Doing It to Death
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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"Doing It to Death" (sometimes mis-titled as "Gonna Have a Funky Good Time") is a funk song recorded by The J.B.'s featuring James Brown. It was released as a single in 1973 and peaked at number one on the soul singles chart and number twenty-two on the Hot 100. 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.
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 used by Fred Wesley.
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.
"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.
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 - drums
