Escape-Ism

James Brown

About Escape-Ism

"Escape-ism" is a funk song by James Brown. It was Brown's first release on his own label, People Records. It charted #6 R&B and #35 Pop as a two-part single in 1971. Both parts also appeared on the album Hot Pants in 1971, with the previously unreleased nineteen-minute unedited take of the track appearing on the album's 1992 CD re-release. According to Robert Christgau the song was "supposedly cut to kill time until Bobby Byrd arrived" at the studio. A live version of "Escape-ism" is included on Revolution of the Mind.  


Year:
1971
3:04
59 

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I was talking, I was talking to a cat the other night
He said, "What everybody is looking for?
What everybody's looking for today?"
They're looking for escapism

Ain't it good to you? Yeah
You know what? I love to get down, Jack, yeah
And when I get down, why'understand
I don't have to go into no funny bag
Say, alcohol, you guess, I mean, said I wanna man
I can't, why'understand, that's the way I feel

You know, I believe I'll get down right about here, right on
Byrd, if I get down, hey why'know Byrdy, Byrdy, man, Byrdy's gotta
Byrdy's gotta, Byrdy's gotta, I mean, Byrdy's gotta
Out of sight tune coming up, we gotta record Byrdy right here
Why'know, yeah, so we're trying to get our thing out of the way
Before Byrdy can get into it

Byrd, can we get on before we, yeah, is it all right? Yeah
Byrd, do you think gonna be a hit, Byrd? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
Is it, you think it's gonna be a hit?
Well, I know it's a smash, I know it's a smash
Cause you're in the thing, man, you're saying where it's at
Why'know, it's gotta be a hit, yeah, you ready, Byrd? Yeah, let's go

Get down, ain't it good to you? Yeah
Ain't it good to you? Yeah
Ain't it good to you?, Yeah, yeah, yeah

Look here, what you say, Fred?
Man, you know, we better take it on the lam
You better watch the man, I don't think they heard
What you say, Fred?, I said, we better take it on the lam
You better watch the man
Byrd, yeah, come over here, brother, I'm tellin' you
You think we're talking too loud? Who starts fuss

I ain't got no dust, I don't have to take it on the lam
Better watch that man, uh? Better watch that man
Watch him, yeah, all right, you're right, yeah, yeah
Coming from some funny places, what you say, bruh?
What's happening Brown?

Trying to get down, yeah, yeah, well, you know
Look here, we can't help it, that's right, [Incomprehensible], yeah
It ain't no alcohol, man I don't dig it, what you say, Jason?
I say, don't be so mean, you know I'm clean, yeah
[Incomprehensible]

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James Brown

James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of funk music and is a major figure of 20th century popular music and dance. more »

2 fans

Written by: JAMES BROWN

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


14 facts about this song

Creation
"Escape-Ism" is a song by James Brown, the renowned American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer, often dubbed as the 'Godfather of Soul'.
Release Date
It was released in the year 1971 as a three-part single.
Record Label
It was launched under the record label People Records, which was owned by James Brown himself.
Chart Performance
The track managed to capture the 6th position on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.
Song Concept
Brown wrote this song as a fictional monologue about creating a new dance, which he referred to as "Escape-ism".
Pioneering Track
The song is regarded as one of the first tracks to pioneer the genre of funk.
Influence
"Escape-Ism" was a notable influence on the development of hip-hop music, with its rhythm and flow influencing several hip-hop artists in the years to follow.
Album
The song was included in the 1971 James Brown album "Hot Pants".
Studio Recording
"Escape-Ism" was recorded at the original King Records studio located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Jonathan Lethem
The novel "Dissident Gardens" by Jonathan Lethem, a famous American novelist, features a chapter named after this song.
Musical Structure
The song is known for its unique composition with sparse music and repetitive lyrics.
Live Performance
James Brown frequently used "Escape-Ism" as an instrumental bed during his concert performances in the mid-1970s.
Sampled
The song has been widely sampled by various artists across multiple genres, underlining its influence on popular music.
Duration
The full version of the song runs over 19 minutes split into three parts.

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