James Brown – Escape-ism (Intro) lyrics
I was talking to a cat the other night,
He said what everybody is looking for,
what everybody's looking for today,
they're looking for ESCAPE-ISM.
Heh. Heh.
Ain't it good to you? (Band: "Yeah")
You know what? I love to get down, Jack. And when I get down, y'understand, I don't have to go into no funny bag... (mumbling) say, that alcohol, I can't, y'understand, yeah. That's the way I feel.
You know, I believe I'll get down right about here. (BOBBY BYRD: "Right on") Byrd, if I get down-- y'know Byrd, Byrd's gotta, Byrd's gotta, I mean, Byrd's gotta out of sight tune coming up. We gotta record for him right here, y'know. So we're trying to get our thing out of the way before Byrd can get into it.
Byrd, can we get on before we-- Is it all right? Byrd, do you think it's gonna be a hit, Byrd? (BYRD: "Yeah. I think it's going to be a hit") You think it's gonna be a hit? (BYRD: "A smash.") I know it's a smash. I know it's a smash. Cause you're in the thing, man, you're saying where it's at, y'know. It's gotta be a hit. You ready, Byrd?
Get DOWN!!
HEH!!
Ain't it good to you.
Ain't it good to you.
Ain't it good to you.
Hahaha! Heh! Lookie here. What you say, Fred?
(FRED WESLEY: "Man, you know, we better take it on the LAM.")
JAMES: You better watch the man.
I don't think they heard. What you say, Fred?
(FRED WESLEY: "I said, we better take it on the LAM.")
JAMES: You better watch the man.
BYRD! Come over here, brother, let me tell you something. You think we're talking too loud?
(BYRD: Make that fuss.)
JAMES: HUNH! I ain't got no dust. Heh! I don't have to take it on the lam. (BYRD: "Better watch that man!") Huh? (BYRD: "Better watch that man!") Watch him. Yeah, all right. You're right. Yeah. Yeah. Coming from some funny places. What you say, bruh?
BAND MEMBER: "What's happening Brown?"
JAMES: Trying to get down. Heheh. Well, you know. Look here. We cain't HELP it. It ain't no alcohol. Man I don't dig it. What you say, uh, Jasaan?
(JASAAN: "Say, don't be so mean.")
JAMES: You know I'm clean.
-- James Brown, "Escape-Ism (Part One)," 1971