Here is a pretty good story of the power that James Brown had at one time in American history.

Sometimes being white is embarrassing. That crowd is rhythmically impaired.
The go-go girls were on it, though.

Thanks for the lesson on what melody means. The man himself said that at some point, melody didn't matter to him. I know that there are distinguishable melodies in the music, but if you think that's what the entire new genres of music he invented were based on, you're either mistaken, not listening, or both.

every song james brown ever sang had a melody ;( melody does not mean Vivaldi

So I'm listening to this Terry Gross interview with the co-author of his 1986 autobiography and he's explaining why James Brown has been a hard argument to sell as far as his importance in the history of music. He says it's because the Western world still places too much importance on the European classical music tradition of always emphasizing "melody" above all else. Sound familiar? Some people are still struggling to understand the 20th century.

James Brown has/d rubber feet.

I'd have to say Soul Brother Number One will always retain that power even from the great beyond. Every booty in the house can't resist shaking to James Brown.