rock and roll musings by Tim Byrnes

He Felt Good: On James Brown, Hope and Mortality

    On Xmas morning I woke, as I'm sure many of us did, to the news of James Brown's passing. That Monday was the lull between 2 major snowstorms here in Colorado that had been giving the days an even more numbing effect than the usual "I always shut down fer Xmas' crap that my life becomes those last weeks in December. So the 'Oh, crap' quotient got a little boost at this sad news. I never thought James Brown would/could die. I know that sounds like nonsense, but I was struck at the news of his death that I never considered James Brown to be human. I mean, I knew it intellectually, I didn't think he was a robot or something; only that, to me, what the man represented was larger and infinitely more real than the man himself.

     Starting to sound like spirituality. Well, as Lynn always says, rock and roll is the closest thing I got to a religion (still haven't moved back, the snowstorm kinda put the kibosh on any movement beyond town, at least for a while) and James Brown is/was/will be,  w/out a doubt, one of the top hierarchy in the firmament or whatever ridiculous title you want to give to a man who somehow transcends. I saw Brown's funeral service on CSPAN of all places, did the funky dance while sitting on the couch w/Buster in my lap and tears in my laughing eyes; bitched at Michael Jackson (how dare he not get on that stage and get on the good foot?) and marvelled at M.C. Hammer's stage moves. It was a glorious service. A celebration of the man's heart, soul and most importantly music.

    I'm sorry, but if everyone on the planet started every day by singing "Get Up Offa That Thing" there would be less hurt, war and anger in this world. Yes I know James had a checkered past regarding drugs, the law, spousal abuse and (as Rick Johnson so lovingly put it in CREEM magazine) recreational drag racing, but that was the man; flawed as he was funky and Lawd was he funky, y'all. The point is the music, the message, the mission was larger than the man. Larger than any man. Regardless of the artist's life, which I'm in no position to judge and, really neither are you, it's the art that will last. The primeval howl, the 'hit me', the tighter than tight horn blasts, Jimmy Nolen scratching that Strat into eternity that will last. A guiding roll of heat and heart, a happiness spun like gold from the actions of men and women in the service of something bigger than themselves; getting on up like a sex machine. This is what I get from rock and roll. Maybe that's what Christians get from Christianity, Jews from Judaism etc. I somehow doubt that, though.

    Especially the sex machine part.

Posted by: timbyrnes at 16:57 | link | comments (5)

Comments:

#1  04 January 2007 - 17:42

 

Hey tim: Figured you'd get to James Brown. I still remember that album with "Killer Heroin" on it. And yeah, it's hard to stay in a bad mood after "Git Up Offa That Thang."

And hey, I can be a sex machine too. Especially after a few rounds of VoL's "Love Cocoon." :D

burninglight

#2  05 January 2007 - 05:50

 

[quote]rock and roll is the closest thing I got to a religion[/quote]

Father in Heaven, please help this man. I beg you, ... please. In the Name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sincerely,
Jim

Anonymous

#3  17 January 2007 - 04:49

 

Hey Tim,

This guy named Keith Green died in the early 80s when he was only 28 years old. I want you to prayerfully consider his lyrics to the song "Soften Your Heart" :

-------
So many times I've tried to tell you
But I don't think you've been listening
There's nothing I wanna try and sell you
'Cause His love is free
You're so proud of saying you're a seeker
But why are you searching in the dark
You won't find a thing
Until you soften your heart

The message is oh so very simple
You gotta be like a child to see
'Cause Jesus said Let the little children
Come unto Me
You try to make things to complicated
But you really don't have to be so smart
You don't learn a thing
Until you soften your heart

Well if this just this once
I could show you your empty life
I know you would follow him
Right now
Well I know it sounds
Just too good to be true
But if He Lives in you

Chorus
You'll never die, You'll never die,
You'll live forever
You'll never die, You'll never die,
Take care of forever now

You tell everyone to keep on smiling
Your outlook on life is so positive
But deep down inside
You're searching for a reason to live
Like everyone else you're scared of dying
But the power of death has been blown apart
And you'll live forever
If you soften your heart

Chorus
You'll never die, You'll never die,
You'll live forever
You'll never die, You'll never die,
Take care of forever now
----------

What I'm saying is, if you want a breakthrough with God, maybe you can chill out on all of that pro-choice nonsense that has only resulted in death and misery.

Check out that song "Goodbye Baby" on that last Fleetwood Mac album, that's the kind of misery that everyone who had an abortion feels. Its very obvious what the song is about. You know how a woman feels who had an abortion 10 years ago feels when she sees a ten-year old kid? Like hell, that's how she feels. What I'm saying is, if you let your heart break over this stuff like God's does, you'll ahve a breakthrough with Him, and be closer to Him. Like Keith says "You're so proud of saying you're a seeker; so why are you searching in the dark? You won't learn a thing until you soften your heart."

Its true, man. Experience shows that its true.

Take 'er easy; hope all is well.

Jim

Anonymous

#4  26 January 2007 - 17:34

 

Yo byrnes,

Come back to us. Hope this just means you've been moving and that things are progressing along there.

BTW, which Sigur Ros album would you recommend more (or first, more to the point), Live at Leeds, Untitled or Takk?

burninglight

#5  02 March 2007 - 16:51

 

Yo, sorry to be away so long hope new post explains. Sigur Ros, hmmmm. I still gotta go w () or untitled as I have the most history w/it. Jim ... oh, Jim what can I say? I'm sorry Mr Green is no longer w/us but I find his lyrics and sentiment infantile. I look in the dark because I'm surrounded by it and have not been sufficiently duped to build a phony castle of light that promises everything but only after I'm dead. That's a pretty good condition to welch on a bet, innit?

timbyrnes

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