What'd I Say

Album: What'd I Say (1959)
Charted: 6
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  • Lyrics currently unavailable Writer/s: Ray Charles
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Royalty Network, Songtrust Ave, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Third Side Music Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music

Comments: 18

  • Joe from Carol StreamWhat movies was this song in besides Tommy boy
  • Jennifur Sun from RamonaGlen played with the famous Wrecking Crew for many years. He played on Frank and Deans recordings as well.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 19th 1961, Jerry Lee Lewis appeared at the Regal Theater in Chicago, IL...
    At the time his covered version of ray Charles' "What'd I Say" was at #34 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; the week before it had peaked at #30 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 8 weeks...
    It reached #27 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart...
    Between 1957 and 1973 he had eighteen Top 100 records; with three making the Top 10, "Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On" {#3 in 1957}, "Great Balls of Fire" {#2* for four weeks in 1957}, and "Breathless" {#7 in 1958}...
    'The Killer' will celebrate his 80th birthday in four months on September 29th {2015}...
    * The four weeks "Great Balls of Fire" was at #2 on the Top 100, the #1 record for those four weeks was "At the Hop" by Danny and the Juniors.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 19th 1965, Ray Charles performed "What'd I Say"* on the ABC-TV program 'Shindig!"...
    Six years earlier on July 6th, 1959 "What'd I Say" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #82; six weeks later on August 17th, 1959 it would peak at #6 {for 3 weeks} and it stayed on the chart for 15 weeks...
    Two weeks before peaking at #6 on the Top 100 it reached #1 {for 1 week} on Billboard's R&B Singles chart; it was the fifth of his twelve #1 records on the R&B Singles chart......
    It also peaked at #6 {for 1 week} on Cashbox's Singles chart...
    * "What'd I Say" was performed during the closing credits with back-up vocals provided by the Righteous Bros. and the Blossoms.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyRay's original version peaked at No. 6; and three other artists all reached the Top 30 with it. Jerry Lee Lewis peaked at No. 30 in 1961, Bobby Darin reached No. 24 in 1962, and Elvis topped out at No. 21 in 1964!!!
  • Leftykc from Gladstone, MoThe beatles would play this song over and over for about 10 minutes duration in Hamburg the locals loved it..
  • Richard from Charleston, ScSaw Ray Charles with Raylettes in concert in Greenville, SC in early '60s. Best concert I ever witnessed.
  • Kent from Lodi, CaPossibly the greatest example of what a 100 series wurlitzer electric piano sounds like.
  • Jimmy from Birmingham, MiThis is the most intense song I have ever heard/played. I heard this song once and I told myself "I'm gonna learn how to play this." Well, the rythem is so sweet it took me about a month and a half to (kind of!) master it. What a GREAT song.
  • Axe from Singleton, AustraliaThis is the song that spawned a million others, including Watch Your Step by Bobby Parker, I Feel Fine by The Beatles and One Way Out by the Allman Brothers.
  • Cem from Istanbul, TurkeyIf you listen this song next to cemetery i am sure they all open their eyes and start to dance. You are great rest in peace Ray

    Cem from Istanbul
  • Justin from Chicago, IlSung by Chris Farley with his dad, Brian Dennehy in he movie Tommy Boy, with Farley doing cartwheels during their rendition
  • Ross from Independence, MoThis is #10 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs.
  • Pete from Nowra, Australiagod.....? Greek or Roman???
  • Tom from Bowie, MdTo listen to the open of this song is a truly sublime experience. If this song was truly improvised on the fly, then Charles' talent was the equal of Mozart's.
  • Roy from London, EnglandIf you haven't seen it yet, do go and see the biopic 'Ray': Jamie Foxx's performance as the great man is astounding!
  • Shell from Riverdale, GaThe Blues Brothers were first seen on SNL, as a sketch actually, but Belushi and Aykroyd were serious about the blues. After several appearances as Jake and Elwood, on the show and elsewhere, they made the eponymous film. They left SNL to pursue bigger things.
  • C.j. from Tunkhannock, Paperhaps the greatest soul song ever, ray charles is a god
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