records album Out of Sight and in the 1965 film Ski Party, in which Brown lip synchs his performance. It was intended for a single release but was withdrawn due to a court order from King Records, with whom Brown was involved in a contract dispute.
Reception
Of Brown's 91 hits to reach the Billboard Hot 100, "I Got You " is Brown's highest-charting song, peaking at number three. The song remained at the top of the BillboardRhythm and Blues Singles chart for six non-consecutive weeks, after his previous single, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", held the number-one spot for eight weeks. Brown's screams at the beginning and end of the song have been sampled a number of times for hip hop and dance songs. The song has also been covered many times by other performers, and is frequently played at sporting events. The song is played at the Zentralstadion whenever RB Leipzig scores a goal. In 2000, "I Got You " reached number 21 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs in Rock and Roll and number 75 on VH1's 100 Greatest Rock and Roll Dance Songs, one of only seven songs to make both lists. In 2004, "I Got You " was ranked number 78 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Appearances in film and television
"I Got You " has appeared in numerous film soundtracks, including The Big Chill, The Nutty Professor; Good Morning, Vietnam; Home Alone 4; Mr. Jones; It Takes Two; Dr. Dolittle; Boat Trip; Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre; K-9; ; Exit Wounds; :da:Ernst & Lyset|Ernst & Lyset, Transformers, Paddington, and Big Eyes. It has also appeared in film trailers including It Could Happen to You. In 1965, James Brown, and his vocal group, The Famous Flames performed the song in a cameo appearance, in the American International Pictures comedy film "Ski Party". The song's television appearances include Tour of Duty episode "The Road to Long Binh", the Simpsons episode "Bart's Inner Child", the Alvin and the Chipmunks episode "Kong!" as performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Full House episode "The Return of Grandma", the Malcolm in the Middle episode "Morp", the Lost episode "The Greater Good", and the Miami Vice episode "Missing Hours" in which Brown made a guest appearance as a former music star-turned-con man who promotes extraterrestrial life. In the series finale of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, "I, Done", Philip Banks dances to the song on his birthday. Kids Incorporated covered "I Feel Good" in 1993 in the Season 9 episode "Dating Anxiety". It was also played on NTV7, a Malaysian television channel, as it plays the song accompanied by the clips of its programmes at the start and end of the day's broadcast since its launch in 1998 until around 2006. It reflects the slogan of the channel, that is "Your Feel Good Channel". It also makes occasional appearances on Soccer Saturday when presenter and lifelong Hartlepool fan Jeff Stelling produces a doll each time winger James Brown scores, much to the mirth of the studio experts and the viewers. The song, recorded possibly by a sound-alike band, was used in a commercial for Autolitespark plugs in the 1980s where human beings were used as spark plugs and were dancing or exercising to the song and informing the person who opened the hood about their guarantee.
Brown performs the song on the live albums Live at the Garden, Live at the Apollo, Volume II, Soul Session Live, and Live at the Apollo 1995.
1975 remake
Brown re-recorded the song for his 1975 album Sex Machine Today. This version was featured in the film White Men Can't Jump, the video game Rock Band 3, and .
In 1992, Record producer Paul Dakeyne released a 12" single remix of "I Got You " on FBI Records under the title "James Brown v. Dakeyne – I Got You ". It reached No. 72 on the UK Singles Chart.
