Let The Good Times Roll
Ray Charles & Orchestra Lyrics

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Hey everybody!
Let's have some fun
You only live but once
And when you're dead you're done
So let the good times roll,
I said let the good times roll,
I don't care if you're young or old,
You oughtta get together and let the good times roll-a

Don't sit there mumbling
Talkin' trash
If you want to have a ball,
You got to go out and spend some cash
And let the good times roll now,
I'm talkin' 'bout the good times,
Well it makes no difference whether you're young or old,
All you got to do is get together and let the good times roll

Hey y'all tell everybody! Ray Charles's in town,
I got a dollar and a quarter and I'm just ringing the clock,
But don't let no female, play me cheap,
I got fifty cents more than I'm gonna keep.
So let the good times roll now,
I tell y'all I'm gonna let the good times roll now,
Well it don't make no difference if you're young or old,
All you got to do is get together and let the good times roll
Hey no matter whether, rainy weather,

If you want to have a ball, you got to get yourself together,
Oh, get yourself under control, woah, and let the good times roll.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ray Charles's song "Let the Good Times Roll" encourage listeners to let loose and have a good time. Charles begins by urging everyone to have fun because life is short and death is final. He then implores listeners to refrain from being negative or pessimistic and instead go out and spend money, as one must be willing to invest in the good times. Throughout the song, Charles emphasizes the importance of coming together to celebrate regardless of age or any other factor that might divide people.

This song has a good rhythm and upbeat tempo that urges people to move and dance. The phrase "Let the Good Times Roll" became a popular catchphrase during the 1950s and 1960s used to encourage people and to mark times of celebration. Ray Charles's version of the song became a big hit in 1960, and it has since been performed by many artists, including B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Wonder.

One interesting fact about the song is that it was written by Leonard Lee and Shirley Goodman of the R&B group Shirley and Lee. They released their version of the song in 1956, but it did not achieve the same level of success as Ray Charles's version. Another interesting fact is that Ray Charles's "Let the Good Times Roll" is part of the soundtrack of the 1988 film "Scrooged," starring Bill Murray.

Another interesting fact is that the song has been covered by several other artists, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, who included a version of the song on his 1989 album "In Step." In 2011, Eric Clapton and Wynton Marsalis performed the song together as part of a tribute concert to blues legend Buddy Guy.

The chords of the song are:

Verse: A / A / A / A /
Chorus: A / D / A / E / A / D / A / E / A /

Line by Line Meaning

Hey everybody!
Everyone listen up!

Let's have some fun
We should enjoy ourselves

You only live but once
Life is short

And when you're dead you're done
Death is final

So let the good times roll,
Let's have a great time

I said let the good times roll,
I mean it, let's party

I don't care if you're young or old,
Age doesn't matter

You oughtta get together and let the good times roll-a
We should all hang out and have fun

Don't sit there mumbling
Stop complaining

Talkin' trash
Being negative

If you want to have a ball,
If you want to have a good time

You got to go out and spend some cash
You need to loosen the purse-strings

And let the good times roll now,
It's time to start having fun

I'm talkin' 'bout the good times,
We should focus on positive experiences

Well it makes no difference whether you're young or old,
Age doesn't matter

All you got to do is get together and let the good times roll
If we hang out, we'll have a great time

Hey y'all tell everybody! Ray Charles's in town,
Spread the word that Ray Charles is here

I got a dollar and a quarter and I'm just ringing the clock,
I have limited funds but I want to have a good time

But don't let no female, play me cheap,
Don't let anyone take advantage of me

I got fifty cents more than I'm gonna keep.
I'm willing to spend money on this event

So let the good times roll now,
Let's start having a great time

I tell y'all I'm gonna let the good times roll now,
I'm committed to having fun

Well it don't make no difference if you're young or old,
Age doesn't matter

All you got to do is get together and let the good times roll
If we hang out, we'll have a great time

Hey no matter whether, rainy weather,
Even if the weather is bad

If you want to have a ball, you got to get yourself together,
To have a good time, you need to be ready to enjoy yourself

Oh, get yourself under control, woah, and let the good times roll.
Stay calm and have a great time

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Earl King

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@MrM6d

3y↑1

August 2021 Letting the Good Times Roll Ray! Made it through the pandemic!

@jimciuk7828

31w

The good times do roll when Ray sings

@robertcavalier6133

8y↑3

One the HOTTEST, FINEST jazz combos ever! Brother Ray was inspired & Count Basie knew how to entertain! Great tunes that only a nation as fabulous as the U.S.A. could create such brilliance! It's our diversity that makes us #1! LOVE IT! * Cav *