Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. XIX--Ray Charles: What'd I Say, Pts. I & II

One of the last memories I have of my father is him sitting in the kitchen of his and my Mom's home in Ohio, smiling and swaying to Eric Clapton singing "San Francisco Bay Blues" from Clapton's Unplugged album.  By that time, chemotherapy had taken most of his hair, left his cheeks puffy, and made him feel like vomiting every time he moved.  Still, the joy he felt as he listened was palpable, and I could tell from the glow on his face that music was an old and trusted friend that he was going to miss dearly when his time was done.

Had my father lived, he would have been eighty-one years old today.  More importantly, because he lived a love of music was imbued in all of his family and will remain with us until our time here on earth is done as well.  My family, my sister's family, my brother's family--music is as much a part of our lives as our toes and fingers.  There's nothing like a "You've gotta hear this song!" e-mail from my kids, or my brother, my brother-in-law, and myself playing our half-assed version of Name That Tune, with my nephew playing the emcee.

When my father passed away I was the very lucky recipient of his record collection.  My father loved God, his family, America,and Ray Charles, in that order.  While the ranking for Ray Charles may be a bit of hyperbole, by my count I own better than fifty Ray Charles albums--ninety-nine percent of which were purchased by my father.  I had the pleasure of seeing Brother Ray in Decatur, Illinois in 1983, and I can tell you it is still one of my fondest concert recollections.

Here's all you need to know (though I'll have more to say for certain) about "What'd I Say":  If an alien came down to earth and asked, "What is this 'Rhythm and Blues' of which you speak?" all you would have to do is play "What'd I Say" and by song's end the alien would understand (and presumably beg you for more).  Released in 1959, the song is considered Charles' signature tune, was his first gold record, and is listed at #10 (with a bullet!) on the Rolling Stone list of the five hundred greatest songs ever.

Part I is one of the longest and funkiest instrumental intros you'll ever hear as Charles' fingers dance all over the piano, and Part II is some of the most soulful vocals you'll ever hear, with a touch of fun thrown in with the back and forth "Ohs" traded between Charles and his backup singers, the Raelettes.  Frankly, if you're not shakin' all over when you hear this song, you're either tone deaf, in a coma, or dead.  "What'd I Say" is a true piece of musical genius by a true American musical icon.

Fun Factoid #1:  My father was a hell of a dancer.  At my first wife and I's wedding, after my parents had cut a wicked rug, one of the guests came up to me and said, "I never knew your parents before today, but after watching them dance, I'll never forget them."  Some years later my mother would tell me that when my father was young, they would clear the dance floor for him (a la John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever) to watch him dance--though she was quick to point out that he had a partner, too, because their generation wasn't quite as self-centered....

Fun Factoid #2:  "What'd I Say" was released the same year I was born.  Coincidence?  I think not....

Here's where I usually find some pithy way to tie in a link to the lyrics, but this time I'll just tell you the lyrics are here, and say Thanks, Dad--your love for music is ensconced in our DNA and it has given us immeasurable joy.  And it's something we'll all miss dearly when we're gone, too.

Enjoy:

Peace,
emaycee