James Brown Is Dead

"James Brown Is Dead"
Single by L.A. Style
from the album L.A. Style
Released	1991
Format	CD single, 12" single, 12" maxi, 7" single
Recorded	1991
Genre	Techno
Length	5:38
Label	ZYX Records Decadance Records Arista Records Watts Music
Writer(s)	Denzil Slemming
Producer	Denzil Slemming
L.A. Style singles chronology
"James Brown Is Dead" (1991) "I'm Raving" (1992)

"James Brown Is Dead" and "James Brown Is Still Alive" are two of the earliest and best known of a series of electronic dance music references to iconic American entertainer James Brown. One basis for these lyrics is the widespread sampling of Brown's music, particularly the rhythmic breaks in "Funky Drummer", possibly the most sampled piece of music of all time.

Artists

L.A. Style

The James Brown memorial in Augusta, Georgia was decorated by fans after the artist really died on Christmas 2006. An assertion that an incorrect 1992 news report of Brown's death spawned the various "James Brown is dead" and music references seems to be an urban legend.

The Dutch duo L.A. Style (founded and produced by Wessel van Diepen who later helped create Vengaboys) released "James Brown Is Dead" in 1991. It appeared on Billboard's Hot 100 Airplay chart and was the first techno song to hit the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the lyrics and title, James Brown was alive at the time of the song's release and did not die at all until December 25, 2006.

While remixes of this song often include the words "James Brown Is Dead" as the only discernible words, the song has other lyrics including:

I checked up on the late great J.B.
His death is said on national TV
Now memory, man are you with that
James Brown is dead
Total chaos, man it's resurrected
I'm confused that things are gettin' hectic
In my brain, what is happenin'?
Could this be a big misunderstanding? It is
The hardest working man in show biz is alive so
Don't be misled, cause the newsman said
JAMES BROWN IS DEAD

Some sources report that the basis for the song is a 1992 broadcast that falsely reported the singer's demise and that a sample of that broadcast became the basis of the recording. Because the song was released in 1991, this cannot be true.

Although a false report of the singer's death may have been made on the airwaves at some time before the song was released (or perhaps at a later date with origins as a prank inspired by this song), this entire assertion may fall under the category of an urban legend.

Holy Noise

"James Brown Is Still Alive"
Single by Holy Noise
Released	1991
Format	7" single
Recorded	1991
Genre	Techno
Length	3:30

In the wake of "James Brown Is Dead", the song "James Brown Is Still Alive" was released that same year by Holy Noise, a techno group also from the Netherlands. Although the first song's lyrics do actually assert that "the hardest working man in show biz is alive", the Holy Noise song is regarded as an answer to the L.A. Style song.

This song begins with the lyrics:

James Brown's down
Who the funk do you think you're fooling?
For me the man's still ruling
Stop the nonsense
Stop telling lies
James Brown is still alive

Like "James Brown is Dead", "James Brown is Still Alive" has been remixed innumerable times. Often, the two songs have been blended together so that they form a sort of conversation.

Other artists

In the quickly-evolving world of techno music, "James Brown Is Dead" was already considered a "rave classic" by the late 1990s when artists such as DJ Irene would mix it into their sets. In 2001, Wessel van Diepen and Arista Records released "James Brown Is Dead 2001", a new version of the L.A.Style original.

"James Brown Is Dead" was sampled or otherwise used by various arists

• It was sampled by German techno group Scooter on their song "Call Me Mañana" when it was remastered for its single release in 1999.
• The track's refrain is heard in the "I Love Techno" track on Nite Versions, a 2005 album from the band Soulwax.
• Void released a remix to L.A. Style's song "James Brown Is Dead" in their 2006 album The Angry Brigade.
• Danish DJ James Braun released an edit of this track called "James Braun Is Dead".

Due to its success, "James Brown is Dead" inspired a whole range of electronic dance tracks

• "J.B. On Dope" by Y-Decibel (1991)
• "James Dean Is Back" by Mediteria (199)
• "Mr Kirk, Your Son Is Dead" by The Dead Kirks (1991)
• "Who Is Elvis" by Phenomania (1991), which in turn inspired another cycle of spin-offs
• "Laura P is dead" by XPC (1991)
• A compilation James Brown Is Dead Or Alive!?!?, released in 1992 by Avex Trax, featurted several versions of "James Brown Is Dead, "James Brown Is Still Alive" and more James-Brown-inspired tracks, including
  • "James Brown Is Dead Or Alive !?!?" by J.Y. Factory
  • "Who the Hell is James Brown?" by Big Boss
  • "James Brown Est..." by DJK
  • "Who The Fuck Is James Brown?" by Traumatic Stress
  • "Michael Jackson Is In Heaven Now" by Obscure FM
  • "Helmut Kohl Ist Tot" by George Kranz
• "James Brown Is Queer" by Organ Donors
• "James Brown Has Sex" by Raimundo Navarra
• "Pedro Infante Murió" by Memo Rios
• "Bruce Willis is Dead" by Mr. Oizo
• "Justin Bieber is Dead" by Krftkds
• "Jimi Hendrix is not dead" by Imrich Tekknofactory, who also released "Who is Mečiar?" (1992), a spin-off of "Who Is Elvis?"
• "Y&Co. is dead or alive" by Y&Co. for Beatmania IIDX 16: Empress

American rapper Shwayze released a song titled "James Brown Is Dead" on his album Shwayze (album), which takes up the original track's rap lyrics.

Chart positions

James Brown Is Dead

Chart (1991)	Peak position
Dance Music/Club Play Singles	4
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	14
Dutch Top 40	1
Chart (1992)	Peak position
Billboard Hot 100	59
Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	9
Spain (AFYVE)	1