Doing It to Death
{{About|the song|the album by The J.B.'s|Doing It to Death (album)}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Doing It to Death
| cover = DoingItToDeath.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s
| album = Doing It to Death
| B-side = Everybody Got Soul
| released = {{Start date|1973|04}}
| recorded = January 29, 1973, International Studios, Augusta, GA
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Funk
| length = {{plainlist}}
- {{Duration|m=5|s=05}}
- {{Duration|m=10|s=01}} (album version)
{{endplainlist}}
| label = People
621
| writer = James Brown
| producer = James Brown
| prev_title = Sportin' Life
| prev_year = 1973
| next_title = If You Don't Get It the First Time, Back Up and Try It Again, Party
| next_year = 1973
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|NNw2F_LevVU|"Doing It To Death (Pts. 1 & 2)"}}|header=Audio video}}
}}
"Doing It to Death", also known as "Gonna Have a Funky Good Time", is a funk song recorded by The J.B.'s featuring James Brown.
A 10-minute, two-part version of "Doing It to Death" was included on a J.B.'s album of the same name. The complete, unedited and nearly 13-minute-long original recording of the song was first issued on the 1995 J.B.'s compilation Funky Good Time: The Anthology. Performances of the song also appear on the albums Live at Chastain Park and Live at the Apollo 1995.
Background
Although the song has a lead vocal by Brown (who also wrote the tune and the lyrics), the recording is credited to "Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s". It was the first J.B.'s recording to feature saxophonist Maceo Parker, who had returned to work with Brown again after attempting a career as a bandleader.
"Doing It to Death" contains an uncommon key change in which Brown tells the band to modulate downward from F to D ("In order for me to get down, I have to get down in D"). Composers who place key changes in tunes typically have them modulate upwards. Unusually for a James Brown song, the actual words "doing it to death" appear nowhere in the song's lyrics, which feature the hook "we're gonna have a funky good time." The title came from a figure of speech Brown heard Wesley use.
Personnel
- James Brown - lead vocal
with Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s:
- Fred Wesley - trombone
- Darryl "Hasaan" Jamison - trumpet
- Jerone "Jasaan" Sanford - trumpet
- Ike Oakley - trumpet
- Maceo Parker - alto saxophone and flute
- St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone
- Eldee Williams - tenor saxophone
- Jimmy Nolen - guitar
- Hearlon "Cheese" Martin - guitar
- Fred Thomas - bass
- John "Jabo" Starks - drumsLeeds, Alan (1995). Discography. In Funky Good Time: The Anthology [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
Chart performance
"Doing It to Death" was released as a single in 1973 and peaked at number one on the soul singles chart and number 22 on the Hot 100.{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=617}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{The J.B.'s}}
{{James Brown singles}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Songs written by James Brown
{{1970s-R&B-song-stub}}