What'd I Say
Sheridan & The Beat Brothers Lyrics
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Come and love your daddy all night long
All right, hey, hey, all right now
See the girl with the diamond ring
She knows how to shake that thing
All right, hey, hey, mmm, all right now
Make me feel so good, make me feel so good right now
Make me feel so good, make me feel so good right now
Make me feel so good, make me feel so good
Mmm, see the girl with the red dress on
She can do the dog all night long
All right, hmm what'd I say, tell me what'd I say
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 right now
Tell me what'd I say, tell me what'd I say
Ahhh, ohh, ahhh, ohh, ahhh, ohh, ohh
It's all right, it's all right right now
Baby, it's all right, baby, it's all right right now
Baby, it's all right, oh yeah!
Baby shake that thing, baby shake that thing right now
Baby shake that thing, baby shake that thing right now
Baby shake that thing, well I feel all right
The song "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles was a groundbreaking hit in the rhythm and blues genre, and Sheridan and The Beat Brothers covered it with a rock and roll twist. The lyrics are about a lustful attraction to women who know how to dance and seduce. The singer asks his "mama" not to treat him wrong and to love him all night long. He then describes two women who catch his eye, one with a diamond ring who knows how to move, and another wearing a red dress who can "do the dog" all night long. This phrase refers to a popular dance of the time, which involved mimicking a dog's movements.
The song has a simple but infectious melody that is carried by its repeating chorus, "Tell me what'd I say, tell me what'd I say right now". The phrase is used as a way to express the singer's excitement and desire, as if he is unable to fully articulate his emotions. The sexual undertones of the song were controversial for its time but helped to pave the way for future rock and roll hits that were equally daring.
Written by Ray Charles, "What'd I Say" was first recorded in 1959 and was an instant hit. It was one of the few singles from the era to cross over to both the R&B and pop charts, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's popularity was due in part to its use of call-and-response vocals and its catchy beat, which made it impossible not to dance along.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey mama, don't you treat me wrong
Addressing his lover, asking her not to wrong him
Come and love your daddy all night long
Inviting his lover to make love to him throughout the night
All right, hey, hey, all right now
Expressing satisfaction and excitement
See the girl with the diamond ring
Referring to a woman with a diamond ring
She knows how to shake that thing
She is skilled at dancing
All right, hey, hey, mmm, all right now
Reaffirming satisfaction and excitement
Make me feel so good, make me feel so good right now
Asking his lover to make him feel good immediately
Mmm, see the girl with the red dress on
Referring to a woman wearing a red dress
She can do the dog all night long
She can dance the popular dance called "the dog" all night
All right, hmm what'd I say, tell me what'd I say
Exclaiming excitement and asking what he has said
Tell me what'd I say, tell me what'd I say right now
Repeating his request to know what he has said immediately
It's all right, it's all right right now
Reassuring himself that everything is okay
Baby, it's all right, baby, it's all right right now
Reassuring his lover that everything is okay
Baby shake that thing, baby shake that thing right now
Asking his lover to dance and move her body now
Baby shake that thing, baby shake that thing right now
Repeating his request for his lover to move her body now
Baby shake that thing, well I feel all right
Feeling satisfied and energized by his lover's dancing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Charles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind