Feel So Bad
Ray Charles Lyrics


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You know I feel so bad, children
Feel like a ballgame on a rainy day
Yes I do, yall

Don't you know I feel so bad, children
Oh Lord like a ballgame on a rainy day

Whoa since I lost my woman
You see I have to shake my head
And then I walk away
I have to walk away

Y'all listen to this

I just wanna tell you people
I wanna tell you just how I feel
Can you hear me now

I wanna tell all you people out there
I wanna tell you just how I feel
Oh, how I feel

I feel so bad, I feel so bad
Because my woman
She gave me a dirty deal
The child messed up my mind
Oh, yes, she did

Now listen y'all
I got one more thing
I want to talk to you about
Wait a minute

Sometimes I want to leave
This town, yes, I do
Then again I want to stay

You see, the thing is
I already got my suitcase packed up
So I guess I have to catch a train
And then I'll ride away

Said I'm gonna move
Gonna move on, gonna move on
Lord, I wanna move

Since the woman been gone
I ain't had no love
That's what I want
That's what I need

A little dab'll do me
Ooh sock it to me, Lord




Somebody help me
Help me find my way

Overall Meaning

In this song, the singer expresses his feelings of deep sadness and despair after losing his woman. He compares his feeling to that of a ballgame on a rainy day, which brings a vivid image of disappointment and melancholy. He vividly explains how losing his woman has caused him to shake his head and walk away. He talks to the listeners about how he feels lost and is struggling to deal with the pain of his woman leaving him. He believes she has done him wrong, and it is clear that the loss of her has affected his mental state.


Towards the end of the song, the singer expresses his desire to leave town and start afresh. He reveals that he already has his suitcase packed up and ready to go. He wants to move on and find someone who will show him love and affection, something he hasn't had since his woman left. He ends the song by calling out for help and guidance to find his way.


Line by Line Meaning

You know I feel so bad, children
I am feeling really upset and unhappy


Feel like a ballgame on a rainy day
I feel miserable just like how a baseball game would be in the rain


Don't you know I feel so bad, children
I am emphasizing how terrible I feel


Oh Lord like a ballgame on a rainy day
I feel really miserable just like how a baseball game would be in the rain


Whoa since I lost my woman
Ever since I lost my woman


You see I have to shake my head
I am shaking my head because it's hard to believe what happened


And then I walk away
I walk away from the situation because it's too much to handle


I just wanna tell you people
I want to share something with you all


I wanna tell you just how I feel
I want to share my emotions with you


Can you hear me now
Are you listening to me?


I wanna tell all you people out there
I want everyone to know how I feel


Oh, how I feel
I feel so bad


Because my woman
It's because I lost my woman


She gave me a dirty deal
She treated me unfairly


The child messed up my mind
It affected my mental state


Now listen y'all
Attention please


Sometimes I want to leave
I feel like leaving this town


Yes, I do
I really do


Then again I want to stay
But then again, I want to stay


You see, the thing is
The fact of the matter is


I already got my suitcase packed up
I am already prepared to leave


So I guess I have to catch a train
I'll have to take a train to leave


And then I'll ride away
And then leave for good


Said I'm gonna move
I have decided to move on


Gonna move on, gonna move on
I am going to leave


Lord, I wanna move
I really want to leave this place


Since the woman been gone
Ever since my woman left me


I ain't had no love
I have been lonely


That's what I want
What I need now is love


That's what I need
I am in desperate need of love


A little dab'll do me
A small amount of love is all I need


Ooh sock it to me, Lord
Please give me what I need


Somebody help me
I need someone to help me out


Help me find my way
I need someone to show me the right path




Contributed by Wyatt B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@rickberesford8935

Great bass by Carol Kaye! Guitar work by Jerry Reed, Glen Campbell, and steel guitar by Buddy Emmons. The horn section is so solid yet not overstated. Ray is just superb, as always.

@runamuckchuck

This is where all funk comes from.

@ronpaulrevered

I thought Ray did the steel work? There is a video out there of him playing it.

@caydenmcconnell6297

RonPaul Revered Of Him Playing What?

@icanfartloud

@@caydenmcconnell6297 Steel "slide" guitar .

@AndrewDunnesq

Just found that out! And I have heard this record 1000 times

6 More Replies...

@retrothingz

Many other versions out there...some of them quite good.But Ray owns this song.

@Drewster58

I love Glen Campbell and my hero Buddy Emmons gettin' down white boy funky and fine. Carol, your bass lines make it groove and the drummer makes me move. Makes me wish I had 3 hours of stuff like this to hear on a long drive out to Vegas. You make everything feel "Oh Kaye" ( ; ^ }>)

@treyg201500

...my dad taught us to read the Album credits...it taught us that musicians love music - the universal language

@HJTIMAO

Preto Zika...

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