Bewildered

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).

• James Brown – lead vocal

And The Famous Flames:

• Louis Madison – vocals, piano
• Bobby Bennett – vocals
• Baby Lloyd Stallworth – vocals
• Johnny Terry – vocals
• Willie Johnson – vocals

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]

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

• Also in 1938, it was also recorded by Mildred Bailey.
• Billy Eckstine and the Ink Spots, with Eckstine's version reaching number 4 on the R&B chart and number 27 on the pop chart.
• A decade later it was recorded by Mickey & Sylvia, again with an altered melody similar to that of the Red Miller Trio recording.
• "Bewildered" was also covered in 1990 by the Notting Hillbillies on their album Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time.^[4]