Daughters sue the Godfather of Soul

James Brown may be the Godfather of Soul, but he is also the father of two daughters who are taking him to court. The musical legend is being sued for royalties by his daughters, who claim that they helped him write hit songs when aged three and six.

The federal lawsuit in Atlanta, Georgia, aims to claw back some $1m (£640,000) in royalties for 25 songs which the women claim to have helped him compose.

One of the women, Deanna Brown Thomas, 28, works at a South Carolina radio station. The other, Dr Yamma Brown Lumar, 31, is a doctor in Texas. They claim that 25 years ago they helped him write, among other songs, Get Up Offa That Thing, one of their father's 98 hits. Brown has sold well over 100m records.

Their lawyer, Gregory Reed, described the decision to sue as "a sad scenario", but claimed that "they didn't want to handle it this way".

The lawsuit alleges breach of contract and negligence on the singer's part.

It comes after a family spat four years ago, in which Deanna Thomas had her father committed to a psychiatric hospital for treatment for addiction to painkillers. According to the lawsuit, Brown vowed to the media that his daughters "will never get a dime from him". So far, he has kept his word.

The latest dispute has been rumbling on for months. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Brown's lawyer, Leon Friedman, agreed in a letter to Mr Reed last year that his daughters were indeed owed some $66,000.

According to the report, the singer had offered them more money if they would hand over the copyright to all his songs. Brown's ex-wife, Deidre Jenkins, also owns copyright to some songs and has been receiving royalties.

The action is just the latest twist in a life still celebrated in swashbuckling style on stage. At Los Angeles' Greek Theatre this summer, the singer arrived on stage in a red cloak, accompanied by men dressed as Roman centurions, a team of go-go dancers, backing singers, a full band and a string orchestra comprised only young women in evening dress. At 69, he still performs with great energy - although he no longer does the splits, at least on stage.

As a five-year-old himself, Brown lived at his aunt's brothel in Augusta, Georgia, where he would sing to drum up clients.

He became an established gospel singer before his big break came in 1955, with the Famous Flames and the song Please, Please, Please. His first top 10 single came with Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, a decade later.

His song Say It Loud, I'm Black and Proud became a Black Pride anthem.

His acrobatic stage show, complete with dancers and theatrics, became legendary and he earned the mantle Godfather of Soul.

But things deteriorated by the 1980s, however, when the government demanded $4.5m in unpaid taxes. He had also split from his wife and his son had died in a car accident.

He was frequently arrested for allegedly abusing his wife and for drug possession. He began a three-year stint in jail in 1988 after an infamous car chase.

The rehabilitated Brown won a lifetime achievement Grammy award in 1992. He is now known as the "Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness", a title which, if the lawsuit succeeds, he will have to continue to be for a few more years.