James Brown
Say It Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud
James Brown is widely credited as the creator of funk music. He is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th Century.
Written by Brown and his bandleader, Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, this song held the number-one spot on the R&B singles chart for six weeks in 1968. The song's call-and-response chorus is performed by a group of young children from the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Compton and Watts.
Uh, with your bad self Say it louder (I got a mouth) Say it louder (I got a mouth) Look a'here, some people say we got a lot of malice Some say it's a lotta nerve I say we won't quit moving Til we get what we deserve We've been buked and we've been scourned We've been treated bad, talked about As just as sure as you're born But just as sure as it take Two eyes to make a pair, huh Brother, we can't quit until we get our share Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, one more time Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, huh I've worked on jobs with my feet and my hands But all the work I did was for the other man And now we demands a chance To do things for ourselves we tired of beating our heads against the wall And working for someone else Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, oowee Ooowee, ou're killing me Alright uh, you're out of sight Alright, so tough, you're tough enough Ooowee uh, you're killing me, oow Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud Now we demand a chance to do things for ourselves We tired of beating our heads against the wall And working for someone else A look a'here, One thing more I got to say right here Now, we're people like the birds and the bees We rather die on our feet, Than keep living on our knees Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, hu Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, hu Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, Lord'a Lord'a Lord'a Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, ooooh Uh, alright now, good Lord You know we can do the boog-a-loo Now we can say we do the Funky Broadway! Now we can do, hu Sometimes we dance, we sing and we talk You know I do like to do the camel walk Alright now, hu alright, Alright now, ha Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud, let me hear ya Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud Now we's demands a chance to do things for ourselves We're tired of beating our heads against the wall And working for someone else, hu Now we're our people, too We're like the birds and the bees, But we'd rather die on our feet, Than keep a'living on our knees Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud, let me hear ha', huh Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, hu Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud Oooow, oowee, you're killing me, alright Uh, outa sight, alright you're outa sight Ooowee, oh Lord, Ooowee, you're killing me Ooowee, ooowee, ooowee, ooowee, ow Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud, hu Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud , Lord I feel it Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud Say it louder, I'm black and I'm proud