As a rock and roll, rhythm & blues, soul, blues, jazz, country and pop musician he helped to shape the sound of rhythm & blues.
He brought a soulful sound to everything from country music ("I Can't Stop Loving You") to rock and roll ("Mess Around"), to pop standards to a now-iconic rendition of "America the Beautiful." Frank Sinatra called him "the only genius in the business."
Ray Charles was born in Albany, Georgia on September 23, 1930. He was the son of Aretha Williams, a share cropper, and Bailey Robinson, a railroad repair man, mechanic and handyman. The two were never married. The family moved to Greenville, Florida, when Ray was an infant. Bailey had three more families, leaving Aretha to raise the family on her own.
Ray Charles was not born blind. He started to lose his sight somewhere at the age of five. He was rendered totally blind by the age of seven. Charles never knew exactly why he lost his sight, though there are sources that suggest his blindness was due to glaucoma, and some other sources suggest that Ray began to lose his sight from an infection caused by soapy water to his eyes which was left untreated. He attended school at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, Florida from 1937-1945 where he developed his musical gift that he is known and remembered for today. His father died when he was ten, followed by his mother five years later.
In school, he was taught only classical music, but he wanted to play what he heard on the radio, jazz and blues. After his mother died, Charles did not return to school. He lived in Jacksonville with a couple who were friends of his mother. For over a year, he played the piano for bands at the Ritz Theatre in LaVilla, earning $4 a night. Charles moved to Orlando, then Tampa, where he played "with a hillbilly band called The Florida Playboys." This is where Charles began his reputation of always wearing sunglasses that were made by designer Billy Stickles.
Charles had always played for other people, but he wanted a band that was his own. He decided to leave Florida for a large city, but Chicago and New York City were too big. He moved to Seattle in 1947 and soon started recording, first for the label Swing Time Records, achieving his first hit with the 1949 "Confession Blues". The song soared to #2 on the R&B charts. He followed his first recording with his only other hit with Swingtime, "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" in 1951. It hit #5 on the R&B charts. He then signed with Ahmet Ertegün at Atlantic Records a year later. When he entered show business, his name was shortened to Ray Charles to avoid confusion with boxer Sugar Ray Robinson.
Breakthrough period with Atlantic Records
Almost immediately after signing with Atlantic, Charles scored his first hit singles with the label with "It Should Have Been Me" and the Ertegün-composed "Mess Around", both making the charts in 1953. But it was Charles' "I Got A Woman" (composed with band mate Renald Richard) that brought the musician to national prominence.
The song reached the top of Billboard's R&B singles chart in 1955 and from there until 1959, Charles would have a series of R&B chart-toppers including "This Little Girl of Mine", "Lonely Avenue", "Mary Ann", "Drown in My Own Tears" and "The Night Time (Is the Right Time)", which were compiled on his Atlantic releases Hallelujah, I Love Her So, Yes Indeed!, and The Genius Sings the Blues. Charles was often cited for using his voice like a saxophone, most notably by the prominent critic Victor Bollo. During this time of transition, he recruited a young girl group from Philadelphia named The Cookies as his background singing group, recording with them in New York and changing their name to the Raelettes in the process.
Crossover success
In 1959, Charles crossed over to top 40 radio with the release of his impromptu blues number, "What'd I Say", which was initially conceived while Charles was in concert. The song would reach number 1 on the R&B list and would become Charles' first top ten single on the pop charts, peaking at number 6. Charles would also record The Genius of Ray Charles, before leaving Atlantic for a more lucrative deal with ABC Records in 1959.
Hit songs such as "Georgia On My Mind" (US #1), "Hit the Road Jack" (US #1) and "Unchain My Heart" (US #9) helped him transition to pop success and his landmark 1962 album, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music and its sequel Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol. 2, helped to bring country into the mainstream of music. He also had major pop hits in 1963 with "Busted" (US #4) and "Take These Chains From My Heart" (US #8), and also scoring a Top 20 hit four years later, in 1967, with "Here We Go Again" (US #15) (which would later be duetted with Norah Jones in 2004).
Later years
In 1965, Charles was arrested for possession of heroin, a drug to which he had been addicted for nearly 20 years. It was his third arrest for the offence, but he avoided jail time after kicking the habit in a clinic in Los Angeles. He spent a year on parole in 1966, when his single "Crying Time" reached #6 on the charts.
During the late 1960s and into the 1970s, Charles' releases were hit-or-miss, with some big hits and critically acclaimed work. His version of "Georgia On My Mind" was proclaimed the state song of Georgia on April 24, 1979, with Charles performing it on the floor of the state legislature. He also had success with his unique version of "America the Beautiful."
In November 1977 Charles appeared as the host of NBC's Saturday Night Live. In the 1980s a number of other events increased Charles' recognition among young audiences. He made a cameo appearance in the popular 1980 film The Blues Brothers. In 1985, "The Right Time" was featured in the episode "Happy Anniversary" of The Cosby Show on NBC. The next year in 1986, he sang America The Beautiful at Wrestlemania 2. In a Pepsi Cola commercial of the early 1990s, Charles popularized the catchphrase "You Got the Right One, Baby!" plus he helped in the song "We Are the World" a touching song for USA for Africa.
Despite his support of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s and his support for the American Civil Rights Movement, Charles courted controversy when he toured South Africa in 1981, during an international boycott of the country because of its apartheid policy.
Charles recorded a cover version of the Japanese band Southern All Stars' song "Itoshi no Ellie" as "Ellie My Love" for a Suntory TV advertisement, reaching #3 on Japan's Oricon chart. Eventually, it sold more than 400,000 copies, and became that year's best-selling single performed by a Western artist for the Japanese music market.
Besides winning 17 Grammy Awards in his career (include five posthumous ones), Charles was also honored in many other ways. In 1979, he was one of the first honorees of the Georgia State Music Hall of Fame being recognized for being a musician born in the state. Ray's version of "Georgia On My Mind" was made into the official state song for Georgia. In 1981, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was one of the first inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at its inaugural ceremony in 1986. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986. In 1987, he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1991, he was inducted to the Rhythm & Blues Foundation. In 1998 he was awarded the Polar Music Prize together with Ravi Shankar in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2004 he was inducted to the Jazz Hall of Fame, and inducted to the National Black Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame. Also in 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #10 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
The Grammy Awards of 2005 were dedicated to Charles.
On December 7, 2007, Ray Charles Plaza was opened in Albany, Georgia, with a revolving, lighted bronze sculpture of Charles seated at a piano.
On December 26, 2007, Ray Charles was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Ray Charles Post Office Building
In 2005, the U.S. postal facility located at 4960 W. Washington Blvd., in Los Angeles, California, was designated the Ray Charles Post Office Building.
On August 24, 2005, the United States Congress honored Charles by dedicating and renaming the former West Adams Station post office in Los Angeles the "Ray Charles Station".
Charles has also appeared at two Presidential inaugurations in his lifetime. In 1985, he performed for Ronald Reagan's second inauguration, and in 1993 performed for Bill Clinton's first inauguration.
In the late '80s and early '90s, Charles made appearances on The Super Dave Osbourne Show, where he performed and appeared in a few vignettes where he was somehow driving a car, often as Super Dave's chauffeur. At the height of his newfound fame in the early nineties, Charles did guest vocals for quite a few projects. He also appeared (with Chaka Khan) on long time friend Quincy Jones' hit "I'll Be Good to You" in 1990, from Jones' album Back on the Block.
Following Jim Henson's death in 1990, Ray Charles appeared in the one-hour CBS tribute, The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson. He gave a short speech about the deceased, stating that Henson "took a simple song and a piece of felt and turned it into a moment of great power". Charles was referring to the song "It's Not Easy Being Green", which Charles later performed with the rest of the Muppet cast in a tribute to Henson's legacy.
During the sixth season of Designing Women, Ray Charles vocally performed "Georgia On My Mind", rather than the song being rendered by other musicians without lyrics as in the previous five seasons
During his life he received eight honorary doctorates, the last from Dillard University in New Orleans in 2003. Later that same year, he performed his 10,000th career concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.
Charles finalized "Genius Loves Company" a duets album in 2004, which posthumously became the best selling album of his career. Norah Jones, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt, Gladys Knight, Johnny Mathis and James Taylor are just a few of the notable artists involved with the project.
Charles was awarded the prestigious "President's Merit Award" from the Grammy(r) organization and was named a City of Los Angeles "Cultural Treasure" by LA Mayor James Hahn during "African American Heritage Month" in a ceremony that he attended. He also received the NAACP Image Awards' "Hall of Fame Award."
Charles died in July 2004 in California. Three months later, his biopic "Ray" opened in theaters. The performance of Jamie Foxx as Ray gave him an Oscar for best lead performance in a feature film.
Recently, a series of slot machines were designed in Charles' name for the visually handicapped and the legendary performer was also named a "living legend" by the Library of Congress.
Charles once told an interviewer from USA Today, "Music to me is just like breathing. I have to have it. It's part of me."
Angel City
Ray Charles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So let me love you till you get it right ,
Why can't you let the others be ,
Cause with you is where I got to be ,
ooh sugar , where've you been ,
Hangin out with your male friends ,
Listen , somebody's going to hurt you ,
ooh baby love me right ,
Let me love you till the morning comes ,
Ooh sugar , love me right ,
You know I want to be the only one ,
ooh oh oh oh oh ,
Let me love you till you get it right ,
ooh baby , understand , I want you to be the only man ,
(only man)
But it seems though its getting too hot ,
I think I'll start to have my own fun ,
Oh baby its plain to see ,
That I'm qualified to fill your needs ,
You think you put it over on me ,
Oh honey , baby just you wait and see , (see)
ooh baby love me right ,
Let me love you till the morning comes ,
Oh sugar , love me right ,
You know I want to be the only one
ooh oh oh oh oh ,
Let me love you till you get it right ,
love me right ,
You gotta love me ,
Love me right , (ri-ight)
You gotta love love me ,
ooh ooh yeah
ooh oh oh oh oh ,
Let me love you till you get it right ,
ooh baby love me right ,
Let me love you till the morning comes , (love me)
Ooh sugar love me right
You know I want to be the only one , (only one)
ooh baby love me right , (love me)
Let me love you till the morning comes ,
Ooh sugar love me right ,
You know I want to be the only one , (ooh yeah)
The lyrics to Ray Charles’s song “Angel City” seem to be centered around a romantic relationship that has struggled with infidelity and trust. The opening lines of the song express a plea for the other person to love them in the right way, to allow them to love them back in return. It appears that the singer of the song is frustrated by their partner’s loyalty, thus the plea for them to stop hanging out with their male friends. Furthermore, they suggest that somebody is going to end up getting hurt, that seems to allude to the fact that the other person has been unfaithful in the past.
Despite these struggles, they still want to be with this person and love them until things are right. The end of the song resolves with the singer saying “love me right,” repeated twice. It could be interpreted that this is an attempt to solidify the trust between them or an ultimatum to their partner.
Overall, the lyrics of “Angel City” are representative of the struggles that come with relationships. Whether it be the pain of infidelity, distrust between partners, or simply just trying to find the right balance, love is never without its challenges. Through it all, the singer of the song seems willing to fight for this relationship, asking only that their partner love them in the right way.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh baby love me right
The singer desires for their partner to love them in the way that they need to be loved.
So let me love you till you get it right
The singer is willing to continue loving their partner until they meet their needs.
Why can't you let the others be
The singer wants their partner to focus on them exclusively.
Cause with you is where I got to be
The artist feels that their happiness is tied to their partner's presence.
Ooh sugar, where've you been
The artist is questioning their partner's recent behavior or whereabouts.
Hangin out with your male friends
The singer suspects that their partner has been spending time with male friends instead of with them.
Listen, somebody's going to hurt you
The singer is warning their partner that they are at risk of getting hurt, possibly by someone they are seeing on the side.
The way you love to keep hurting me
The artist is expressing their feelings of being hurt by their partner's actions or possible infidelity.
Ooh baby love me right
The artist reiterates their desire for their partner to love them in the right way.
Let me love you till the morning comes
The artist is committed to loving their partner until the end of the night or morning.
Ooh sugar, love me right
The singer repeats their desire for their partner to love them right.
You know I want to be the only one
The artist wants to be the only love interest in their partner's life.
Let me love you till you get it right
The singer reiterates their commitment to loving their partner until they meet their needs.
Ooh baby, understand
The singer wants their partner to understand their desires and needs.
I want you to be the only man
The singer desires for their partner to be their only male love interest.
But it seems though its getting too hot
The artist feels that the situation is reaching a boiling point and they may need to make a change.
I think I'll start to have my own fun
The artist suggests that they will start to entertain other love interests.
Oh baby its plain to see
The singer believes that it is obvious how they feel and what they want.
That I'm qualified to fill your needs
The singer believes that they are capable of fulfilling their partner's needs in a way that others cannot.
You think you put it over on me
The artist believes that their partner has deceived them in some way.
Oh honey, baby just you wait and see
The artist is warning their partner that they will soon realize the mistake they have made by not treating them right.
Love me right
The artist desires for their partner to love them in the right way.
You gotta love me
The singer expresses their need for their partner's love and affection.
Love me right (ri-ight)
The artist emphasizes their desire for their partner to love them in the right way.
Ooh yeah
The singer expresses excitement or anticipation for their partner's love.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeffreycraven8154
Best romantic recording since the 40's. Enjoy it with your love.
@abpena50
Beautiful tune, love the Baritone Sax part, he really anchors the whole thing together. Excellent trumpet solo.