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Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
James Brown
Lead Vocals
Alfred Ellis
Alto Saxophone
Charles Sherell
Bass Guitar
Clyde Stubblefield
Drums
Fred Wesley
Trombone
Jimmy Nolen
Guitar
Maceo Parker
Tenor Saxophone
Richard 'Kush' Griffith
Trumpet
St. Clair Pinckney
Baritone Saxophone
Waymon L. Reed
Trumpet
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
James Brown
Songwriter
Alfred Ellis
Songwriter
The James Brown Orchestra
Orchestrator
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
James Brown
Producer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Uh, with your bad self
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud
Look here
[Verse 2]
Some people say we got a lot of malice, some say it's a lot of nerve
But I say we won't quit movin' until we get what we deserve
We've been buked and we've been scorned
We've been treated bad, talked about sure as you're born
But as sure as it take two eyes to make a pair, huh
Brother, we can't quit until we get our share
[Verse 3]
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud
One more time
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud, huh
[Verse 4]
I've worked on jobs with my feet and my hands
But all the work I did was for the other man
And now we demand a chance to do things for ourselves
We're tired of beatin' out head against the wall
And workin' for someone else
[Verse 5]
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud, oh
[Verse 6]
Ooh-wee, you're killin' me
Alright, uh, you outta sight
Alright, so tough, you're tough enough
Ooh-wee, you're killin' me, oh
[Verse 7]
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud
[Verse 8]
Now we demands a chance to do things for ourselves
We're tired of beatin' out head against the wall
And workin' for someone else
Look here, there's one more thing I got to say right here
Now, now we are people, we like the birds and the bees
We'd rather die on our feet than keep livin' on our knees
[Verse 9]
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud, huh
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud, huh
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy
Say it loud - I'm black and I'm proud, oh
[Verse 10]
Uh, alright now, Lord
You know we can do the boogaloo
Now we can sing, we'll do the funky Florida way
Written by: James Brown, Pee Wee Ellis