“Deep In The Heart Of Texas”
Song by Ray Charles
Ray Charles could be corny, especially on his first ABC album The Genius Hits The Road. But rarely did he engage in goofball antics as broadly as on that LP’s infamous version of “Deep In The Heart Of Texas”. The 1941 song was well-known, having been the subject of several hit recordings by various pop and country artists. Ray Charles’ is distinguished by the voice of a distractingly white would-be hipster who asks Brother Ray for clarification each time Ray sings the title phrase. “Where’s that, Ray?” he pipes up eagerly. “Deep in the heart of Texas,” explains the obliging Genius, over and over.
If Ray is going to share lead vocals with someone, this is a strange choice. Charles fans are divided by “Deep In The Heart Of Texas”. It’s undeniably fun but feels to some like a wasted opportunity. Then again you could never accuse Ray of being afraid to try new things as he does here.
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Songs on The Genius Hits The Road