James Brown/Vince DiCola

Soul Brother #1 ... the Hardest Working Man In Show Business ... what more can one say about James Brown? He was a unique showman, who used rhythm and blues as a platform for his views, as well as his do's and don'ts.

Some say he created funk, rap, disco and soul, but even if that isn't true, all of those music genres ran through his music. He was a powerful voice, and that voice continues to be heard as an influence years after his death.

Unfortunately, Brown was well past his prime when he recorded these two singles, but even if he was not the same singer as he was in the 1960s, he showed flashes of his old self with these songs. "Livin' in America" is perhaps the best song from all the "Rocky" films, and it was his final big hit, reaching #4 in 1985. "Gravity" is more in the funk groove, and hit #93 a year later.

Note: Vince DiCola had a song on the B side of the "Livin' in America" single.

James Brown - Gravity.mp3
James Brown - Gravity (Dub Mix).mp3