James Brown Plays the Real Thing is an instrumental album released in 1967 by King Records. It was recorded during the same period when Brown was producing some of his greatest vocal hits, but this album focuses exclusively on instrumental versions of popular songs of the time, such as "A Man and a Woman" and "Sunny".
The album reflects the versatility of James Brown's band, The Famous Flames, and their ability to adapt soul and pop tunes to an instrumental format with Brown's characteristic groove. Although it contains no original Brown hits, the record was well received by fans who appreciated the sound of his orchestra.
Production was handled by James Brown himself, who oversaw the arrangements and musical direction. The album reached number 14 on Billboard's R&B albums chart and number 87 on the pop chart, demonstrating Brown's popularity even in a purely instrumental format.