According to Charles, while performing at a Milwaukee nightclub, he had performed the last song of his set, "Night Time Is the Right Time", when he was informed that there was another twelve minutes left in the show. Charles decided to fill the time by performing an impromptu version of the song that would eventually be recorded as What'd I Say. Charles told his backing band and female background singers, the Raelettes, to "just follow me". The song began on a Latin influenced drum beat and a Wurlitzer electric piano riff before Charles improvised his own lyrics to it.
As the band became more comfortable with the piece, Charles and the Raelettes started an impromptu call and response vocalization. Charles later said that the call and response section was "all about the sounds of making love".
Although the song is usually listed as "What'd I Say", Charles always insisted that the name of the song is "What I Say" as heard on the track.
What'd I Say
Ray Charles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come and love your daddy all night long
cll right now, hey hey, all right
See the girl with the diamond ring
She knows how to shake that thing
cll right now now now, hey hey, hey hey
Tell your mama, tell your pa
I'm gonna send you back to crkansasOh yes, ma'm, you don't do right, don't do right
cw, 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
cnd I wanna know
Baby I wanna know right now
cnd-a I wanna know
cnd I wanna know right now yeah
cnd-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
ch! 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
cwh 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)
Ray Charles's song "What'd I Say" is a classic example of soulful R&B music. The song is about a man telling his woman to love him all night long, while he acknowledges other women who can shake their bodies, dance and entertain him. The song starts with the lyrics, "Hey mama, don't you treat me wrong, Come and love your daddy all night long, all right now." The singer wants his woman to show him love and affection as he deserves, which indicates he isn't pleased with the current situation.
The second verse talks about a girl with a diamond ring that can shake that thing, which shows that the singer likes a woman with jewelry, money, and the right moves. The line, "Tell your mama, tell your pa I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas, oh yes m'am," shows the singer's firmness and authority over his woman. He wants her to know that if she doesn't treat him right, she'll be out of his life.
In the bridge, the singer talks about his misery and asks his woman to come and look after him. He wants her comfort and affection as he is feeling down. The chorus repeats the phrase "What'd I say," indicating the excitement the singer feels while being entertained by the girls around him.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey mama, don't you treat me wrong
Addressing his mother, the singer pleads with her not to treat him unfairly
Come and love your daddy all night long, all right now
He is asking his mother to love and care for him in every way possible
See the girl with the diamond ring
He is referring to a girl in the room who is well-dressed and appears to come from a wealthy background
She knows how to shake that thing, all right now, now
The girl is dancing very well, and he is impressed by her moves
Tell your mama, tell your pa
The singer is addressing the girl and asking her to tell her parents about him
I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas, oh yes m'am
The singer is suggesting that he will send the girl back to her home state if she doesn't behave herself properly
You don't do right
He is warning the girl that she needs to behave in a certain way if she wants to continue seeing him
Oh, play it boy
He is encouraging the band to start playing music again
When you see me in misery
The singer is asking the girl to come to his aid when he is sad or feeling down
Come on baby, see about me now, yeah
He wants the girl to take care of him and make him feel better when he's having a hard time
See the girl with the red dress on
He is referring to a second girl on the dance floor who is wearing a red dress
She can do the Birdland all night long, yeah yeah
This girl is also dancing very well, and he is impressed by her moves
What'd I say?
He is asking the other band members to start playing a specific tune known as 'What'd I Say'
And I wanna know
The singer is repeatedly asking for more information about something that is unclear
Baby, I wanna know right now
He wants an answer as quickly as possible
Baby I wanna know, yeah
He is repeating his request for information in the hopes of obtaining an answer
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore, Sentric Music, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Charles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ExcitedAnacondaSnake-hg8ec
The most fire song of all-time 🔥 🔥 🔥
@rose_7785
I remember my band teacher had us play a small part for this, cause he was hoping he’d “aspire us to compete in the talent show” and we weren’t to bad. And I was on cow bells
@GargeBarge
I also aspire to be inspired, that sounds nice
@chrisroberts6704
I taught band. This song was a bad ass choice to turn on some.drummers!
@claytondoan5712
My Precious Dad's favorite song.
I played it at his funeral.
Vietnam Vet....🇺🇸10/23/21
Rest Easy my Precious Daddy ❤
I'll see you again ........
@MamaBearwithASnaggletooth
Clayton, I am so sorry. My boys and I appreciate his service!
@claytondoan5712
@@MamaBearwithASnaggletooth Thank You so much. He was my world.
@Marcuswelby-nx2te
Nice tribute 🇱🇷
@escreveprovictor
Thanks for His precious service.... And thanks for making my day with this statement. May our God confort your family´s hearts.
@paulthorne3457
As a Brit I say ’thank you Sir’