James Brown - The 50th Anniversary Collection (2 CD,2003/FLAC)

 James Brown's two-CD 40th Anniversary Collection gathered 40 of the soul-funk giant's biggest hits, and in keeping with its title, The 50th Anniversary Collection is just that little bit bigger and better, with (could you guess?) 50 of his most famous tracks. From 1956's "Please, Please, Please" to 1988's "Static, Pts. 1 & 2," it has almost all of his biggies, though the absence of the 1986 Top Five hit "Living in America" is puzzling indeed. But that's a minor quibble given the dozens of classics onboard, which taken as a whole not only represent the best Brown compilation on the market, but also make a plain case for the singer as one of the major talents of 20th century American music.

CD 1

01. Please, Please, Please (2:45)

02. Try Me (2:31)

03. Good Good Lovin' (2:15)

04. I'll Go Crazy (2:08)

05. Think (2:50)

06. Bewildered (2:24)

07. Lost Someone (3:06)

08. Night Train (3:31)

09. Prisoner Of Love (2:23)

10. Out Of Sight (2:24)

11. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, Pt. 1 (2:07)

12. I Got You (I Feel Good) (2:47)

13. It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World (2:48)

14. Bring It Up (2:45)

15. Let Yourself Go (2:58)

16. Cold Sweat, Pt. 1 (2:53)

17. Get It Together, Pt. 1 (3:51)

18. There Was A Time (3:36)

19. I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me), Pt. 1 (3:32)

20. I Got The Feelin' (2:38)

21. Licking Stick-Licking Stick, Pt. 1 (2:49)

22. Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud, Pt. 1 (2:49)

23. Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose (2:51)

24. I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself)... (3:05)

25. The Popcorn (3:03)

26. Mother Popcorn, Pt. 1 (3:17)

27. Ain't It Funky Now, Pt. 1 (3:09)

CD 2

01. It's A New Day, Pt. 1 (3:08)

02. (Get Up I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine, Pt. 1 (2:51)

03. Super Bad, Pt. 1 (2:52)

04. Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved Pt. 1 (3:32)

05. Soul Power, Pt. 1 (3:20)

06. Hot Pants (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants), Pt. 1 (3:07)

07. Make It Funky, Pt. 1 (3:16)

08. I'm A Greedy Man, Pt. 1 (2:48)

09. Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothing, Pt. 1 (3:16)

10. There It Is, Pt. 1 (3:07)

11. Get On The Good Foot, Pt. 1 (3:30)

12. I Got Ants In My Pants, Pt. 1 (2:53)

13. Down & Out In New York City (3:16)

14. Sexy, Sexy, Sexy (3:06)

15. Doing It To Death, Pt. 1 (3:04)

16. The Payback, Pt. 1 (3:32)

17. My Thang (4:09)

18. Papa Don't Take No Mess, Pt. 1 (4:29)

19. Funky President (People It's Bad) (3:55)

20. Get Up Offa That Thing (4:01)

21. Bodyheat, Pt. 1 (3:57)

22. It's Too Funky In Here (3:45)

23. Static, Pt.s 1 & 2 (4:53)