“What’d I Say” by Ray Charles

Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say” is known for being quite-risqué, particularly in light of the era it was released in. Back in those days stating that a particular lady ‘knows how to shake her thing’ was obviously not as common as it is now. So basically, what this classic is most recognized for is the sensual innuendos contained therein.

However, there are other elements outside of the realm of bedroom fun which are present in this song, albeit briefly. For instance, Ray insinuates that the he has beef with the female addressee (i.e. his romantic interest), since he threatens to ‘send her back to Arkansas’. And the foundation of this strife is apparently some type of unfavorable characteristic she possesses, which Mr. Charles refers to as her ‘not doing right’. Moreover it may be implied that she is neglecting him, since he deviates from the bump-and-grind theme for the purpose of entreating her to visit when she ‘sees him in misery’.

But considering how the rest of the song plays out, this “misery” may actually be something more along the lines of sensual longing. And again, the carnal references made in “What’d I Say” may be considered comical by today’s standards. But at the same time, it is abundantly clear that most of the lyrics are either dedicated to bedroom fun and/or admiring this lady’s body. And such is specifically within the context of her ‘shaking’, which can be interpreted as either a reference to dancing or a sensual act.

Lyrics of from another Lens

Or another way of looking at is that this song is an ode to the physical wherewithal of this woman. And whereas at some points, the singer is speaking directly to her, at others he is addressing the listening audience.  And the title is based on him reasserting the idea of this lady indeed being appealing. Thus after telling you for instance that “she can do the Birdland all night long” (with Birdland being a dance), he then turns and repeats “what did I say.” Like he wants the audience to know that he really, really means the words that are coming out of his mouth.

Conclusion

So conclusively, we can confidently say that the lady who is at the center of this song has Brother Ray thoroughly smitten. And what he likes about her the most is the way she dances and, succinctly put, her performance in bed.

“What’d I Say” was created accidentally

This song, which was actually Ray Charles’s (1930-2004) first major hit, did not come about intentionally. Rather it was the result of he and his crew (his orchestra and backup singers called The Raelettes) having some extra time left near the conclusion of a gig in 1958.  And the tune itself actually owes its origins to the successful improvisation Ray initiated as a result.  In other words, “What’d I Say” actually began as a freestyle.

The month this occurred specifically was December, and the location it is said to have taken place is in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. That being said, some reports too say it took place in Pittsburgh.

The audience reacted very-favorably to the tune, which rationalized Ray Charles pitching the idea to his label, Atlantic Records, for them to record it.

And as for the recording of “What’d I Say”, it was completed expeditiously.  This was due the Ray and his bandmates already having performed it enough times on the road.

A Ray Charles Signature Song

In fact “What I’d Say” went on to become an inseparable part of Ray’s setlists, as it is the song he would subsequently use to close out all of his live shows.

Modifications made to “What’d I Say” before release

After its initial recording, the tune came out exceptionally long, being almost eight minutes in length. The recording engineer (Tom Dowd) rectified this issue by splitting “What’d I Say” into two parts. Also some segments of the song which were deemed too risqué were removed by Atlantic Records.

Still due to its sensual suggestiveness, “What’d I Say” was quite controversial during its time.

And one of the reasons it irked some African-American listeners was due to it possessing elements of gospel music. In fact “What I’d Say” is considered to be the song which actually ushered in the era of soul music, which is basically a mixture of R&B, gospel and jazz.

Ban by some Radio Stations

Ultimately, the track was banned by quite a few radio stations. In fact according to Mr. Charles himself, such entities (i.e. the mainstream) only really began to embrace “What’d I Say” after popular White artists had started covering it. And the particular singer he made this comment in reference to was Jerry Lee Lewis.

Other Notable Cover Versions

Other popular vocalists who have covered this classic throughout the years include the following:

• Elvis Presley (1964)
• Eric Clapton (1966)
• Johnny Cash (1967)

Even the fictional Alvin and the Chipmunks (1990) covered this hit.

Success of Ray Charles’ Version

Charles’s own version of “What’d I Say” went on to peak at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. And since then, it has come to be regarded as one of the greatest songs in American music history. For instance, it has been placed all the way at number 10 on Rolling Stone’s ranking of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. It has also been dubbed one of the “100 Greatest Songs in Rock and Roll” by VH1 and is amongst the “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”. The latter list is a list compiled by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And perhaps most-notably is that the US Library of Congress itself has preserved “What I’d Say” by adding it to the National Recording Registry. They did this in 2002.

This song also earned Ray Charles his first Gold record, meaning that it had sold at least one-million copies. Indeed at the time, it held the distinction amongst Atlantic Records’ publications as being their best seller ever.

When did Ray Charles release “What’d I Say”?

The original release date of “What’d I Say” was 18 February 1959.

And due to the song blowing up, Ray threatened to leave Atlantic Records (the label that published it) in search of greener pastures. And apparently as a result, Atlantic promptly released a Ray Charles greatest hits’ album which featured this song and in fact was itself entitled “What’d I Say” (1959).

2002 Version of “What’d I Say”

FYI, Ray Charles also dropped a hip-hop inspired remix of “What’d I Say” on his 2002 album “Thanks for Bringing Love Around Again”.

Did Ray Charles write “What’d I Say”?

Yes, he did. In fact Ray is credited as the only writer of this great classic! Simply put, he wrote the song from its beginning to its end all by himself.

FYI: This classic has an alternate title, which is “What I Say”.