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Ray Charles — What'd I Say (Parts I & II)
Album: Genius + Soul = Jazz
Avg rating:
8.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 4703









Released: 1961
Length: 6:25
Plays (last 30 days): 1
Hey mama, don't you treat me wrong
Come and love your daddy all night long
All right now, hey hey, all right
See the girl with the diamond ring
She knows how to shake that thing
All right now now now, hey hey, hey hey
Tell your mama, tell your pa
I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas
Oh yes, ma'm, you don't do right, don't do right
Aw, play it boy
When you see me in misery
Come on baby, see about me
Now yeah, all right, all right, aw play it, boy
When you see me in misery
Come on baby, see about me
Now yeah, hey hey, all right
See the girl with the red dress on
She can do the Birdland all night long

Yeah yeah, what'd I say, all right
Well, tell me what'd I say, yeah
Tell me what'd I say right now
Tell me what'd I say
Tell me what'd I say right now
Tell me what'd I say
Tell me what'd I say yeah

And I wanna know
Baby I wanna know right now
And-a I wanna know
And I wanna know right now yeah
And-a I wanna know
Said I wanna know yeah

[Spoken:] Hey, don't quit now! (c'mon honey)
Naw, I got, I uh-uh-uh, I'm changing (stop! stop! we'll do it again)
Wait a minute, wait a minute, oh hold it! Hold it! Hold it!
Hey (hey) ho (ho) hey (hey) ho (ho) hey (hey) ho (ho) hey
Oh one more time (just one more time)
Say it one more time right now (just one more time)
Say it one more time now (just one more time)
Say it one more time yeah (just one more time)
Say it one more time (just one more time)
Say it one more time yeah (just one more time)

Hey (hey) ho (ho) hey (hey) ho (ho) hey (hey) ho (ho) hey
Ah! Make me feel so good (make me feel so good)
Make me feel so good now yeah (make me feel so good)
Woah! Baby (make me feel so good)
Make me feel so good yeah (make me feel so good)
Make me feel so good (make me feel so good)
Make me feel so good yeah (make me feel so good)
Huh (huh) ho (ho) huh (huh) ho (ho) huh (huh) ho (ho) huh
Awh it's all right (baby it's all right)
Said that it's all right right now (baby it's all right)
Said that it's all right (baby it's all right)
Said that it's all right yeah (baby it's all right)
Said that it's all right (baby it's all right)
Said that it's all right (baby it's all right)

Woah! Shake that thing now (baby shake that thing)
Baby shake that thing now now (baby shake that thing)
Baby shake that thing (baby shake that thing)
Baby shake that thing right now (baby shake that thing)
Baby shake that thing (baby shake that thing)
Baby shake that thing (baby shake that thing)
Woah! I feel all right now yeah (make me feel all right)
Said I feel all right now (make me feel all right)
Woooah! (make me feel all right)
Tell you I feel all right (make me feel all right)
Said I feel all right (make me feel all right)
Baby I feel all right (make me feel all right)
Comments (408)add comment
They don’t make them like this anymore!
🤣🙄
61 people gave this song a 1. (Shakes head)
 dgeagon wrote:

Damn it, can't stop dancing when I hear this song!




Same here!!
 jimcummings wrote:

I had the great privledge of being the PR guy at NJ's Latin Casino when I was but 20 (in the late 60's). I met and worked with all the greats of the time, from Sinatra (whom I met though he never played the Latin). to everybody else.
The best "act" by far, was Ray and his entire entouarge - the big band, the Raelettes, etc.
I made sure I saw both his performances every night. He sometimes played twqo weeks and once, a month. Incredible every time.
My daughter says my tombstone will say "He got to hear Ray every night, twice a night, for a month (and James Brown, too)." 
I'd be good with that. He was the best of the best.


What a great time and place to be in your twenties.
Damn it, can't stop dancing when I hear this song!
"Tell your mamma, tell your pa -- they're going to have a colored son-in-law...."
-- The Checkmates Ltd. --  
Being without sight I'm guess Ray could feel it when baby shook that thing.
The epitome of perfection!
 jimcummings wrote:

I had the great privledge of being the PR guy at NJ's Latin Casino when I was but 20 (in the late 60's). I met and worked with all the greats of the time, from Sinatra (whom I met though he never played the Latin). to everybody else.
The best "act" by far, was Ray and his entire entouarge - the big band, the Raelettes, etc.
I made sure I saw both his performances every night. He sometimes played twqo weeks and once, a month. Incredible every time.
My daughter says my tombstone will say "He got to hear Ray every night, twice a night, for a month (and James Brown, too)." 
I'd be good with that. He was the best of the best.




Totally Cool!!  Thank You for sharing the story!!
I can't prepare to sit/practice with this line-up. And it would be a sacrilidge to shut it off.  I believe I'll dance.
I had the great privledge of being the PR guy at NJ's Latin Casino when I was but 20 (in the late 60's). I met and worked with all the greats of the time, from Sinatra (whom I met though he never played the Latin). to everybody else.
The best "act" by far, was Ray and his entire entouarge - the big band, the Raelettes, etc.
I made sure I saw both his performances every night. He sometimes played twqo weeks and once, a month. Incredible every time.
My daughter says my tombstone will say "He got to hear Ray every night, twice a night, for a month (and James Brown, too)." 
I'd be good with that. He was the best of the best.
 sjccroquet wrote:

...
My friends at the shop told me that Ray Charles was an incredibly nice guy and had a wicked sense of humor, to boot.


Unless you were late to practice...

Love the story.
c.
 cely wrote:

Though the music has a kind of slow rolling boogie sound, I'm trying to think of how many songs rocked this hard prior to its release (and I'm emphasizing the word rock in the sense of full power release).  Not Elvis, maybe Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard, and though he's closer to the rock and roll sound, probably not Chuck Berry.  I'm probably missing a lot.  What do you think?


I think you are waaaayyyy off. No rockin' before 1961? Preposterous! 
Hit it!
There's 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses. 
 
 uksminas wrote:
 


Me and my best friend were 14 years old when the Blues Brothers movie came out. Result: we would put on black suits and black ties from our dads and go out dressed like that in the small village in Switzerland where I lived back then. And we spent all our pocket money on Ray Charles LPs. And on cigarettes...
 willmcnaught wrote:
Play it boy!   ???  Play it MAN !!!
 

just dumped this to a 10 where it should have been already just based on the album title, which is genius it its on right!
Thanks for this little gem Ray.
He sure broke on through to the other side   
Long Live RP! and Thanks Bill and Rebecca for starting my day off right here in Korea
I had some friends who used to work at a well-known instrument shop outside of Washington, DC. Ray Charles knew the owner and some of the long-time staff, and would often stop by when touring.

To give him and his band some privacy while they were checking out new instruments, the shop would close for a few hours when they came by.

Of course, all the staff would want to be there at the time, and the owner would let them, with a caution to the new staff to "be cool" and not bug or fawn over the guys. And then, as a special treat, he'd ask for a volunteer from among the newer staff to demo whatever new keyboard they had at the time for Ray.

The lucky guy would be introduced to Ray, who would have a seat at the keyboard and politely nod and say "Mm-hmm" and "Yeah" while this guy explained the keyboard's main functions and where they were.

And when this guy finished his description of the features, Ray would move his head as if he were looking it over, and then fix his gaze at a corner of the controls, point his finger and say, "What about that orange button there, what's that do?"

Of course, Ray and the owner had worked this out beforehand ("point to an orange button right over the F above low C"), but the look on the employee's face must have been priceless as he tried to "be cool" in front of Ray Charles and his entourage while thinking he had just learned that Ray could actually see!

My friends at the shop told me that Ray Charles was an incredibly nice guy and had a wicked sense of humor, to boot.
If you rate this lower than a 9 I don't want anything to do with ya
Oh HELL yea!
 cely wrote:
Though the music has a kind of slow rolling boogie sound, I'm trying to think of how many songs rocked this hard prior to its release (and I'm emphasizing the word rock in the sense of full power release).  Not Elvis, maybe Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard, and though he's closer to the rock and roll sound, probably not Chuck Berry.  I'm probably missing a lot.  What do you think?

What do I think?  That 176 BPM is hardly slow-rolling, but maybe I am showing my age. Kids these days...
Though the music has a kind of slow rolling boogie sound, I'm trying to think of how many songs rocked this hard prior to its release (and I'm emphasizing the word rock in the sense of full power release).  Not Elvis, maybe Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard, and though he's closer to the rock and roll sound, probably not Chuck Berry.  I'm probably missing a lot.  What do you think?
 LauraLetterboxer wrote:
I remember dancing to this in my romper suit when I was two years old.  I just loved it, and that man's voice still touches a deep and joyful place in me.  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump} {#Jump} {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump} 
 

 nutrod42 wrote:
Excuse me, I don't think there's anything wrong with the action on this piano.
 
Shake your tail feather!
WOW!! Almost 60 years since release. I can't even imagine how fine this would sound with modern recording equipment. A beautiful timeless classic. Keep 'em coming, Bill.
Play it boy!
Shake that thing!
My 19-month-old is dancing to this!
MOST EXCELLENT 
Proof, if proof were needed, that less is more. Takes a good 'un to get my knees acting of their own accord, and right now they're auditioning for the Moulin Rouge!
I just stood up and started dancing at my desk, and I can't dance!!!
Letz git it 
Superb
Had to close the door of my office to be able to dance and shake while listening to this fantastic song!
Saw Ray 2 months before he passed away and he STILL rocked the house!
Excuse me, I don't think there's anything wrong with the action on this piano.
So good.{#Bananapiano}
I remember dancing to this in my romper suit when I was two years old.  I just loved it, and that man's voice still touches a deep and joyful place in me.  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump} {#Jump} {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump}  {#Jump} 
Wait...Did Ray Charles just say:

"See the girl with the red dress on"?
{#Stupid}


                                                                 Brother Ray's Birthplace - Albany, Georgia  

                                                                            born September 23, 1930

.
.                                                                    

                                       

.



Is he telling himself to "play it, boy"?
perfect
10
 tintin77 wrote:
The drums is what also makes this song. awesome!!!
 
Milt Turner - he variously described it as a "faux rhumba" and a conga rhythm. It's one-of-a-kind, that's for sure.
Ray can always get my head swinging and toes tapping!

{#Drummer}{#Bananapiano}

This 10 track really gets me playing some "desktop air piano" at work.  And while my piano playing days are behind me, I still think I could figure out the left hand pretty quickly.  This guy was sooo good!


The drums is what also makes this song. awesome!!!
The word "see" is in this song quite a bit for a blind guy to be singing it.
"Would you kindly tell me what I said?"
...See the girl with the red dress on
She can do the Birdland all night long...
I'll tell you what you said!
 On_The_Beach wrote:
Thelonious Monk followed by Brother Ray; it doesn't get much better!

 
Right on!


 On_The_Beach wrote:
Thelonious Monk followed by Brother Ray; it doesn't get much better!

 
YES!
Thelonious Monk followed by Brother Ray; it doesn't get much better!
Now I want to see 'Ray' again...
Love this recording. I needed this in my life. Thanks RP.

Awwwwwww yeahhhhhhh! {#Bananapiano}
 h_in_bristol wrote:
Alright!

One more time, yes
 
 
I think exactly the same!!! 
One channel is out on this song.  I can hardly even hear Ray singing.  Tech problem?
Shake that thing!
How does this make you feel.....  {#Dancingbanana_2}  {#Roflol}   {#Bananapiano}
Alright!

One more time, yes
 
                                    Groovin Up

           Stars aligned, and the match was made in Heaven.
I just smile every time it comes on! Pure Genius. 
 Yeoleman wrote:
Imagine where music would be if more had heard this when it came out...

 
Although initial response was mixed and some stations banned it Atlantic persevered on pushing the record. Eventually it became a big hit, Billboard #1 on R&B and #6 on Hot 100. Atlantic was a very cool label and the partnership between the management and Ray Charles created some very great music.
Billy Boy is on fire this evening!
Hey, this is all right!
I feel all right. 
Imagine where music would be if more had heard this when it came out...
Herein lies the very DNA of Rock n Roll in its purest form!
{#Bananapiano}  
OK...

Nonproductive for a while at work.

That's fine. Life is short. Take the simple pleasures when they come up on the playlist. >

{#Bananapiano} 
Hey coders...it's the funk that disrupting your brain.

I'm trying to edit a deck of slides. Forget it.   
 kcar wrote:

Same prob here with PHP and JavaScript. Dammit, Ray...

 
Today it was C++.  And trying to recreate a paradox DB.
 msymmes wrote:
Yeah.  I am trying to cut some PHP code.  Can't concentrate when this comes on !
 

fanttazio wrote:
So I was working on a document and suddenly I realized I can't do anything but listening to this tune. Just there! delight

 

 
Same prob here with PHP and JavaScript. Dammit, Ray...
9->10
In Robert Gordon's "Respect Yourself," his history of Stax Records, Jim Stewart (the ST in STax—Estelle AXton was the other), attributes his "R&B awakening" to hearing this song on WDIA in Memphis. He was a country fiddler and had never heard anything like it.
 Krakus wrote:

Raw talent that didn't need American Idol to become "famous." 


Yes, in many ways American Idol is the worst thing to happen to popular music since mandatory playlists for radio stations in the late 1970s.  It's done even more damage than MTV did.
Years ago (ALMOST 40!), there was a classic SNL bit where John Belushi was doing a bit as Beethoven on the piano.  Gilda Radner (as Mrs. B.) is of course screaming at him, because Ludwig can't hear a damn thing.

After Gilda and Laraine Newman depart, Ludwig takes a couple of snorts of coke, and then slips on some sunglasses.  He proceeds to do a great Ray C. impersonation of this song.  IT KILLED!  
I highly recommend RP for your daily dose of AWESOME.  ~~~> Much Love!
The movie Ray does a wonderful job of capturing this song.
Tommy Boy...
{#Bananapiano}
butt dancing at my desk.  not a pretty sight, but I don't care.  RAY!
phe·nom·e·nal
 
adjective
 
1.
very remarkable; extraordinary.


Yeah that would be it

 Krakus wrote:

Raw talent that didn't need American Idol to become "famous."



 
Nobody needs American Idol

ps he would have been bombed straight off at the first auditions.
 unclehud wrote:
Rated this a 9 despite only 25 words in the entire song¹ .  Boogie-woogie!     

Edit two minutes later:  'Lyrics' button says its an instrumental² chuckle, chuckle, chuckle ....


 
¹ 
 
² 
God, the timing...this band is so tight.
{#Heartkiss} 8 >>>>>>>>>>>> 9
All hail Milt Franklin and his little rhumba/conga beat.
Rated this a 9 despite only 25 words in the entire song.  Boogie-woogie!         Edit two minutes later:  'Lyrics' button says its an instrumental!  chuckle, chuckle, chuckle ....
Fabulous. One of the best songs ever recorded IMO. Thanks for the pick me up at work!
Baby what I said was: this is monotonous and annoying. A "3" is generous.
{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}
9 Bananas!!
Hmmmm...coulda sworn this was "Break On Thru (to the Other Side) when it began....almost disappointed but it's Ray...can't be disappointed with Ray
This one goes to 11.
Yeah.  I am trying to cut some PHP code.  Can't concentrate when this comes on !
 

fanttazio wrote:
So I was working on a document and suddenly I realized I can't do anything but listening to this tune. Just there! delight

 


So I was working on a document and suddenly I realized I can't do anything but listening to this tune. Just there! delight

Raw talent that didn't need American Idol to become "famous."


In my poxy hotel room I be dancing with the safety off...
 Lazarus wrote:


Miss you so much, Cynaera...
 
You are not alone Romeo. 
okay so I just changed my rating from most excellent 2 outstanding! So there!
 Cynaera wrote:
I have to say that if I'd tried to listen to this before I was of legal age, I wouldn't have been allowed. And after I was allowed, it was an acquired taste. Now, I just love it unashamedly. Ray Charles rocks.  {#Mrgreen}
 

Miss you so much, Cynaera...

just the rhythm of the piano here makes this song absolutely awesome, as well as the lyrics and the rest of the music...
 
 bronorb wrote:
I actually saw Ray Charles at a concert at a high school auditorium in Neenah, Wisconsin around 1990(?) or so.
He was awesome but the crowd was very white, conservative and uptight.
WE had a great time, regardless.

 
Must have been because the Packers won only 6 games in '90 and followed that up with 4 wins in '91.  If Ray would have played there in '92 when Holmgren & Favre got there and GB started their great 90's run, the crowd would have been more upbeat.  It wasn't Ray's fault...Just a theory.
Much better than Andy Garcia's take.

marvelous...  we be dancing...  love it...
 
I actually saw Ray Charles at a concert at a high school auditorium in Neenah, Wisconsin around 1990(?) or so.
He was awesome but the crowd was very white, conservative and uptight.
WE had a great time, regardless.
513 deserved 10 votes say it all! {#Notworthy}
The Beatles' Boys sounds so similar to this it's almost creepy. And I hate Boys.

This, I like very much. Here, take a 9.
One of the best songs ive ever heard
Masterful
The only place I ever hear the real song, the full version, is here.  Thanks, RP.
 markander33 wrote:
His screaming is 100% as enjoyable as a squealing baby in a restaurant.
 
That's what she said...
 markander33 wrote:
His screaming is 100% as enjoyable as a squealing baby in a restaurant.
 
Or really good sex, all depending on your point of view. 
His screaming is 100% as enjoyable as a squealing baby in a restaurant.
 Jared wrote:
Something wrong with the track; his vocals are way in the background?

Edit: ty for the link TwinEngine. I do appreciate the mark it has had on music, but I just don't think how it is played on RP is the same as how it was intended. Ray's vocals are very far in the background. I can't imagine there is a problem with my certain feed, but his vocal track is not balanced with the rest of the tracks? A.K.A. I have to strain to hear him, where the rest of it all pipes thru very well...any comments?

 
It's an old-time stereo recording where they put the vocals almost entirely in one channel and some other instruments in the other, rather than mixing it more down the middle. What this means is you're only hearing one channel of the stereo recording.