“Understanding”
Song by Ray Charles
Rousing gospel or explicit threat of murder? Take your pick on the classic 1968 Ray Charles song “Understanding”, first found on his LP A Portrait Of Ray from that year and also a single. Energized with a big, broad voice as thick as all masculinity, Ray offers his opinionated take on the relationships between the sexes. A favorite topic of his, to be sure. He even strives to achieve a fair gender balance on “Understanding”… of sorts. He admits that, sure, he has to keep providing his woman with money so she can buy pretty things, or some other guy will. And, in the part that really gets him excited, he warns that if she does get another guy, why he’ll go buy an axe and gently ameliorate the situation:
Her soul’s gonna belong to the good Lord
Because her head’s gonna belong to me.
A churchy singalong was never as multifaceted as “Understanding”. It often gets chosen for Ray compilation albums.
Single releases
Listen to “Understanding”
Get your own “Understanding” on 45, LP or MP3 from Amazon. Or get the out-of-print complete ABC singles 5xCD box set.
Songs on A Portrait Of Ray