hit the road jack

Ray Charles hit the top of the charts with this short, but not-so-sweet goodbye. 'Hit the Road Jack' was composed by Percy Mayfield, who Charles signed to his Tangerine Records label as a songwriter. It was performed as a duet with Margie Hendricks, one of the Raelettes who was also Ray's lover. It became his third number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and his sixth number one on the R&B Sides chart. The song also won a Grammy for Best Male Rhythm and Blues Recording.

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back

No more, no more, no more, no more

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more

What you say?

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back

No more, no more, no more, no more

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more

Woah, woman, oh woman, don't treat me so mean

You're the meanest old woman that I've ever seen

I guess if you said so I'd have to pack my things and go (That's right)

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back

No more, no more, no more, no more

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more

What you say?

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back

No more, no more, no more, no more

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more

Now baby, listen baby, don't ya treat me this a way

'Cause I'll be back on my feet some day

Don't care if you do 'cause it's understood

You ain't got no money you just ain't no good

Well, I guess if you say so

I'd have to pack my things and go (That's right)

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back

No more, no more, no more, no more

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more

What you say?

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back

No more, no more, no more, no more

Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more

Well (Don't you come back no more)

Uh, what you say? (Don't you come back no more)

I didn't understand you (Don't you come back no more)

You can't mean that (Don't you come back no more)

Oh, now baby, please (Don't you come back no more)

What you tryin' to do to me? (Don't you come back no more)

Oh, don't treat me like that (Don't you come back no more)

just an old sweet song

ray charles took this old sweet song to the top of the charts. it was written thirty years earlier by hoagie carmichael and stuart gorrell (who wrote the lyrics about hoagie's sister). it was on charles' concept album the genius hits the road featuring a dozen songs about different states of the union. almost two decades later it became the state song after ray performed it before the georgia state legislature as part of a healing gesture after the civil rights unrest in the sixties.

http://www.raycharles.com/

georgia, georgia
the whole day through
just an old sweet song
keeps georgia on my mind

i'm say georgia
georgia
a song of you
comes as sweet and clear
as moonlight through the pines

other arms reach out to me
other eyes smile tenderly
still in peaceful dreams i see
the road leads back to you

i said georgia,
ooh georgia, no peace i find
just an old sweet song
keeps georgia on my mind

other arms reach out to me
other eyes smile tenderly
still in peaceful dreams i see
the road leads back to you

georgia,
georgia,
no peace, no peace i find
just this old, sweet song
keeps georgia on my mind

i said just an old sweet song,
keeps georgia on my mind

soul food

ray charles robinson

(september 23, 1930 – june 10, 2004).

you got the right one, baby! what can be said about the man who invented soul music that jamie foxx hasn't said already? he smashed racial barriers and created modern music by combining old forms. the man was a legend in his lifetime and changed the face of popular music. he would have been eighty today.

"shake it! shake it! shake it! shake it, baby!"

"well, i guess if you say so; i have to pack my things and go."