James Brown Is Dead

James Brown is Dead is a song on the Lancaster Canon during which many break out the glowsticks and begin raving. String raving is also popular.

During LAN.05.2 (and 1?) there was a vote as to whether to keep it on the Canon. The ballot for the vote also contained a question about whether to put Tunak Tunak Tun on the Canon. There was some confusion as to whether both Tunak Tunak Tun and James Brown Is Dead were competing for the same spot, and some students who wanted to see Tunak on the Canon thought that they had to vote against keeping James Brown Is Dead. Despite this, more than half the student body voted to keep James Brown Is Dead (and to add Tunak Tunak Tun).

There is supposedly some very interesting history (which I know little about) as to why it was subjected to a vote.

For some history, see http://www.angelfire.com/weird/cty/trads/dance/index.html. The page initially created by Belle Saxton, and has been updated and maintained by Gabe Slamovits.

James Brown did die on December 25, 2006.

History

Tarpy (Jessi) Miller was incredibly fond of this song and would rave to it at every dance and pester the DJ to play said song. The winter after her nomore year, she killed herself. James Brown is Dead has remained as part of the Canon as a memorial.

As I remember, it was put up to vote because various RAs had suggested that it didn't seem to arouse quite as much enthusiasm as the rest of the Canon, and there were very few CTYers left who remembered the origin of the song. However, it still remains in the Canon as both a memorial and a song that has adopted its own traditions and memories since its initiation into the Canon.

Why We Rave to it

JBID is an upbeat track that carries a great deal of energy. It's the kind of thing that's put onto an ESPN workout CD or something. The heavy drum beat, mumbly rap lyrics, robotic voice, and constant synth give it a unique sound that has become a staple of CTY dances. I would estimate that the song is around 130 beats per minute, with the siren effect alternating between sixth and eighth notes and the constant synth on sixteenth notes.

As a side note, Christ most often declined to rave to this song to give others a chance to rave as well.