Hot Pants (song)
Encyclopedia
"Hot Pants" is a song by James Brown
. Brown recorded the song in 1971
and released it that year as a three-part single
on his People Records label, which was then distributed by his primary label King
. It was a number-one R&B
hit and reached number fifteen on the pop chart
in the U.S. "Hot Pants" was Brown's final release under King's purview before he (and the People label) moved to Polydor Records
. The song's lyrics
are an ode to the captivating power of the title garment, which members of the band first saw on their 1970 European tour.
Like much of Brown's funk
repertoire, "Hot Pants" has been extensively sampled
in hip hop
productions, notably by Eric B. & Rakim
on the title track of Paid in Full
.
with the J.B.'s
:
to be released on his new label. The 8:42 long album version, which was never released as a single, was recorded on July 12, 1971, at Rodel Studios, Washington, D.C.
with the same personnel as the previous recording. It was included on the 1986 compilation album
In the Jungle Groove
.
Several of Brown's associates also recorded hot pants-themed songs. Bobby Byrd
recorded "Hot Pants - I'm Coming, I'm Coming, I'm Coming", released on Brownstone Records in 1972
. This song was featured on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack
on the Master Sounds 98.3 station. Byrd's wife Vicki Anderson
also recorded an answer song
, "I'm Too Tough For Mr. Big Stuff (Hot Pants)", for Brownstone.
The J.B.'s
recorded the instrumental
"Hot Pants Road" as the B-side of their 1971 hit "Pass the Peas".
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
. Brown recorded the song in 1971
1971 in music
-Events:*February 1 – after months of feuding in the press, Ginger Baker and Elvin Jones hold a "drum battle" at The Lyceum.*February 8 – Bob Dylan's hour-long documentary film, Eat the Document, is premièred at New York's Academy of Music...
and released it that year as a three-part single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on his People Records label, which was then distributed by his primary label King
King Records (USA)
King Records is an American record label, started in 1943 by Syd Nathan and originally headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.-History:At first it specialized in country music, at the time still known as "hillbilly music." King advertised, "If it's a King, It's a Hillbilly -- If it's a Hillbilly, it's a...
. It was a number-one R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
hit and reached number fifteen on the pop chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in the U.S. "Hot Pants" was Brown's final release under King's purview before he (and the People label) moved to Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
. The song's lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
are an ode to the captivating power of the title garment, which members of the band first saw on their 1970 European tour.
Like much of Brown's funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
repertoire, "Hot Pants" has been extensively sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
in hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
productions, notably by Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair are generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre...
on the title track of Paid in Full
Paid in Full (album)
Paid in Full is the debut album of American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released July 7, 1987, on the Island-subsidiary label 4th & B'way Records. The duo recorded the album at hip hop producer Marley Marl's home studio and Power Play Studios in New York City, following Rakim's response to Eric...
.
Personnel
- James Brown - lead vocal
with the J.B.'s
The J.B.'s
The J.B.'s were James Brown's band during the first half of the 1970s. On record the J.B.'s were sometimes billed under various alternate names such as The James Brown Soul Train, Maceo and the Macks, A.A.B.B., The First Family and The Last Word...
:
- Fred WesleyFred WesleyFred Wesley is an American jazz and funk trombonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
- trombone - Jimmy ParkerJimmy ParkerJimmy Parker is a former Belgian International rugby player who currently plays his trade for the Brussels Barbarians.He was captain of the Brussels Barbarians for the 1994-95 season.He is interviewed here...
- alto saxophone - St. Clair PinckneySt. Clair PinckneySt. Clair Pinckney was a saxophonist who performed with James Brown as a member of the James Brown Orchestra and The J.B.'s. He played tenor and baritone saxophone.-External links:*...
- tenor saxophone - Bobby ByrdBobby ByrdBobby Byrd born Robert Howard Byrd was an American funk/soul/R&B/gospel musician, songwriter and record producer. He was born in Toccoa, Georgia, and is a 1998 winner of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's prestigious Pioneer Award...
- organ - Hearlon "Cheese" Martin - guitar
- Robert Coleman - guitar
- Fred Thomas - bass
- John "Jabo" Starks - drums
- Johnny Griggs - congas
Other versions and related songs
Soon after moving to Polydor Brown re-recorded "Hot Pants" for inclusion on the Hot Pants albumAlbum
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
to be released on his new label. The 8:42 long album version, which was never released as a single, was recorded on July 12, 1971, at Rodel Studios, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
with the same personnel as the previous recording. It was included on the 1986 compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
In the Jungle Groove
In the Jungle Groove
In the Jungle Groove is a compilation album by American funk and soul musician James Brown, released in August 1986 on Polydor Records in the United States...
.
Several of Brown's associates also recorded hot pants-themed songs. Bobby Byrd
Bobby Byrd
Bobby Byrd born Robert Howard Byrd was an American funk/soul/R&B/gospel musician, songwriter and record producer. He was born in Toccoa, Georgia, and is a 1998 winner of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's prestigious Pioneer Award...
recorded "Hot Pants - I'm Coming, I'm Coming, I'm Coming", released on Brownstone Records in 1972
1972 in music
-Events:*January 17 – Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Boulevard"*January 20 – The début of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at The Dome, Brighton, is halted by technical difficulties,...
. This song was featured on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack
The soundtrack of the computer and video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which is set in 1992 in the fictional U.S. West Coast state of San Andreas, required that the game's radio stations reflect the music tastes of the time and area, in addition to covering current events in the state of San...
on the Master Sounds 98.3 station. Byrd's wife Vicki Anderson
Vicki Anderson
Vicki Anderson is a soul singer best known for her performances with the James Brown Revue. She recorded a number of singles under both her birth and stage names...
also recorded an answer song
Answer song
An answer song is, as the name suggests, a song made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. It is also known as a response song. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s through 1950s...
, "I'm Too Tough For Mr. Big Stuff (Hot Pants)", for Brownstone.
The J.B.'s
The J.B.'s
The J.B.'s were James Brown's band during the first half of the 1970s. On record the J.B.'s were sometimes billed under various alternate names such as The James Brown Soul Train, Maceo and the Macks, A.A.B.B., The First Family and The Last Word...
recorded the instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
"Hot Pants Road" as the B-side of their 1971 hit "Pass the Peas".
External links
- [ Song Review] at Allmusic
- List of songs that sample "Hot Pants"