James Brown - Please Please Please (1958)
Tracklist front / back album covers
James Brown - Please Please Please
Side one
1. "Please, Please, Please" 2:47
2. "Chonnie-On-Chon" 2:13
3. "Hold My Baby's Hand" 2:14
4. "I Feel That Old Feeling Coming On" 2:35
5. "Just Won't Do Right" 2:37
6. "Baby Cries Over the Ocean" 2:38
7. "I Don't Know" 2:48
8. "Tell Me What I Did Wrong" 2:23
Side two
1. "Try Me" 2:33
2. "That Dood It" 2:29
3. "Begging, Begging" 2:54
4. "I Walked Alone" 2:43
5. "No, No, No, No" 2:15
6. "That's When I Lost My Heart" 2:52
7. "Let's Make It" 2:27
8. "Love or a Game" 2:15
James Brown Band Members / Musicians
James Brown - lead vocals
The Famous Flames:
Bobby Byrd - background vocals, piano
Johnny Terry - background vocals
Sylvester Keels - background vocals
Bill Hollings - background vocals
Louis Madison - background vocals
Nafloyd Scott - guitar
Clifford Scott - tenor saxophone
Kenny Burrell - guitar
Edwyn Conley - bass
George Dorsey - alto saxophone
John Faire - guitar
David "Panama" Francis - drums
Reginald Hall - drums
Ernie Hayes - piano
Clarence Mack - bass
Carl Pruitt - bass
Wilbert Smith - tenor saxophone
Ray Felder - tenor saxophone
Edison Gore - drums
Alvin "Fats" Gonder - piano
Eddie Freeman - guitar
Please Please Please is the debut studio album by the Famous Flames under the billing "James Brown and His Famous Flames", featuring the first album of recordings during Brown's long career. It includes the group's first two hit singles, the title track and "Try Me" (R&B #1, Pop #48), along with all the non-charting singles and b-sides he had recorded up to the time of the album's release. The album was reissued in 2003 by Polydor on a Japanese 24-bit remastered import CD packaged in a miniature LP sleeve.
James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, record producer, and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is often referred to by the honorific nicknames "Godfather of Soul", "Mr. Dynamite", and "Soul Brother No. 1". In a career that lasted over 50 years, he influenced the development of several music genres. Brown was one of the first ten inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at its inaugural induction in New York on January 23, 1986.
James Brown Discography Full
Please Please Please (1958)
Try Me! (1959)
Think! (1960)
The Amazing James Brown (1961)
James Brown and His Famous Flames Tour the U.S.A. (1962)
Prisoner of Love (1963)
Grits & Soul (1964)
Showtime (1964)
Out of Sight (1964)
James Brown Plays James Brown Today & Yesterday (1965)
Mighty Instrumentals (1966)
James Brown Plays New Breed (The Boo-Ga-Loo) (1966)
James Brown Sings Christmas Songs (1966)
Handful of Soul (1966)
James Brown Sings Raw Soul (1967)
James Brown Plays the Real Thing (1967)
Cold Sweat (1967)
I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me (1968)
I Got the Feelin' (1968)
James Brown Plays Nothing But Soul (1968)
Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things (1968)
A Soulful Christmas (1968)
Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud (1969)
Gettin' Down to It (1969)
The Popcorn (1969)
It's a Mother (1969)
Ain't It Funky (1970)
Soul on Top (1970)
It's a New Day – Let a Man Come In (1970)
Sex Machine (1970)
Hey America (1970)
Sho Is Funky Down Here (1971)
Hot Pants (1971)
There It Is (1972)
Get on the Good Foot (1972)
Black Caesar (1973)
Slaughter's Big Rip-Off (1973)
The Payback (1973)
Hell (1974)
Reality (1974)
Sex Machine Today (1975)
Everybody's Doin' the Hustle & Dead on the Double Bump (1975)
Hot (1976)
Get Up Offa That Thing (1976)
Bodyheat (1976)
Mutha's Nature (1977)
Jam 1980's (1978)
Take a Look at Those Cakes (1978)
The Original Disco Man (1979)
People (1980)
Soul Syndrome (1980)
Nonstop! (1981)
Bring It On! (1983)
Gravity (1986)
I'm Real (1988)
Love Over-Due (1991)
Universal James (1992)
I'm Back (1998)
The Merry Christmas Album (1999)
The Next Step (2002)
Filmography
The T.A.M.I. Show (1964) (concert film)- with The Famous Flames
Ski Party (1965)- with The Famous Flames
James Brown: Man to Man (1968) (concert film)
The Phynx (1970)
Black Caesar (1973) (soundtrack only)
Slaughter's Big Rip-Off (1973) (soundtrack only)
Adiós Amigo (1976)
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Doctor Detroit (1983)
Rocky IV (1985)
Miami Vice (1987)
James Brown: Live in East Berlin (1989)
The Simpsons (1993)
When We Were Kings (1996) (documentary)
Duckman (1997)
Soulmates (1997)
Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
Holy Man (1998)
portrayed by Carlton Smith in Liberty Heights (1999)
Undercover Brother (2002)
The Tuxedo (2002)
The Hire: Beat the Devil (2002) (short film)
Paper Chasers (2003) (documentary)
Soul Survivor (2003) (documentary)
Sid Bernstein Presents ... (2005) (documentary)
Glastonbury (2006) (documentary)
Life on the Road with Mr. and Mrs. Brown (2007) (documentary; release pending)
Live at the Boston Garden: April 5, 1968 (2008) (concert film)
I Got The Feelin': James Brown in the '60s, three-DVD set featuring Live at the Boston Garden: April 5, 1968, Live at the Apollo '68, and the documentary The Night James Brown Saved Boston
Soul Power (2009) (documentary)
Get on Up (2014)
James Brown – Please Please Please (1958): The Birth of the Godfather of Soul
Introduction
Released in 1958, Please Please Please is the debut studio album by James Brown and The Famous Flames, marking the beginning of one of the most influential careers in soul, funk, and popular music history. The album introduced James Brown’s raw emotional delivery, gospel-infused vocals, and electrifying stage presence, laying the groundwork for what would later earn him the title “The Godfather of Soul.”
Rooted in rhythm and blues, gospel, and early soul, Please Please Please captures the emotional intensity and passion that would become James Brown’s signature.
Focus Keywords: James Brown Please Please Please, James Brown debut album, 1958 R&B classics, early soul music, James Brown trivia
James Brown: Early Life and Musical Roots
From Gospel to R&B
Born in 1933 in Barnwell, South Carolina, James Brown grew up singing in church gospel choirs, absorbing the emotional power and call-and-response traditions that would later define his music. After a troubled youth, he turned fully to music, forming The Famous Flames in the mid-1950s.
Brown’s early sound blended gospel intensity with rhythm and blues, creating a new, emotionally charged vocal style that stood out in the late 1950s music scene.
The Famous Flames
The Famous Flames played a crucial role in Brown’s early success, providing harmonies and energetic performances that complemented his dramatic lead vocals.
About Please Please Please (1958)
Album Overview
Released by King Records, Please Please Please is built around emotion-driven performances rather than polished studio perfection. The album is heavily influenced by gospel ballads and R&B, focusing on themes of love, heartbreak, and longing.
Key tracks include:
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“Please, Please, Please” – Iconic title track and breakout hit
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“Why Do You Do Me” – Emotional plea with gospel intensity
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“I Don’t Know” – Early R&B groove showcasing vocal control
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“Chonnie-On-Chon” – Lively rhythm-driven performance
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“No No No No No” – Raw, emotionally charged delivery
The album highlights Brown’s dramatic phrasing, falsetto cries, and emotional storytelling, elements that would define soul music for decades.
Musical Style and Themes
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Genres: R&B, gospel, early soul
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Themes: Love, heartbreak, desperation, devotion
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Style: Raw vocals, minimal arrangements, emotional intensity
Rather than relying on complex instrumentation, the album focuses on Brown’s voice and emotional delivery, setting him apart from his contemporaries.
Fun Facts & Trivia
Interesting Details About the Album
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The song “Please, Please, Please” was originally titled “Why Do People Treat Me So Bad”.
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James Brown’s emotional on-stage performances, including falling to his knees and pleading, were inspired by gospel church traditions.
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The title track reached #5 on the R&B charts, becoming a major hit.
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Brown was known for repeating words and phrases, a technique that would later become a funk trademark.
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The album’s success helped King Records become a major force in R&B music.
Commercial Performance and Legacy
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R&B Chart Peak: Top 10
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Sales: Over one million copies sold (including the single)
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Impact: Launched James Brown as a major R&B star
Please Please Please established James Brown as a powerhouse vocalist and paved the way for his evolution into soul, funk, and rhythmic innovation during the 1960s and 1970s.
Top Tracks
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Please, Please, Please – Soul-defining classic
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Why Do You Do Me – Gospel-inspired emotion
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I Don’t Know – Early R&B groove
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No No No No No – Raw vocal performance
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Chonnie-On-Chon – Energetic rhythm track
These songs highlight Brown’s emotional range and vocal power, making the album a cornerstone of early soul music.
Why Please Please Please Still Matters
The Birth of Soul Music
The album helped bridge gospel and R&B, laying the foundation for modern soul music.
Performance-Driven Artistry
James Brown’s emphasis on emotion, repetition, and intensity reshaped how vocalists approached performance.
Cultural Impact
This debut marks the beginning of a career that would influence everyone from Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye to Prince and Michael Jackson.
Final Thoughts
Please Please Please (1958) is a historic debut album that introduced the world to James Brown’s raw power and emotional intensity. While far removed from his later funk innovations, this album represents the birth of a musical legend whose influence still resonates today.
Meta Description
Discover James Brown’s debut album Please Please Please (1958). Explore classic R&B tracks, fun facts, and the birth of the Godfather of Soul.
Keywords
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James Brown Please Please Please
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James Brown debut album
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1958 R&B classics
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Early soul music
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James Brown trivia
