Papa Don't Take No Mess

"Papa Don't Take No Mess"
"Papa Don't Take No Mess"
Single by James Brown
from the album Hell
A-side	"Papa Don't Take No Mess Part I"
B-side	"Papa Don't Take No Mess Part II"
Released	August 1974
Recorded	August 23, 1973, International Studios, Augusta, GA
Genre	Funk
Length	4:30 (Part I); 5:00 (Part II);
Label	Polydor; 14255
Songwriter(s)	James Brown; Fred Wesley; John Starks; Charles Bobbit;
Producer(s)	James Brown
James Brown charting singles chronology

"Papa Don't Take No Mess" is a funk song performed by James Brown. An edited version of the song released as a two-part single in 1974 was Brown's 17th and final number one R&B hit and peaked at number thirty-one on the Hot 100.^[1]^[2] The full-length version, nearly 14 minutes long, appeared on the double album Hell.

Like "The Payback," "Papa Don't Take No Mess" was originally recorded for a rejected soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Hell Up in Harlem.

Personnel[]

James Brown - lead vocal

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

Fred Wesley - trombone
Ike Oakley - trumpet
Maceo Parker - alto saxophone
St. Clair Pinckney - tenor saxophone
Jimmy Nolen - guitar
Hearlon "Cheese" Martin - guitar
Fred Thomas - bass
John "Jabo" Starks - drums
John Morgan or Johnny Griggs - percussion^[3]

A piano solo, performed by Brown, is included in the longer edit that appears on the Hell album.

Covers[]

Steely Dan covered this song in the band introduction segment of their "Rarities night" concerts in September 2011.

References[]

^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 85.
^ White, Cliff (1991). "Discography". In Star Time (pp. 54–59) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
^ Leeds, Alan, and Harry Weinger (1991). "Star Time: Song by Song". In Star Time (pp. 46–53) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.

External links[]

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[1] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 85.

[2] White, Cliff (1991). "Discography". In Star Time (pp. 54–59) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.

[3] Leeds, Alan, and Harry Weinger (1991). "Star Time: Song by Song". In Star Time (pp. 46–53) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.

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