Ray Charles (album)

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Ray Charles
Studio album by
Ray Charles
Released1957, 1962
RecordedMay 17, 1953 – November 27, 1956
GenreSoul, R&B
Length41:30
LabelAtlantic 8006[1]
ProducerAhmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler
Ray Charles chronology
Ray Charles
(1957) 		The Great Ray Charles
(1957)
Singles from Ray Charles
  1. "Mess Around"
    Released: June 19, 1953
  2. "Don't You Know"
    Released: July 1954
  3. "I've Got a Woman / Come Back"
    Released: December 1954
  4. "A Fool for You / This Little Girl of Mine"
    Released: June 1955
  5. "Greenbacks"
    Released: September 1955
  6. "Drown in My Own Tears / Mary Ann"
    Released: February 1956
  7. "Hallelujah I Love Her So"
    Released: May 1956
  8. "Ain't That Love"
    Released: January 31, 1957
Alternative cover
re-release cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]

Ray Charles is the debut studio album by American pianist, vocalist, and band leader Ray Charles.[3] Originally released in June 1957 on Atlantic Records, it was re-released under the title Hallelujah I Love Her So in 1962.

Although routinely identified as a debut album, Ray Charles could more accurately be identified as a greatest hits compilation, as all tracks had been previously issued and no fewer than 11 of its 14 tracks had been top 10 hits on the R&B chart between 1953 and 1957. In order, they were: "Mess Around" (#3, 1953), "Don't You Know" (#10, 1954), "I Got a Woman" (#1, 1955), "Come Back" (#4, 1955), "This Little Girl of Mine" (#9, 1955), "A Fool for You" (#1, 1955), "Greenbacks" (#5, 1955), "Drown in My Own Tears" (#1, 1956), "Mary Ann" (#1, 1956), "Hallelujah I Love Her So" (#5, 1956) and "Ain't That Love" (#9, early 1957).

The three remaining tracks ("Funny (But I Still Love You)", "Sinner's Prayer" and "Losing Hand") were non-charting B-sides originally issued in 1953–54. No tracks were recorded specifically for an album release.

Critical reception[edit]

The Rolling Stone Album Guide thought that "lesser tunes like 'Funny but I Still Love You' and 'Losing Hand' are just as interesting" as the hits.[4]

Track listing[edit]

All music is composed by Ray Charles, except where indicated

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ain't That Love" 2:51
2."Drown in My Own Tears"Henry Glover3:21
3."Come Back Baby" 3:06
4."Sinner's Prayer"Lloyd Glenn, Lowell Fulson3:24
5."Funny (But I Still Love You)" 3:15
6."Losing Hand"Charles E. Calhoun3:14
7."A Fool for You" 3:03
Total length:22:14
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hallelujah I Love Her So" 2:35
2."Mess Around"A. Nugetre2:40
3."This Little Girl of Mine" 2:33
4."Mary Ann" 2:48
5."Greenbacks"Renald Richard2:52
6."Don't You Know" 2:57
7."I Got a Woman"Ray Charles, Renald Richard2:51
Total length:19:16

Personnel[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Goldmine Record Album Price Guide. Penguin. 2018. p. 127.
  2. ^ "AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 302.
  4. ^ a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 123–124.
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