Juxtaposin’: Cultural Appropriation Alert!

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Fenster

Fenster writes:

Perhaps you thought James Brown’s famous disrobing-and-falling-down routine was sui generis?  Maybe maybe not.

Please Please Please was released in 1956 and made famous in Brown’s 1964 version for The Tami Show.

But here is Billy Barty doing a similar turn on the Spike Jones TV show in 1954.  Two years earlier than the release of Please Please Please and ten years earlier than The Tami Show.

Coincidence?  You be the judge.

About Fenster

Gainfully employed for thirty years, including as one of those high paid college administrators faculty complain about. Earned Ph.D. late in life and converted to the faculty side. Those damn administrators are ruining everything.
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5 Responses to Juxtaposin’: Cultural Appropriation Alert!

  1. missberk says:
    September 19, 2015 at 11:46 am

    Please, please. Lol

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. peterike2 says:
    September 20, 2015 at 11:04 am

    Well it would be cultural appropriation, but as all right thinking people know, cultural appropriation is a one way street.

    Sidenote: I’ve never liked James Brown. Every few years I try to listen to “Live from the Apollo” because every few years I seem to stumble across some poll voting it one of the X Best albums of all time (e.g. 25th in Rolling Stone Top 500 list), and every time I listen the thing leaves me utterly cold. I don’t like a note of it. What can you do.

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    • JV says:
      September 21, 2015 at 12:38 am

      Start with the compilation, Dead on the Heavy Funk, which brings together some great stuff of his from the late 60s/early 70s. If that album doesn’t move you, then you’re beyond help. 🙂 I LOVE James Brown during the funk period of around 1968 – 1976. But like you, I’m not a fan of his earlier, more traditional gospel/soul stuff, including Live at the Apollo.

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  3. BNote says:
    September 20, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    Apparently, JB was inspired by the “wrestler”, Gorgeous George for much of his on-stage persona.

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  4. Faze says:
    September 21, 2015 at 8:47 pm

    I believe the Gorgeous George part, and also, JB (like all R&B guys of his time) stole shamelessly from black gospel schtick.

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