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Pat Boone and James Brown joke around as they listen to soundtracks before heading into the studio to re-record Mr. Brown's hit Papa's got a Brand New Bag on Monday night at Studio South in Augusta. Brant Sanderlin/Staff

A brand new song

Pat Boone comes to Augusta to re-record `Papa's Got a Brand New Bag' with James Brown

Web posted April 14, 1998

By Wendy Grossman
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA -- James Brown had on silver-tipped black suede boots. Pat Boone was sporting white leather boots.

They were tapping their pointy-toed tips together at Studio South on Monday night.

``Who would have thought?'' the ``Godfather of Soul'' asked.

Mr. Boone is recording an album of classic R&B hits with the original artists to be released this fall. He is recording with the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Sister Sledge and the Temptations.

A couple of months ago he called Mr. Brown.

He had to -- there wouldn't be any songs on the album if he hadn't written Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Mr. Brown said.

``That was the beginning of funk in 1965,'' Mr. Brown said. ``That started the whole thing.''

``It's a performance most people would consider light years away from me,'' Mr. Boone said. ``James Brown's flashy, showy, high-energy, drama -- he's the essence of soul and R&B. I'm laid-back, cool, proper -- almost the quintessential WASP. Mr. White Bread personified.

``It's going to shatter some images that I am so white bread, so straight and so square that I can't catch the fervor, the excitement and the infectious quality of a James Brown song, and do it credibly with him.''

The album has the same concept as Mr. Boone's 1997 In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, a compilation of heavy metal music done by Mr. Boone in a big band way.

He believes his fans will like this new twist in his career better than the last.

Trinity Broadcasting Network dumped Mr. Boone's weekly show, Gospel America, when thousands of fans called to complain about his appearance at the 1997 American Music Awards.

They weren't happy when their whole milk legend walked on stage wearing black leather pants, a spiked dog collar and fake tattoos.

``People thought Pat had flipped out, sold out and gone completely to the other side,'' Mr. Boone said while riding from Bush Field to the Sheraton Augusta Hotel.

``This album is going to seem like I've got a new bag, but really it's full circle,'' Mr. Boone said. ``This is where I came in.''

Thirty years ago he topped the pop and R&B charts, covering songs like Tutti Frutti and Ain't That a Shame.

``My versions, admittedly, were vanilla, cleaned-up versions. They sounded more planned,'' Mr. Boone said. ``They sounded rough, they sounded raw, they sounded unpolished. Radio wasn't ready for that yet.''

But they are now.

``He's my kind of man,'' Mr. Brown said, his arm slung around Mr. Boone whom he'd only met an hour before.

``He's got me measured for a cape. I bet that's coming up next,'' Mr. Boone said heading into the studio where the hip-hop/rap song Backbone was playing.