The Difference Between A Hit, A Demo, And Music History

in #music6 years ago

The Difference between a Hit, a Demo, and Music History


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In music, good is not always good-enough. So what exactly is the difference between a good song and a hit song?

“I Got You (I Feel Good)” by James Brown is one of the most successful recordings of the past hundred years.

In 1965 it peaked at #3 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 while simultaneously claiming the #1 position on Billboard’s Rhythm and Blues Singles for six non-consecutive weeks. In UK singles it boasted spot #29.

This soul-smash gained further accolades in 2000 when American TV network VH1 ranked it #21 and #75 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs in Rock and VH1’s 100 Greatest Rock and Roll Dance Songs respectively.

It has been sampled in numerous dance and hip-hop records for decades, and the original recording is still played by DJs and radio stations all over the globe, sixty years after its release!


Did you know that this was the second time James Brown recorded and released “I Got You"?


The first recording was released a year earlier, in 1964, never enjoying the success achieved by its younger brother.

What’s the difference between these two songs? Listen for yourself!

“I Got You” 1964

“I Got You (I Feel Good)” 1965

Can you hear the differences? They are extremely similar recordings.

  • The melody and lyrics are identical.
  • The performance is nearly the same -Brown bellows his iconic screams in the same places- yet the arrangements vary slightly. The call-and-response of the horns is different, the tempo is slowed down for the 1965 reprise, and a rhythm guitar is added.

That’s it. Those are the differences. Guitar, tempo, and note-choice for the horns are the difference makers for James Brown.

1964 was a really good song. 1965 is destined for the halls of music history!



“Heart of Glass” by Blondie made it all the way to #1 on U.S. Billboard’s Hot 100.

Take a listen to the famous hit recording below and compare it to a working demo version created by the band before teaming up with their producer to design their now famous studio magic:

Blondie DEMO

Blondie HIT

Let me ask you, if you had only heard the demo version, would you believe it could ever become an international sensation approaching 100 million views on youtube?

That’s the difference between a demo, a hit, and music history!


The image used is the cover art from James Brown 20 All-Time Greatest Hits!

Chart information for I Got You (I Feel Good) and Heart Of Glass taken from Wikipedia



This is an original post by @CosmicVibration for Steemit on 4 December 2017.

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