Max Riffner

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The Hardest Working Man in Heaven

What a way to wake up on Christmas Day: James Brown is dead. We were just sitting around on Friday night talking about his Christmas album.

James Brown’s music was a constant through my childhood (due to my father loving all things soul – I was really into Isaac Hayes as a kid). The energy and excitement of Mr. Dynamite was contagious. As many North High graduates will remember, the sounds of soul could be heard drumming out of the weight training room every day. I’ve tried lifting to other music, but when I’m feeling a bit low or down, I always put on some James Brown to pump me up, not only through a workout, but just in everyday life.

One of my favorite bartime pleasures is to put James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s World – Live at the Apollo Vol. 2” on the jukebox near closing time; the 20 minute funktacular even goes into another of his songs and then comes back out to finish “It’s a Man’s World.”

On Christmas night, I usually end up at a bar with several other friends, and you can be sure that the song will be on as we give a proper send off for the Soul Brother #1.

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