Can't Get Any Harder

1993 single by James Brown

"Can't Get Any Harder"

Single by James Brown

from the album Universal James

Released

January 1993 (1993-01)

Recorded

1992

Genre

R&B
hip hop

Label

Scotti Bros.

Songwriter(s)

Robert Clivillés
David Cole
Duran Ramos
Sheldon Scott
James Jackson
Trevor Smith
Bryan Higgins

Producer(s)

Clivillés and Cole

James Brown charting singles chronology

"(So Tired of Standing Still We Got to) Move On"
(1991)

"Can't Get Any Harder"
(1993)

"Funk on Ah Roll"
(1998)

Music video

"Can't Get Any Harder" on YouTube

"Can't Get Any Harder" is a song by American singer James Brown from his fifty-sixth studio album, Universal James (1993). It was released in January 1993 via Scotti Brothers Records as the album's lead single. Written by C+C Music Factory members Robert Clivillés and David Cole, Trilogy's Duran Ramos, and Leaders of the New School, it was produced by Clivillés and Cole with co-production by Ricky Crespo, and features guest rap vocals from Trilogy and Leaders of the New School.^[1]

The single peaked at number 58 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as number 76 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 7 on the Dance Singles Sales, making it Brown's last charting single in the United States. It was also a Brown's final music video to date featured a live dancer and college students.

Critical reception

It was poorly received by critics; AllMusic described it as "strain[ing] for rap credibility",^[1] while Entertainment Weekly dismissed it as "junky".^[2]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Can't Get Any Harder" (Radio Mix)	Robert Clivillés David Cole Duran Ramos Sheldon Scott James Jackson Trevor Smith Bryan Higgins	Clivillés and Cole Ricky Crespo (co.)	3:53
2.	"Can't Get Any Harder" (Alternative Brown Radio Groove)	Clivillés Cole Ramos Scott Jackson Smith Higgins	Clivillés and Cole Ricky Crespo (co.)	3:35
3.	"Can't Get Any Harder" (On The Edge Radio Mix)	Clivillés Cole Ramos Scott Jackson Smith Higgins	Clivillés and Cole Ricky Crespo (co.)	5:21
4.	"Can't Get Any Harder" (C&C - Leaders Of The New School Mix)	Clivillés Cole Ramos Scott Jackson Smith Higgins	Clivillés and Cole Ricky Crespo (co.) Leaders of the New School (co.)	4:53
5.	"Can't Get Any Harder" (Universal Hip Hop Mix)	Clivillés Cole Ramos Scott Jackson Smith Higgins	Clivillés and Cole Ricky Crespo (co.)	9:59
6.	"Can't Get Any Harder" (Clivilles & Cole House Of Soul Mix)	Clivillés Cole Ramos Scott Jackson Smith Higgins	Clivillés and Cole Ricky Crespo (co.)	13:07
Total length:				40:58

Personnel

James Brown – vocals
Trilogy – rap vocals
Bryan "Charlie Brown" Higgins – songwriter, rap vocals, additional producer (track 4)
Sheldon "Cut Monitor Milo" Scott – songwriter, rap vocals, additional producer (track 4)
Trevor "Busta Rhymes" Smith – songwriter, rap vocals, additional producer (track 4)
James "Dinco D" Jackson – songwriter, rap vocals, additional producer (track 4)
Robert Clivillés – songwriter, producer, arranger, editing, mixing, remixing
David Cole – songwriter, producer, arranger, mixing, remixing
Ricky Crespo – additional producer, programming, editing
Alan Friedman – programming
Acar Key – recording, mixing, engineering
Katherine Miller – recording, engineering
Richard Joseph – recording, engineering
Herbert Powers Jr. – mastering

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)^[3]	58
UK Club Chart (Music Week)^[4]	6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[5]	76

References

^ ^a ^b Ankeny, Jason. "Universal James - James Brown". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
^ Browne, David (April 30, 1993). "James Brown: Jail equals profit". Entertainment Weekly. No. 168. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
^ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). April 3, 1993. p. 4. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
^ "James Brown Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.

External links

James Brown – Can't Get Any Harder at Discogs (list of releases)

James Brown singles

Billboard charting singles (R&B and Pop)

1950s

1956	"Please, Please, Please"
1958	"Try Me"
1959	"I Want You So Bad"

1960s

1960	"I'll Go Crazy" "Think" "You've Got the Power" "This Old Heart" "The Bells"
1961	"Bewildered" "I Don't Mind" "Baby, You're Right" "Just You and Me, Darling" "Lost Someone"
1962	"Night Train" "Shout and Shimmy" "Mashed Potatoes U.S.A." "Three Hearts in a Tangle" "I've Got Money"
1963	"Like a Baby" "Every Beat of My Heart" "Prisoner of Love" "These Foolish Things" "Signed, Sealed, and Delivered"
1964	"Oh Baby Don't You Weep" "Please, Please, Please" "Caldonia" "The Things That I Used to Do" "Out of Sight" "Have Mercy Baby"
1965	"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" "Try Me" "I Got You (I Feel Good)"
1966	"Lost Someone" "I'll Go Crazy" "Ain't That a Groove" "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" "Money Won't Change You" "Don't Be a Drop-Out" "Sweet Little Baby Boy"
1967	"Bring It Up" "Kansas City" "Think" "Let Yourself Go" "Cold Sweat" "Get It Together" "I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)" "There Was a Time"
1968	"You've Got to Change Your Mind" "I Got the Feelin'" "Licking Stick – Licking Stick" "America Is My Home" "I Guess I'll Have to Cry, Cry, Cry" "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" "Goodbye My Love" "Tit for Tat (Ain't No Taking Back)"
1969	"Give It Up or Turnit a Loose" "Soul Pride" "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself)" "The Popcorn" "Mother Popcorn (You Got to Have a Mother for Me)" "Lowdown Popcorn" "World" "Let a Man Come In and Do the Popcorn" "Ain't It Funky Now"

1970s

1970	"It's a New Day" "Funky Drummer" "Brother Rapp" "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine" "Super Bad" "Santa Claus Is Definitely Here to Stay" "Get Up, Get into It, Get Involved"
1971	"Spinning Wheel" "Soul Power" "I Cried" "Escape-ism" "Hot Pants" "Make It Funky" "I'm a Greedy Man"
1972	"Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing" "King Heroin" "There It Is" "Honky Tonk" "Get on the Good Foot" "I Got a Bag of My Own" "What My Baby Needs Now Is a Little More Lovin'"
1973	"I Got Ants In My Pants (And I Want to Dance)" "Down and Out in New York City" "Think" "Sexy, Sexy, Sexy" "Stoned to the Bone"
1974	"The Payback" "My Thang" "Papa Don't Take No Mess" "Funky President (People It's Bad)" "Coldblooded"
1975	"Reality" "Sex Machine" "Hustle!!! (Dead on It)" "Superbad, Superslick" "Hot (I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved)"
1976	"(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" "Get Up Offa That Thing" "I Refuse to Lose" "Bodyheat"
1977	"Kiss in 77" "Give Me Some Skin" "If You Don't Give a Doggone About It"
1978	"Eyesight" "The Spank" "For Goodness Sakes, Look at Those Cakes"
1979	"It's Too Funky in Here" "Star Generation"

1980s

1980	"Regrets" "Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses)"
1981	"Stay with Me"
1983	"The Night Time Is the Right Time (To Be With the One That You Love)"
1984	"Unity"
1985	"Living in America"
1986	"Gravity"
1987	"How Do You Stop"
1988	"I'm Real" "Static"
1989	"Gimme Your Love"

1990s

1991	"(So Tired of Standing Still We Got to) Move On"
1993	"Can't Get Any Harder"

UK-only
charting
singles

"Hey America" (1970)
"Bring It On...Bring It On" (1983)
"Froggy Mix" (1985)
"She's the One" (1988)
"The Payback Mix" (1988)
"I Got You (I Feel Good) [James Brown v. Dakeyne]" (1992)
"Funk on Ah Roll" (1999)

Notable
productions

"The Grunt" (1970)
"Gimme Some More" (1971)
"I Know You Got Soul" (1971)
"Pass the Peas" (1972)
"Think (About It)" (1972)
"Doing It to Death" (1973)
"Soul Power 74" (1973)

Other
songs

"(Do the) Mashed Potatoes" (1960)
"Maybe the Last Time" (1964)
"Old Landmark" (1980)
"Killing Is Out, School Is In" (2001)
"Gut Bucket" (2006)

v t e C+C Music Factory
Robert Clivillés David Cole
Vocalists	Freedom Williams Martha Wash Zelma Davis Deborah Cooper Trilogy Paul Pesco Q-Unique
Albums	Gonna Make You Sweat Anything Goes! C+C Music Factory
Singles	"Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" "Here We Go (Let's Rock & Roll)" "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." "Just a Touch of Love" "Keep It Comin' (Dance Till You Can't Dance No More)" "Do You Wanna Get Funky"
Associated acts	2 Puerto Ricans, a Blackman and a Dominican The 28th Street Crew The Brat Pack The S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M. MVP
Related articles	Clivillés and Cole "Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)" Power Factory Featuring C+C Music Factory Make My Video Greatest Remixes Vol. 1

v t e Leaders of the New School
Busta Rhymes Charlie Brown Cut Monitor Milo Dinco D
Studio albums	A Future Without a Past... T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye)
Songs	"Case of the P.T.A." "Sobb Story" "The International Zone Coaster" "What's Next"
Featured singles	"Scenario" "Can't Get Any Harder"