Super Bad (song)

For the 2007 film, see Superbad (film).
"Super Bad (Part 1 & Part 2)"
Single by James Brown
from the album Super Bad
B-side"Super Bad (Part 3)"
ReleasedOctober 2, 1970 (1970-10-02)
RecordedJune 30, 1970, Starday-King Studios, Nashville, TN
GenreFunk
Length
  • 4:05 (Parts 1 & 2)
  • 4:05 (Part 3)
  • 9:03 (complete version)
LabelKing
6329
Songwriter(s)James Brown
Producer(s)James Brown
James Brown charting singles chronology
"Get Up I Feel Like Being Like a Sex Machine (Part 1)"
(1970) 		"Super Bad (Part 1 & Part 2)"
(1970) 		"Santa Claus Is Definitely Here to Stay Vocal"
(1970)
Audio sample
Music video
"James Brown - Super Bad (Parts 1 & 2) ft. The Original J.B.s" on YouTube

"Super Bad", originally titled Call Me Super Bad, is a 1970 song by James Brown. Originally released as a three-part single, it went to #1 on the R&B chart and number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1][2] The song's lyrics include the refrain "I've got soul and I'm super bad." The positive use of the word "bad" is an example of linguistic reappropriation, which Brown had done before in "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud".

The song includes a tenor saxophone solo by Robert McCollough, during which Brown yells, "Blow me some Trane, brother!"

A reverbed version with overdubbed audience applause was released on a 1971 album of the same name. He performed the song on Soul Train on February 10, 1973.[3]

Personnel

  • James Brown - lead vocal

with The J.B.'s:

Chart positions

Chart (1970) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 13
U.S. Billboard R&B 1

Appearances and references in media

References

  1. ^ White, Cliff (1991). "Discography". In Star Time (pp. 54–59) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 84.
  3. ^ The Best of Soul Train Live (booklet). Time Life. 2011.
  4. ^ Leeds, Alan, and Harry Weinger (1991). "Star Time: Song by Song". In Star Time (pp. 46–53) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.