“People think that pop is a bad thing, but pop comes from the word "popular." And what makes something popular can be something very left field.” »read more
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This was Brown's first commercial recording. He recorded it at WIBB, a radio station in his home town of Macon, Georgia.
The song had a legendary reputation before Brown recorded it -- he had it in his repertoire for two years before manager Clint Brantley shepherded Brown and his group into the studio.
This originated in late 1953 as an "outgrowth" of the group's performance of the Orioles' 1952 "Baby Please Don't Go," in which the background singers repeat "Please, please, please" throughout the song. Brown believed the group's future lay in original songs, so he wrote "Please, Please, Please" in the same vein.
At first, the record labels were spooked by the rawness of the song and no one would sign Brown. Then King Records A and R man Ralph Bass heard the song in January 1956 and loved it on first listen. He wired owner Syd Nathan about a new act that he wanted to sign to the Federal subsidiary and flew the group to the King studios in Cincinnati to cut a new version of "Please, Please, Please." Bass was promptly fired by Nathan because the boss thought the song was "a piece of s--t." Bass was eventually rehired once the single started selling.
The first pressings of the record credited the song to the Famous Flames. Subsequent releases show James Brown and the Famous Flames.
This is always a high point in every James Brown concert -- early performances of the song lasted up to 40 minutes, complete with JB's exit and reappearance with a towel, his throwing of the towel, and The Flames placing a cape on his shoulders before guiding him offstage.
When performing this, Brown often does the trick of letting go of the microphone (in the stand), letting it fall but catching it as he goes to his knees. (thanks, Brad Wind - Miami, FL, for all above)
Johnny Terry and Bobby Byrd, 2 of the original Flames, explained that they added "Famous" to their name to avoid confusion with a Georgia group called The Flames. (thanks, hal - atlanta, GA)
More songs by James Brown
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Comments:
Classic James Brown. The great thing about James Brown is that it seems like every time he stepped into the studio, nothing was staged, that raw emotion was the only thing that came out. There is no better soul musician. Who's the boss?
- Jason, Austin, TX