The music of the genius
Ray Charles
The latest
Ray Charles was commissioned to perform the theme song for the 1967 movie In The Heat Of The Night. The result was the first song on the soundtrack LP, and a single was released on ABC Records as well. But fans will need both discs, for they are two completely different versions of “In The Heat Of The Night”. The Movie In The Heat Of The Night The movie starred Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. The film, a pissed-off and in-your-face exploration of race in America, won five... [read all]
Ray Charles and Ginie Line duet on the French-language "Ensemble" from 2002. It was released in France as a CD single and the duo performed it live on TV.
"A Bit Of Soul" is a Ray Charles tune recorded in 1955 and released in 1961. Split into two halves, it shows Ray's versatility with a unique arrangement.
"The Sun's Gonna Shine Again" finds Ray Charles in an unconvincingly hopeful mood. It was the A-side of an Atlantic single in 1953, his second-ever.
"Mississippi Mud" is a fun, jaunty singalong that Ray Charles covered on his first album for ABC Records, The Genius Hits The Road, in 1960.
Album of the day
Ray Charles loved thematic concept albums; on the 1964 LP Sweet And Sour Tears, every song has a variation of “cry”, “tears”, or “weep” in the title. And as you might imagine, there are many moments of sadness and self-pity on the album; what’s not as obvious is that there are quite a few instances of the tables being turned as well, when Ray gets to be defiant and angry. In both cases, Ray Charles is at the top of his game, and offers mesmerizing... [read all]
Song of the day
Ray Charles had a big hit with the Harlan Howard song “Busted” in 1963, which Johnny Cash had just released as a single. The song also led off Ray’s Ingredients In A Recipe For Soul LP that year. Whereas the Johnny Cash was pure country – acoustic guitar and Cash’s usual ricky-ticky electric guitar jitter – Benny Carter’s arrangement on Ray Charles’ “Busted” obscures the country origins of the song under a pronounced brass figure and an... [read all]