Here’s soul brotha number one James Brown‘s hit “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” recorded live on Soul Train in 1974. The song is from “The Payback,” album originally recorded for a rejected soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Hell Up In Harlem.
As you can see on the cover photo above of a Frederick Douglass look-a-like with James Brown in this edited version of the song was released as a two-part single in the same year in 1974. It was James Brown‘s final number one R&B hit and peaked at number thirty-one on the Hot 100.
Here are the lyrics:
Papa don’t take no mess
Papa don’t take no mess
Papa is the man who can understand
How a man has to do whatever he can, hit me
Papa don’t, papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t take no mess, no
He don’t take no mess
Now papa might grin
Drink a little taste of gin
Bet his last ten
On a little game of skins, hit me
Papa don’t take no mess
Papa don’t take no mess
Papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t, papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t take no mess, hey, hey
Papa digs the chick
If she look real slick
Papa rap is very quick
He definitely ain’t no trick, oh yeah
Papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t, papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t take no mess
He don’t take no mess
Wait, wait a minute, look at here
Papa, don’t take, papa likes
Caught when one gets up tight
You know this is right
You got yourself bang, hit me
Papa don’t take no mess
Papa don’t take no mess
Papa don’t, papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t, papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t take no mess
Oh yeah, alright
Papa is the man who will take a stand
Papa don’t take no mess
Papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t, papa don’t, papa don’t
Look, take this
Papa didn’t cuss
He didn’t raise a whole lotta fuss
But when we did wrong
Papa beat the hell out of us
Papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t, papa don`t
Papa don’t take no mess
Papa don’t take no mess
I saw papa cry when he thought that I would die
Look at here
I saw papa cry when he thought that I would die
He says something was in his eye
I knew it was a lie
Mama said, mama said papa’s smart
Papa got a whole lotta heart
And papa would do his part
When the game get hard, hit me
Papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t, papa don’t, papa don’t
Papa don’t take no mess
Here’s the full-length version of the seven minute video:
Happy Fathers Day.
What do you think of this James Brown classic?
Become a Harlem Insider!
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
