It would seem impossible to summarize James Brown's contribution to R&B--to American music--in a mere four compact discs, but somehow "Star Time" does it. This boxed set charts Brown's early rise as a hard-hitting R&B-styled vocalist ("Please Please Please," "Try Me") and shows how his bandleading skills (one can't forget inventive players like saxophonist Maceo Parker, bassist Bootsy Collins, drummer Jabo Starks, and many others) changed the face of soul and invented funk in the '60s and early '70s with impeccably timed ("Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"), highly rhythmic ("I Can't Stand It"), primal ("Licking Stick Licking Stick") hits. The box also does a definitive programming job on Brown's more spotty later years--another plus. This is where beginners should start, but several extended versions and rarities (like "Papa," raised an octave on original release, at normal speed) make it a must for completists too.--Don Harrison
| Track | Artist | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Please please please | ||
| Why Do You Do Me | 2:59 | |
| Try me | ||
| Tell Me What I Did Wrong | 2:20 | |
| Bewildered | 2:21 | |
| Good Good Lovin' | 2:18 | |
| I'll Go Crazy | 2:05 | |
| I Know It's True | 2:40 | |
| (Do The) Mashed Potatoes, Pt. 1 | 1:39 | |
| Think | 2:46 | |
| Baby You're Right | ||
| Lost Someone | 3:28 | |
| Night Train | 3:38 | |
| I've Got Money | 2:29 | |
| I Don't Mind (live) | ||
| Prisoner Of Love | 2:24 | |
| Devil's Den | 4:48 | |
| Out of the Blue | ||
| Out Of Sight | 2:19 | |
| Grits | 3:58 | |
| Maybe The Last Time | 3:02 | |
| It's A Man's World | 3:22 | |
| I Got You | 2:27 | |
| Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, Pts. 1, 2 & 3 | 6:56 | |
| Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, Pt. 1 | 2:06 | |
| I Got You (I feel good) | ||
| Ain't That A Groove | 3:31 | |
| It's a Man's Man's Man's World | ||
| Money Won't Change You | 6:01 | |
| Don't Be A Dropout | 4:31 | |
| Bring It Up (Hipster's Avenue) | 3:48 | |
| Let Yourself Go | 3:53 | |
| Cold Sweat | 7:30 | |
| Get It Together | 8:57 | |
| I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me), Pt. 1 | 3:29 | |
| I Got The Feelin' | 2:39 | |
| Licking Stick-Licking Stick | ||
| Say It Loud, I'm Black And I'm Proud, Pt. 1 | ||
| There Was A Time (live) | ||
| Give It Up Or Turnit a Loose | ||
| I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door I'll Get It Myself) | 5:59 | |
| Mother Popcorn | 6:18 | |
| Funky Drummer | 7:00 | |
| Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine | 5:15 | |
| Super Bad | ||
| Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothing | 8:59 | |
| Get Up, Get Into It And Get Involved | 7:03 | |
| Soul Power | ||
| Brother Rapp/Ain't It Funky Now (live) | ||
| Hot pants | ||
| I'm A Greedy Man | ||
| Make it Funky | ||
| It's A New Day (Live) | 3:48 | |
| I Got Ants In My Pants | ||
| King Heroin | 3:57 | |
| There It Is | ||
| Public Enemy #1 | ||
| Get on the good foot | ||
| I Got A Bag Of My Own | 3:44 | |
| Doing It To Death | 5:14 | |
| The Payback | 7:28 | |
| Papa Don't Take No Mess | ||
| Stone To The Bone | ||
| My Thang | 4:37 | |
| Funky President (People It's Bad) | 4:01 | |
| Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved) | 5:03 | |
| Get Up Offa That Thing (Release The Pressure) | 6:14 | |
| Body Heat | ||
| It's too funky in here | ||
| Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses) | 4:36 | |
| Unity: The Third Coming | ||
| Super Bad, Pts. 1 & 2 | 4:26 | |
| Soul Power, Pts. 1 & 2 | 4:25 | |
| Hot Pants, Pt. 1 | 3:06 | |
| I'm Greedy Man, Pt. 1 | 3:36 | |
| Make It Funky, Pt. 1 | 3:06 | |
| I Got Ants In My Pants, Pt. 1 | 3:01 | |
| There It Is, Pt. 1 | 3:20 | |
| Public Enemy # 1, Pt. 1 | 5:09 | |
| Papa Don't Take No Mess, Pt. 1 | 4:22 | |
| Stoned To The Bone, Pt. 1 | 3:28 | |
| Body Heat, Pt. 1 | 4:29 | |
| Unity, Pt. 1 | 3:40 |
