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."
Busted
Ray Charles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, no, no, no
Well, I know
Yeah, my bills are all due and the baby needs shoes
But I'm busted
Cotton is down to a quarter a pound
But I'm busted right now
A big stack of bills that gets bigger each day
The county's gonna haul my belongings away
'Cause I'm busted right now
Oh, yes, I am
Well, I went to my brother to ask for a loan
'Cause I was busted
I hate to beg like a dog without his bone
But I'm busted, I'll tell ya
My brother said, "There ain't a thing I can do
My wife and my kids are all down with the flu
And I was just thinking about calling on you
'Cause I'm busted myself"
Well, that's what he told me
Yeah, I am no thief, but a man can go wrong
When he, he's busted
The food that we canned last summer is gone
And I'm busted right now
Well, the fields are all bare and the cotton won't grow
Me and my family got to pack up and go
I'll make a living, where I don't know
'Cause I'm busted today
Y'all know I'm broke
I ain't got no money
I'm talkin' 'bout empty pockets
Ah, forget it
Ah, to hell with it
Yeah
In Ray Charles’s song Busted, the singer portrays a man who is struggling to make ends meet. He feels hopeless and powerless as he lists the many things he lacks due to financial instability. He can't even provide his baby with shoes, which shows how dire his situation is. The lyric "cotton is down to a quarter a pound" exemplifies the impact of the economic fall on his life. The singer is so desperate that he is about to lose his own belongings, which the country is going to “haul” away. He is indeed “busted” – broke, bankrupt, and in dire need - right now.
In the second verse, the man turns to his brother for help but is rejected because his brother himself is dealing with financial issues. Although the singer is not a thief, he feels guilty because he is in a state where even basic human necessities are not fulfilled, such as food. The food he and his family canned in the summer is gone, and now they don't know where their next meal will come from. The fields are empty, and he can't even continue to farm that land to earn a livelihood.
Overall, the song is about the American Dream's dark side and the impact of the Great Depression, particularly on the working class. It speaks about the helplessness, decline, and hopelessness that the working class had to endure during that devastating period.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah
An affirmation of agreement with what was just said or expressed.
Oh, no, no, no
Exclamation expressing some sort of disappointment or misfortune.
Well, I know
Introduction to the singer's knowledge of their current circumstances.
Yeah, my bills are all due and the baby needs shoes
The artist has many financial responsibilities weighing on them including caring for their child who needs shoes.
But I'm busted
The artist is financially broke and can't afford to pay for their bills or their child's needs.
Cotton is down to a quarter a pound
The price of cotton has significantly decreased in value.
But I'm busted right now
Despite what the singer may have had in the past, they are currently broke and cannot afford to make ends meet.
I got a cow that went dry and a hen that won't lay
The artist owns livestock that are not producing their usual resources which affects the family's income.
A big stack of bills that gets bigger each day
The artist has many unpaid bills which are accumulating interest and increasing in amount over time.
The county's gonna haul my belongings away
The artist may lose their personal possessions due to being unable to afford their bills and debt.
'Cause I'm busted right now
The singer is currently in a state of being broke.
Oh, yes, I am
An affirmation that the artist is indeed broke.
Well, I went to my brother to ask for a loan
The singer seeks financial assistance from a family member as a last resort.
'Cause I was busted
The reason why the singer seeks a loan is because they are broke and have no other options.
I hate to beg like a dog without his bone
The singer has no pride in having to ask for help financially.
But I'm busted, I'll tell ya
Again, the artist confirms their financial distress.
My brother said, "There ain't a thing I can do
The brother the artist asked for a loan cannot give them one because of his own financial issues.
My wife and my kids are all down with the flu
The brother's family is ill and they are unable to help financially.
And I was just thinking about calling on you
The singer's brother had considered asking him for a loan before he was reached out to.
'Cause I'm busted myself"
The brother is experiencing his own financial difficulties and is unable to help the artist financially.
Well, that's what he told me
The artist is simply relaying what his brother told him previously.
Yeah, I am no thief, but a man can go wrong
The artist has not resorted to stealing to solve his financial issues, but understandable mistakes can be made when struggling financially.
When he, he's busted
Again, the singer confirms their financial state.
The food that we canned last summer is gone
The artist's family has run out of food that they had preserved for winter, highlighting their struggle to make ends meet.
And I'm busted right now
The singer's financial situation has left them with nothing.
Well, the fields are all bare and the cotton won't grow
The singer's means of income are not providing them with resources as they typically would.
Me and my family got to pack up and go
The singer and their family are forced to leave their home due to their financial struggles.
I'll make a living, where I don't know
The artist is unsure of where they will go or how they will make money in the future.
'Cause I'm busted today
The artist's current circumstances have left them financially broke and without a means to survive.
Y'all know I'm broke
An exclamation to anyone listening, stating that the singer is indeed broke.
I ain't got no money
The singer has no money.
I'm talkin' 'bout empty pockets
The artist's lack of money has left them without a single penny to their name.
Ah, forget it
The artist has given up on their financial struggles as it seems there is no solution.
Ah, to hell with it
The artist has reached their breaking point and no longer cares about the stress of their financial troubles.
Yeah
An affirmation to the previous statement, indicating complete frustration with their financial difficulties.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Harlan Howard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@edmondsinani9465
I was 11 years old when I heard Ray Charles for the first time in 1966, in Albania, one of the most orthodox comunist countries in Europe, where this music was banned, but I never stopped listening to him to this day. He was, is and will be my genius favorite singer… R. I. P. Ray Charles!
@zachgates7491
Did you hear him on the BBC or was Hoxha a fan?
@edmondsinani9465
@Zach Gates I used to hear him on radio Luxembourg, Rai uno, due, radio Prague, but not on bbc! It was far away, and we heard only bbc world service short waves!
@adriandizdari8900
une e kam patur fatin ta shof ketu ne New York ne Radio City. ngelet nje legjende . R.I.P. Ray Charles
@darrylwiggins4799
Heard this when I was a kid and loved it even though I didn't know what he was talking about.Now I do.Boy Howdy.A relatable song for every race,creed,and color.Genius.
@RhinocerosProductions
This song takes the pain out of being broke
@vitalityfox
whenever im broke i always think of this song and it fills me with even more anxiety. Imagine basically being so broke you cant put gas in yur car and food n your fridge at the same time. ive had many many months where i had to make choice between eating nd having gas in my car u drive a fucking piece if shit gas hog i am fucking tired of it especially these days with the idiot we have in office
@geraldstephens6612
....unless you're a certain orange- haired person or a pillow-maker.
@MDOurMD
The definitive recording of this great song.
@juanpablobentancor1416
The most beautiful voice🎼🙌🏻