The Payback
| The Payback | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 1973 | |||
| Recorded | February–October 1973 | |||
| Genre | Funk[1] | |||
| Length | 72:52 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer | James Brown | |||
| James Brown chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The Payback | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[2] |
| eMusic | [3] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [4] |
The Payback is the 37th
It went to #1 on the Soul Albums chart for two weeks and cracked the Pop Albums chart in the Top 40. It was Brown's only studio album to be
The Payback is considered a high point in Brown's recording career, and is now regarded by critics as a landmark funk album. Its revenge-themed title track, a #1 R&B hit, is one of his most famous songs and an especially prolific source of samples for record producers. Musically the album is largely cyclic grooves and jamming, but it also features departures into a softer soul-based sound on tracks like "Doing the Best I Can" and "Forever Suffering".
The album was reissued on single CD in 1992 with liner notes by Alan Leeds.
Track listing
All tracks are written by James Brown,
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3. | "Take Some...Leave Some" | 8:33 | |
| 4. | "Shoot Your Shot" | Brown | 8:09 |
| Total length: | 16:45 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Forever Suffering" | 5:52 |
| 6. | "Time Is Running out Fast" | 12:47 |
| Total length: | 18:41 | |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | " Stone to the Bone " | Brown | 10:14 |
| 8. | "Mind Power" | 12:04 | |
| Total length: | 22:27 | ||
Personnel
- James Brown - lead vocals, electric piano
- St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone, flute
- Maceo Parker - alto saxophone, flute
- Darryl "Hasaan" Jamison - trumpet
- Jerone "Jasaan" Sanford - trumpet
- Isiah "Ike" Oakley - trumpet
- Fred Wesley - trombone
- Hearlon "Cheese" Martin - guitar
- Jimmy Nolen - guitar
- Fred Thomas - bass
- drums
- John Morgan - percussion
Charts
Album –
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Billboard Pop Albums | 34 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[8] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
See also
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1974 (U.S.)
References
- ^ AllMusic. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (June 9, 1980). "A Consumer Guide to James Brown". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
- ^ Wolk, Douglas (November 23, 2010). "James Brown, The Payback". eMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
- ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved 2015-07-19.
- ^ Smith, RJ. The One: The Life and Music of James Brown, 290. New York: Gotham Books, 2012.
- ^ Cohen, Larry (2001). Black Caesar commentary (DVD). Fox Video.
- ^ "The James Brown Review". chronicle.augusta.com. Retrieved 2015-07-19.
- ^ "American album certifications – James Brown – The Payback". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
External links
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