I think he's better on uptempo and salty numbers than he is on crying ballads.... I just think he's a little too vital, a little too freakin' ALIVE to ever sound completely desolate.
I disagree. (I know Hec is just stunned by that...) If you want Hank Williams or George Jones-level desolation Ray comes up a little short, but those guys are the gold-standard for bottoming out songs and they had the "advantage" of being incredibly fucked up people. Not to take anything away from his artistry, but part of the reason Jones is so convincing on "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)" is because he knows firsthand what it's like to pass out face first on his car's horn and have "the whole neighborhood know I'm home drunk again". Argue artistic distance if you want but you won't convince me that's not true. Anyway... back to RC. Listen to "Just for a Thrill" or the live versions of "Drown in My Own Tears" and "A Fool for You" and its gutwrenching penultimate scream and tell me he can't sound desolate. "Crying Time" is great, but it's a Buck Owens song and Buck is a fundamentally happy guy so I don't think it's the best place to look for torn up Ray. Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul has a number of haunted vocals, too. It isn't always easy to ignore the godawful back up singing on "Ol' Man River" and "Over the Rainbow" but do it and you'll find two of his great performances. And "That Lucky Old Sun" is pretty much perfect, even with the JAck Halloran singers.
Today's Do-You-Know-This-Band-That-I-Know?
Artificial Joy Club.
I disagree. (I know Hec is just stunned by that...)
Naw, I know I'm taking the heretical stance. I just never go to Ray for down and out stuff, except maybe "Hard Times."
If you want Hank Williams or George Jones-level desolation Ray comes up a little short, but those guys are the gold-standard for bottoming out songs and they had the "advantage" of being incredibly fucked up people.
I'd agree with you there. I do think Ray's relative mental health keeps him from getting all the way to the severely cracked bottom.
Anyway... back to RC. Listen to "Just for a Thrill" or the live versions of "Drown in My Own Tears" and "A Fool for You" and its gutwrenching penultimate scream and tell me he can't sound desolate. "Crying Time" is great, but it's a Buck Owens song and Buck is a fundamentally happy guy so I don't think it's the best place to look for torn up Ray.
I did mean the whole
Crying Time
album and not just the Buck song, but I'll take your recs to heart. This is really more a matter of personal taste than me charting any deficiency in Mr. Charles blues balladeering. Personally though, I'm still more likely to listen to Bobby Bland or Sam Cooke's
Night Beat
or Charles Brown if I'm in the mood for a man alone with the blues. With Ray I'm more likely to listen to something like "Greenbacks."
Ha! I played "Greenbacks" this AM!
Ha! I played "Greenbacks" this AM!
If Lincoln don't get it, Jackson surely will!
"Hey Judas" by Carmaig De Forest
Damn.
WBUR (the Boston NPR affiliate) is replaying a 1998 Fresh Air interview with Ray Charles right now. Streaming audio is available, natch.
Do you know that song, Jen? Or did you just read the lyrics?
I just read the (brilliant) lyrics.
And "That Lucky Old Sun" is pretty much perfect, even with the JAck Halloran singers.
I was about to say the same thing. Makes me well up just about every time.
hayden, thanks for all the alt-country recommendations you gave me a while back. I've been slowly working my way through them; most recent purchase was the Mekons' "Fear and Whiskey," which is really wonderful. I love Neko Case, too.
