“Woman Sensuous Woman”
Song by Ray Charles
Ray Charles recorded his own version of Don Gibson’s final number one hit, the sweet and cheerful country pie “Woman Sensuous Woman”, on his 1984 LP Do I Ever Cross Your Mind.
Don Gibson always loomed large in Ray’s career; it was a 1962 cover of Gibson’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You” that propelled Ray to superstardom, and he would continue to keep an eye on Gibson and record his songs when the mood struck him in ensuing years.
Its titled rendered “Woman (Sensuous Woman)”, the tune went to the top of the country charts for Gibson in 1972; it was written by famed producer and songwriter Gary S. Paxton.
Ray’s version is all 1980s Nashville country, professional and toe-tappingly enjoyable. As he often did in this period of his career, Ray backs himself with a multi-tracked group of his own vocals on the choruses, and handles the verses unaccompanied.
As a country song, “Woman Sensuous Woman” doesn’t offer many undue surprises: it’s a half-hearted plea to an outside woman who has taken control of the man’s life and is starting to threaten his happy home. It’s really an entreaty to himself to break her spell in the interest of saving his primary relationship. One gets the impression that this is unlikely – but hey, at least he knows there’s a problem.
Release my body and let me live again!
Down-home fiddle squeaks and scrapes throughout Brother Ray’s version of “Woman Sensuous Woman”, and as a singer Ray is unquestionably suited to the song’s clear, simple melody and its lamentable tragicomic sentiment. Terry McMillan even adds a lonesome harmonica solo halfway through. Yee-haw!
Single releases
Columbia Records had high hopes – and an aggressive marketing strategy – for their new intended country star Ray Charles around the time of Do I Ever Cross Your Mind. “Woman Sensuous Woman” was the second single released to support the album, and one of five of the LP’s ten songs that would end up on a single.
“Woman Sensuous Woman”
b/w
“I Was On Georgia Time”
Listen to “Woman Sensuous Woman”
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Songs on Do I Ever Cross Your Mind