Funky Drummer
By James Brown
“Back in 1970, James Brown released the single “Funky Drummer.” You have heard its drum breaks, which Clyde Stubblefield improvised.”
A local club owner introduced Stubblefield to James Brown (JB), and he played with the 'Godfather of Soul' for six years."
It is considered as one of the most sampled breaks in history. With Stubblefield's masterful ghost notes on the snare drum, his obvious commitment to keep the band churning without adding unnecessary flourishes, and his legendary improvised primary source of the two-bar breakbeat.
Originally recorded on November 20, 1969, Throughout the track, JB's ad-libbed vocals are sporadic and theatrical and are primarily concerned with encouraging the band. The track is in the key of D minor; however, the first verse is in C major. Multiple mixes of "Funky Drummer" were made around the time it was recorded, including a version with tambourine and another with scat percussion by JB.
JB seemed impressed with what Stubblefield had produced and goes on to name the song right then and there and continues to repeat it: "The name of this tune is 'The Funky Drummer,' 'The Funky Drummer,' 'The Funky Drummer.'" The recording ends with another of Stubblefield's solos. In March 1970, "Funky Drummer" was released by KING Records as a two-part single.
The only difference between the album version and the 45 RPM single version is that the single version contains JB's vocal percussion ('kooncha'). Stubblefield never received a songwriter credit for "Funky Drummer," and he didn't receive any royalties for the sampling. Back in 2011, he told the New York Times: "It didn't bug me or disturb me, but I think it's disrespectful not to pay people for what they use." If this groove were easy, it would be sampled less frequently, as any drummer could record it.
It was Stubblefield's subtleties and nuances that created its funky essence. It's a demanding beat, but it is empowering and enjoyable to play once you put in the practice. As the old saying goes, "Hours equal powers." In 1997, Stubblefield capitalized on the name with his album, "Revenge of the Funky Drummer."
Even though it rose to #20 on the R&B Chart and #51 on the pop chart, it wasn't released on an album until 1986 on the compilation In The Jungle Groove, which was a 9-minute version. Five decades on, in a pop soundscape utterly transformed by hip-hop culture, we now tend to recognize just how important a compelling drum beat is in making a chart hit.
The "Funky Drummer" drum break has been used by artists such as LL Cool J ("Mama Said Knock You Out"), Public Enemy ("Fight the Power"), and Sinead O'Connor ("I Am Stretched on Your Grave"). Beastie Boys and Ed Sheeran are also among the thousands to have sampled this beat in their songs. Sadly, many musicians have used this in-the-pocket sample in their music without crediting Stubblefield. While you're digging in, remember to have fun and make it fun!
