James Brown’s Funky People (Part 3)

And you may ask yourself, how did this record get here?

It got here because on this day in 2003, the great Hank Ballard left us for the great Soul Clap in the sky, and this compilation of music produced by James Brown contains a PHENOMENAL deep track from Hank Ballard, from 1968.

You probably know Hank Ballard as the front man of The Midnighters, and one of the true early giants of rock n’ roll. You may even know him as the one who actually wrote and first recorded “The Twist.”

But I bet you don’t know about this song!

It’s called “How You Gonna Get Respect (When You Haven’t Cut Your Process Yet)” and it’s as good a dose of activist soul-funk as you’re gonna find.

now first of all, my soulful brothers, you can’t be someone else
you’re black and you’re beautiful, this I know, just bein’ your natural self
so get that mess, outta your hair, and wear your natural ‘do
and i’m gonna bet, on my dear life, respect gon’ come to you

RIP Mr. Ballard. Respect.