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James Brown Is Dead
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = James Brown Is Dead
| cover = LA Style - JB is Dead single cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = L.A. Style
| album = L.A. Style
| released = 19 August 1991
| recorded = 1991
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 5:38
| label = ZYX Records
Decadance Records
Arista Records
Watts Music
| writer = Denzil Slemming
| producer = Wessel van Diepen Denzil Slemming
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = I'm Raving
| next_year = 1992
| misc =
}}
"'James Brown Is Dead'" is a song by Dutch electronic dance music duo L.A. Style, produced by Wessel van Diepen and Denzil Slemming. It was released in August 1991 as the lead single from their debut album, 'L.A. Style' (1993). The song was a major hit across Europe, reaching number-one in Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain. Additionally, it also reached the top 10 in Australia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. In the US, it peaked at number 59 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100. The song inspired multiple answer songs and is considered a "techno classic" with artists like DJ Irene mixing it into their sets and DJ Boozy Woozy who used samples of Mary J. Blige's "Family Affair" with the main sample of "James Brown Is Dead" to create his song "Party Affair" (2002).
In 2001, Wessel van Diepen and Arista Records released "James Brown Is Dead 2001", a new version of the L.A. Style original.
Critical reception
Andy Kastanas from 'The Charlotte Observer' wrote, "This is high energy rave at its frantic beat. Racing forward like a locomotive, it never slows down until you're exhausted. The voice tells you that "James Brown is dead" while the beat rocks your body from here to eternity."Kastanas, Andy (25 September 1991). "Sounds of Progress". p. 10. 'The Charlotte Observer'.
Track listing
* 'Europe, CD single (1991)'
# "James Brown Is Dead" (Radio Edit) - 3:32
# "James Brown Is Dead" - 5:38
# "James Brown Is Dead" - 5:09
* 'US, CD single (1992)'
# "James Brown Is Dead (7" Version of Original Mix (Without Rap))" 3:06
# "James Brown Is Dead (7" Version of Original Mix (With Rap))" - 3:30
# "James Brown Is Dead (Rock Radio Mix)(Vocals Chris Randall of Sister Machine Gun)" - 3:20
# "James Brown Is Dead (Crossover Radio Mix)" - 3:57
# "James Brown Is Dead (Original Mix (Without Rap))" - 5:38
# "James Brown Is Dead (Original Mix (With Rap))" - 6:04
# "James Brown Is Dead (Deadly Remix)" - 5:26
# "James Brown Is Dead (Wide Awake Remix)" _ 5:21
# "James Brown Is Dead (Take Outs)" - 0:55
Charts
Answer songs
*In the wake of "James Brown Is Dead" the song "James Brown Is Still Alive" was released that same year by Holy Noise, a techno group also from the Netherlands. Although the first song's lyrics do actually assert that James Brown , "the hardest working man in showbiz is alive", the Holy Noise song is regarded as an answer to the L.A. Style song.
*In 1992, Mexican comedian Memo Ros recorded a Spanish parody called "Pedro Infante muri" ("'Pedro Infante Is Dead'") referring to the Mexican film actor.
In popular culture
Professional wrestler and mixed martial artist Yoji Anjo has used the song as his entrance music in UWF International.
References
Category:1991 songs
Category:1991 debut singles
Category:Cultural depictions of James Brown
Category:Songs about musicians
Category:Songs about soul
Category:Songs about death
Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
Category:Number-one singles in Spain
Category:Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles
Category:Techno songs
Category:Eurodance songs
Category:ZYX Music singles
Category:Arista Records singles
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