| features in: Album Chart of 1964 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s |
Released June, 1964. Having suffered through 5 of Ray’s 9 albums of new music in the 1960s so far, I am relieved to discover that all is not entirely lost for the dude who was so cool in the early to mid 50s. In a reversal of the previous concept album “Sweet & Sour Tears”, this album is filled with humorous songs - without being in the slightest bit cheesy. Straight from the off with the cover of Charlie Calhoun’s “Smack Dab In The Middle” we’re feeling finger clicking good. I always loved Phil Harris’s “The Thing” - I used to sing it to my little Charlene when she was 4! Ray’s mid-album version isn’t all that but it still makes me smile, I guess it’s mission accomplished. It’s immediately followed by “The Man With The Weird Beard” - a RIGHT old return to form, with a kicking backbeat, a cool swing, a bit of a vocal drawl from Ray and kind-of ironic “lounge” backing from The Raeletts. “Have A Smile With Me” is a step back in the right direction…
The Jukebox Rebel
26–Jul–2008
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [03:21]  Ray Charles - Smack Dab In The Middle (Jesse Stone) Big Band / Jive / Swing |
| A2 | [02:15]  Ray Charles - Feudin’ And Fightin’ (Al Dubin, Burton Lane) Big Band / Jive / Swing |
| A3 | [04:00]  Ray Charles - Two Ton Tessie (Lou Handman, Roy Turk) Pop |
| A4 | [05:46]  Ray Charles - I Never See Maggie Alone (Everett Lynton, Henry B. Tisley) Big Band / Jive / Swing |
| A5 | [02:40]  Ray Charles - Move It On Over (Hank Williams) Big Band / Jive / Swing |
| B1 | [03:30]  Ray Charles - Ma (She’s Making Eyes At Me) (Sidney Clare, Con Conrad) Big Band / Jive / Swing |
| B2 | [02:28]  Ray Charles - The Thing (Charles Randolph Grean) Pop |
| B3 | [03:59]  Ray Charles - The Man With The Weird Beard (Milton Drake, Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston) Big Band / Jive / Swing |
| B4 | [03:12]  Ray Charles - The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane (Roy C. Bennett, Sid Tepper) Crooner / Cabaret |
| B5 | [02:19] Ray Charles - Who Cares (For Me) (Don Gibson) Big Band / Jive / Swing |
