The Genius Sings the Blues

by Ray Charles

The Genius Sings the Blues cover art
  • Type: Compilation
  • Released: October 1961
  • Label: Atlantic
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 33:54
  • Community rating: 4.38/5 from 5 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Issued by Atlantic Records right after Ray Charles left the label for ABC-Paramount, this collection cleverly repackaged his most deeply blues-inflected 1950s singles. Highlighting his unparalleled ability to merge the secular grit of rhythm and blues with the fervent emotional delivery of gospel, it serves as a flawless primer on his formative, genre-inventing years. The compilation permanently cemented his title as the foundational architect of modern soul music.

Genres

Descriptors: rhythmic

Tracklist

  1. Early In The Mornin' (2:46)
  2. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) (2:53)
  3. The Midnight Hour (2:57)
  4. The Right Time (3:25)
  5. Feelin' Sad (2:47)
  6. Ray's Blues (2:50)
  7. I'm Movin' On (2:11)
  8. I Believe To My Soul (3:00)
  9. Nobody Cares (2:37)
  10. Mr. Charles' Blues (2:44)
  11. Some Day Baby (2:58)
  12. I Wonder Who (2:46)

Credits

  • Ray Charles - primary artist, written-by
  • Billy Taylor - sleeve notes
  • Ahmet Ertegun - supervised by
  • Jerry Wexler - supervised by
  • Dallas Bartley - written-by
  • Leo Hickman - written-by
  • Louis Jordan - written-by
  • Sam Sweet - written-by

More from Ray Charles: full discography