Photo: Victor Diaz Lamich [CC BY 3.0 ]
Ray Charles was born in Greenville, Florida in 1930. Ray Charles was not born blind but lost his sight to glaucoma by the age of seven. By the age of 19, Ray Charles had released his first single as a member of the McSon Trio. The band had signed a record deal with Downbeat Records. The group’s first single was entitled “Confession Blues.” The song was very successful peaking at number two on the U.S. R&B charts in 1949. The musical career of Ray Charles had begun.
Ray Charles’ first major label record contract was with Atlantic Records. Ray Charles signed with Atlantic Records in 1952 and recorded for them until 1959. When his contract with Atlantic Records expired in 1959, Ray Charles signed with ABC Records. Ray Charles stayed with ABC Records until 1974. When that contract expired, Ray Charles started his own record label entitled Crossover Records. A perfectly named label for the type of artist Ray Charles had become.
Ray Charles’ career took a shop turn towards country music in the 1980s in a similar fashion to what Jerry Lee Lewis had done with his career. Ray Charles released a string of country albums on Columbia Records from 1983 to 1987.
Over the past 75 years, all his record labels have been releasing Ray Charles compilation albums. There is such an incredible abundance of music Ray Charles has left this world to enjoy. Choosing these 10 Ray Charles songs may have been the most difficult task we have ever encountered. We tried to choose a collection of songs that were both popular, and wonderful and also defined the many different moods of Ray Charles. So here are what we feel are 10 Essential Ray Charles songs.
# 10 – What’d I Say
We know that you are going to be looking for this one so why not list it right away? These 10 essential Ray Charles songs are in no particular order. The classic Ray Charles song “What’d I Say,” has to be one of his most popular recordings ever. The song “What I’d Say,” was released in 1959. “What I’d Say,” is the song that turned Ray Charles into a household name. However, the song itself is even more important than just the song that spread the name of Ray Charles. The song is significant in popular music history because it is widely regarded as the song that gave birth to the genre of soul music. The song hit number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1959.
# 9 – Georgia On My Mind
Continuing with our top 10 Essential Ray Charles songs list, we return to the first number one song Ray Charles ever celebrated in his career. The song “Georgia on My Mind,” hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. It was released on the album The Genius Hits the Road
on Atlantic Records. The song was written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell in 1930.
# 8 – Hit The Road Jack
After scoring his first number one hit Ray Charles did it again with the classic tune “Hit the Road Jack.” The song hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. The song was written by Percy Mayfield. It has become one of the most covered songs in jazz and pop music. It was especially popular in the 1960s and early 1970s among jazz vocal artists. The Animals did a nice slow dark blues version of the song in 1966.
# 7 – I Can’t Stop Loving You
For the third year in a row, Ray Charles hit the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1962, Ray Charles had another number one song with the great track “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” The song was written by Don Gibson. The song, “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” appeared on the album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.
# 6 – I Got A Woman
One of the most covered songs that Ray Charles ever released was his 1954 classic “I Got a Woman.” Ray Charles probably had no idea that the song would become as widely covered as it did. Over time the song was covered by The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Al Kooper, Bryan Adams, The Everly Brothers, The Monkees, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Stevie Wonder and many more.
# 5 – Night Time Is the Right Time
The great interplay between Ray Charles’ lead vocals and hs backing singers is on full display on this great track. The song “Night Time Is the Right Time” was released in 1959. It was issued in the album The Genius Sings the Blues. 
# 4 – Busted
We continue our top 10 Essential Ray Charles songs list with the classic track “Busted.” A fantastic song that everyone at one time or more in their lives could relate to. The song was released in 1963. It was issued on the album entitled Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul.
It was a top 10 hit in the United States peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
# 3 – Seven Spanish Angels
The great Ray Charles song “Seven Spanish Angels,” represents Ray Charles most successful country song. The song hit number one on the country music charts in 1985. The song was recorded as a duet with Willie Nelson. It was released on the album Friendship.
# 2 – I’ll Be Good To You
The great Quincy Jones produced song “I’ll Be Good To You,” is the last Ray Charles vocal to reach the Billboard Hot 100. The song was actually very successful as it reached the Billboard Top 20 peaking at number 18. The song was originally a hit by The Brothers Johnson in 1976 when it reached all the way to number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The Ray Charles version was recorded with Chaka Khan also on vocals in 1989. It was released on the compilation album Back on the Block
produced by Quincy Jones and featured a cast of legendary artists.
# 1 – I Don’t Need No Doctor
We close out our 10 Essential Ray Charles songs with one of our all-time favorite Ray Charles recordings. The great soul-infused song “I Don’t Need No Doctor,” was released in 1966. The song was written by Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson, and Jo Armstead. It was released on the album A Man and His Soul.
It was not a huge hit for Ray Charles as it peaked at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was also covered a few years later in the 1970s by Humble Pie and New Riders of the Purple Sage.
Updated June 7, 2023
10 Essential Ray Charles Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business, or organization is allowed to re-publish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain creative commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at the end of the article. Album Cover Photos are affiliate links and the property of Amazon and are stored on the Amazon server. Any theft of our content will be met with swift legal action against the infringing websites.
![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
Good bunch of tunes. I would have included:
You Don’t Know Me
Greenbacks
Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying
As Dey say in N’awlins, Yeah you right‼️