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Try Me!

Try Me! is the second studio album by James Brown and the Famous Flames. It is a collection of singles, B-sides, and outtakes from their first album, Please Please Please. It was reissued by King Records in 1964 under the title The Unbeatable James Brown: 16 Hits.

Last revised
Jul 29, 2026
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≈ 2 min
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Try Me!
Studio album by
James Brown and the Famous Flames
ReleasedJuly 1959 (1959-07)
RecordedFebruary 4, 1956 – January 30, 1959 (1956-02-04 – 1959-01-30)12
Studio
GenreRhythm and blues, soul
Length40:55
LabelKing
James Brown and the Famous Flames chronology
Please Please Please
(1959) 		Try Me!
(1959) 		Think!
(1960)
Singles from Try Me!
  1. "I Want You So Bad"
    Released: February 14, 1959
  2. "I've Got to Change"
    Released: April 11, 1959
  3. "It Was You"
    Released: July 19, 1959
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star3
The Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStarHalf star4

Try Me! is the second studio album by James Brown and the Famous Flames. It is a collection of singles, B-sides, and outtakes from their first album, Please Please Please.5 It was reissued by King Records in 1964 under the title The Unbeatable James Brown: 16 Hits.3

Track listing

All tracks composed by James Brown; except where indicated

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."There Must Be a Reason" 2:28
2."I Want You So Bad" 2:47
3."Why Do You Do Me"Bobby Byrd, Sylvester Keels3:01
4."Got to Cry" 2:37
5."Strange Things Happen"Roy Hawkins2:10
6."Fine Old Foxy Self" 2:10
7."Messing With The Blues"Floyd Hunt2:12
8."Try Me (I Need You)" 2:33
9."It Was You" 2:45
10."I've Got to Change" 2:27
11."Can't Be The Same" 2:21
12."It Hurts to Tell You"James Brown, Albert Shubert (Andy Gibson)2:54
13."I Won't Plead No More"Bobby Byrd, Sylvester Keels2:28
14."You're Mine, You're Mine"James Brown, Nafloyd Scott2:33
15."Gonna Try" 2:46
16."Don't Let It Happen To Me" 2:51

Personnel

  • James Brown – lead vocals
  • Bobby Byrd – backing vocals, piano
  • Johnny Terry – backing vocals
  • Sylvester Keels – backing vocals
  • Nashpendle Knox – backing vocals
  • Bill Hollings – backing vocals
  • J.W. Archer – backing vocals
  • Louis Madison – backing vocals
  • John B. Brown – alto saxophone
  • George Dorsey – alto saxophone
  • Ray Feldor – tenor saxophone
  • Cleveland Lowe – tenor saxophone
  • Wilbert “Lee Diamond” Smith – tenor saxophone
  • Clifford Scott or Hat “Cornbread” Singer – tenor saxophone
  • J.C. Davis – tenor saxophone
  • Louis Madison – organ, piano
  • Alvin "Fats" Gonder – piano
  • Ernie Hayes – piano
  • Nafloyd Scott – guitar
  • Eddie Freeman – guitar
  • Kenny Burrell – guitar
  • Bobby Roach – guitar
  • Clarence Mack – bass
  • Edwyn Conley – bass
  • Carl Pruitt – bass
  • Bernard Odum – bass
  • Reginald Hall – drums
  • David “Panama” Francis – drums
  • Nat Kendrick – drums
References

References

  1. Leeds, Alan (April 2006). The Singles, Volume 1: 1956–1960 (published September 1, 2006). pp. 12–14.
  2. Leeds, Alan (December 2006). The Singles, Volume 2: 1960–1963 (published March 27, 2007). p. 19.
  3. Ruhlmann, William. "Try Me! - James Brown / James Brown & His Famous Flames". AllMusic. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  4. Cross, Charles R. (2004). "James Brown". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 108. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  5. "iTunes - Music - Try Me! by James Brown & His Famous Flames". iTunes. Retrieved July 4, 2015.