“What Kind Of Man Are You”

Ray Charles always seemed rather fascinated by his backup singer Mary Ann Fisher; in January 1956 he released a song about her called “Mary Ann”, and then in January 1958 he had her sing a song as a B-side called “What Kind Of Man Are You”; Ray’s voice isn’t heard at all on this “Ray Charles” song.

But it is unmistakably a Ray Charles song, and anyone who had heard any of his many classic 1950s singles from Atlantic Records would feel the powerful presence of the Genius throughout “What Kind Of Man Are You”, in both his own piano playing and in the cool, sighing tones of his well-practiced brass-led rhythm and blues outfit.

As Ray plays his characteristic fills and trills, Mary Ann is supported by the Raelets who repeat the song’s title over and over, somber and calling, while she takes the lead spot. Over the song’s less-than-three minutes, the poor girl wonders how this man has such power over her, why she is compelled to please him so much, and why she ends up so alone but keeps coming back.

Ray Charles was living something of the complicated high life at this point, and the evidence is everywhere on “What Kind Of Man Are You”. Imagine this – a super-talented, pioneering artist with a successful career, floating through life blind on a warm river of music and heroin, listening to “his girls” sing a song he wrote himself, about himself, whose lyrics posit the conundrum of how he could be so powerful yet so self-serving.

Its slow and brittle tempo, with Mary Ann’s wounded, even dazed vocals, make “What Kind Of Man Are You” a spine-tingling look into an astonishingly inward-gazing but appealing aspect of Ray’s world circa the late 1950s. His life was full of intrigue and complications, but the good was so good that it all seemed worth it. Even inspiring – as the audaciousness of “What Kind Of Man Are You” makes abundantly clear.

Single releases

Listen to “What Kind Of Man Are You”

Be careful when buying “Talkin’ Bout You” singles; Atlantic released a live version of that song in 1964 with “In A Little Spanish Town” as the B-side. Be sure your copy has “What Kind Of Man Are You”.

Get your own “What Kind Of Man Are You” on 45, LP, CD or MP3 from Amazon. Or get the complete Atlantic recordings 7xCD box set.