“We Didn’t See A Thing”
Song by Ray Charles and George Jones
The Ray Charles/George Jones duet “We Didn’t See A Thing” is a lively novelty country song released as a single in November 1983, bringing together the three stars mentioned on the single’s label: RAY CHARLES & GEORGE JONES (featuring Chet Atkins). With star power like this, how could it fail?
In fact, the single (Columbia 38-04297) was a big hit, getting to Number 6 in the US country charts. It led to Ray’s decision to continue the concept across an entire LP, and his smash hit Friendship album would feature “We Didn’t See A Thing” along with nine other duets with country stars of the mid-1980s.
The B-side of the single was “I Wish You Were Here Tonight” from Ray’s then-most-recent album, and his first for the country music arm of Columbia Records, Wish You Were Here Tonight. That album featured covers of two George Jones songs; Ray was definitely a fan.
On “We Didn’t See A Thing”, George and Ray babble excitedly to one another about getting their “stories straight”, in case anyone (a suspicious wife or girlfriend, say) gets nosy. “George, I know I didn’t hear you tell that blonde that you weren’t married,” says good ol’ pal Ray. “No,” affirms George. “Don’t forget, Ray: I was down in Atlanta.” “Sure you were, and I was ‘working late’,” coaches Ray.
Ray and George, from the back cover of the Friendship LP.
The two are very loose, and having a great time; each was a fan of the other and their warm camaraderie is obvious. The backing music is pure, professional country, produced by Billy Sherrill and with Chet Atkins on guitar, pedal steel player Buddy Emmons, and Pete Drake on dobro contributing sweet, dramatic notes in between the singers’ rambunctious lines. A cheerful, insistent rhythm section bobs merrily away behind them all.
There is a hint of blindness humor to “We Didn’t See A Thing” too. Ray often sang songs about “seeing”, and would talk in conversation about things he “saw”, meaning things he heard or felt or had explained to him. He and George both wink at each other about how they didn’t “see” nothin’ of the other’s transgressions, but this aspect of the song is actually downplayed; one gets the feeling Ray would have done this song, and done it the same way, even if he were sighted.
“We Didn’t See A Thing” was written by Gary Gentry (not the MLB pitcher), and besides being a November 1983 single and later the third song on Side A of Ray Charles’ Friendship LP, it appeared on George Jones’ 1984 LP By Request. Copies of the Friendship vinyl LP and the original single are often seen for sale for cheap.
Single releases
“We Didn’t See A Thing”
by Ray Charles and George Jones
b/w
“I Wish You Were Here Tonight”
Listen to “We Didn’t See A Thing”
Get your own “We Didn’t See A Thing” on 45, LP, CD or MP3 from Amazon.
Songs on Friendship