Bewildered

"Bewildered" is a popular song written in 1936 by Teddy Powell and Leonard Whitcup. It was a 1938 hit for Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra.

1948 Recordings

The song was revived in the late 1940s when two different versions, by the Red Miller Trio and Amos Milburn, reached number one on the R&B chart in 1948 (neither of them made the pop chart).[1] Both these versions departed significantly from the original published melody and influenced later recordings.

James Brown and the Famous Flames version

"Bewildered"
Single by James Brown and the Famous Flames
from the album Think!
B-side"If You Want Me"
ReleasedFebruary 1961 (1961-02)
RecordedJanuary 30, 1959, Beltone Studios, New York, NY
GenreR&B, doo-wop
Length2:21
LabelKing
Songwriter(s)Teddy Powell
Leonard Whitcup
Producer(s)Andy Gibson
James Brown charting singles chronology
"The Bells"
(1961)
"Bewildered"
(1961)
"I Don't Mind"
(1961)

James Brown and the Famous Flames recorded "Bewildered" in 1959. Their doo-wop–tinged rendition was somewhat similar to the Amos Milburn version, with a strong triplet feeling and a heavily melismatic vocal line. It was first released as a track on Brown's 1960 album Think!. The following year it was issued as a single, which reached the R&B Top Ten and became Brown's second single (after "Think") to enter the pop Top 40 (US charts: number 8 R&B; number 40 pop).[2]

"Bewildered" became a staple of Brown's concerts for much of his career. It was featured in a medley on his breakthrough 1963 album Live at the Apollo and appeared on several of his later live albums, including Revolution of the Mind: Recorded Live at the Apollo, Vol. III (1971) and Love, Power, Peace (1992). He also recorded new studio versions for the albums Prisoner of Love (1963) and Sex Machine (1970).

Personnel

  • James Brown lead vocal

And The Famous Flames:

with the James Brown Band:

  • George Dorsey alto saxophone
  • J.C. Davis tenor saxophone
  • Bobby Roach guitar
  • Bernard Odum bass guitar
  • Nat Kendrick drums[3]

Other Versions

"Bewildered" was subsequently recorded by several others, including R&B performers:

References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. pp. 400, 401.
  2. White, Cliff (1991). "Discography". In Star Time. CD booklet. New York: PolyGram Records.pp. 54–59.
  3. Leeds, Alan; Weinger, Harry (1991). "Star Time: Song by Song". In Star Time. CD booklet. New York: PolyGram Records. pp. 46–53.
  4. Wolk, Douglas. (2004). Live at the Apollo. New York: Continuum Books. pp. 89–92.
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