“Feudin’ And Fightin”
Song by Ray Charles
“Feudin’ And Fightin” is a song from Ray’s 1964 album Have A Smile With Me. Its feel is well summed-up by its title: “Feudin’ And Fightin'”, cornpone apostrophes and all, is silly and lighthearted with a down-home country defiance that simultaneously stands proud and mocks itself.
Ray’s band, with its squealing trumpets, goes a long way toward giving this song its rambunctiousness, as do Ray’s playful vocals and the gimmicky interludes where the music stops and some background singers breathlessly spit out a too-long line.
Musically, the percussion is interesting, with a rat-a-tat rhythm in one ear and some incessant handclaps in the other. Lyrically, it’s a riot: in one verse, someone shoots Grandma as she bends down to pick daisies, and the singer expresses his urge to get through the funeral so he and his family can get back to the fightin’ and cussin’ they love so much.
“Feudin’ And Fightin'” is a short song, just over two minutes, and does its job in contributing to the fun feel of the album.
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Songs on Have A Smile With Me