"Doing It to Death", also known as "Gonna Have a Funky Good Time", is a funk song recorded by The J.B.'s featuring James Brown. A 10-minute, two-part version of "Doing It to Death" was included on a J.B.'s album of the same name. The complete, unedited and nearly 13-minute-long original recording of the song was first issued on the 1995 J.B.'s compilation Funky Good Time: The Anthology. Performances of the song also appear on the albums Live at Chastain Park and Live at the Apollo 1995.

"Doing It to Death"
Single by Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s
from the album Doing It to Death
B-side	"Everybody Got Soul"
Released	April 1973 (1973-04)
Recorded	January 29, 1973, International Studios, Augusta, GA
Genre	Funk
Length	5:05 10:01 (album version)
Label	People 621
Songwriter(s)	James Brown
Producer(s)	James Brown

Background

Although the song has a lead vocal by Brown (who also wrote the tune and the lyrics), the recording is credited to "Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s". It was the first J.B.'s recording to feature saxophonist Maceo Parker, who had returned to work with Brown again after attempting a career as a bandleader.

"Doing It to Death" contains an uncommon key change in which Brown tells the band to modulate downward from F to D ("In order for me to get down, I have to get down in D"). Composers who place key changes in tunes typically have them modulate upwards. Unusually for a James Brown song, the actual words "doing it to death" appear nowhere in the song's lyrics, which feature the hook "we're gonna have a funky good time." The title came from a figure of speech Brown heard Wesley use.

Personnel

• James Brown - lead vocal

with Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s:

• Fred Wesley - trombone
• Darryl "Hasaan" Jamison - trumpet
• Jerone "Jasaan" Sanford - trumpet
• Ike Oakley - trumpet
• Maceo Parker - alto saxophone and flute
• St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone
• Eldee Williams - tenor saxophone
• Jimmy Nolen - guitar
• Hearlon "Cheese" Martin - guitar
• Fred Thomas - bass
• John "Jabo" Starks - drums[1]

Chart performance

"Doing It to Death" was released as a single in 1973 and peaked at number one on the soul singles chart and number twenty-two on the Hot 100.[2]

References

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