Ray Charles – The Singles Collection 1949-62 – 5CD

Ray Charles was one of the most iconic and influential artists in the annals of pop as a singer, songwriter and pianist, and while he is considered one of the godfathers and great innovators of soul music, his work transcended the worlds of jazz, blues, gospel, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll and country and western as well. Afflicted by blindness, he turned to music in his early life, and began recording for the Swing Time label in 1949 as a member of The Maxim Trio. In a career spanning half a century, he racked up over 100 chart entries, with well over 40 coming in this seminal first quarter-century or so of his career. This excellent-value 125-track 5-CD collection comprises just about all his A & B sides released on the Swing Time, Atlantic, ABC-Paramount and Impulse labels during these years. It features all his 46 Pop, R&B and UK chart entries from this era, including the pop No. 1s “Georgia On My Mind”, “Hit The Road Jack” & “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and the R&B No. 1s “I’ve Got A Woman”, “A Fool For You”, “What’d I Say”, “Unchain My Heart”, “One Mint Julep” & “You Are My Sunshine”, encompassing his time as the pillar of the Atlantic roster and the hits from his landmark albums for ABC-Paramount “Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music”. It’s a substantial and comprehensive overview of his chart-focused output during these years as part of a dynamic and exciting pop and R&B landscape, and a thoroughly entertaining showcase for his unique talents as singer, composer, pianist and arranger.

Track Listing:

CD1:
Maxin Trio: 1. Confession Blues -   2. I Love You, I Love You -   3. Blues Before Sunrise -   4. How Long Blues -   5. A Sentimental Blues -   6. You'll Never Miss The Water -   7. Alone In This City -   8. Can Anyone Ask For More -   9. Let's Have A Ball (Here Am I) -   10. Rockin' Chair Blues -   11. If I Gave You My Love -   12. The Honey Bee -   Ray Charles Trio: 13. I've Had My Fun -   14. Sittin' On Top Of The World -   Maxim Trio: 15. Ain't That Fine -   16. Don't Put All Your Dreams In One Basket -   Ray Charles: 17. See See Rider -   18. What Have I Done (Tell Me Baby) -   Ray Charles Trio: 19. She's On The Ball -   20. Honey Honey -   Ray Charles: 21. Late In The Evening Blues -   22. The Ego Song-   23. I'll Do Anything But Work -   24. Someday (Blues Is My Middle Name) -   Ray Charles Trio: 25. All To Myself -   26. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now -   27. Lonely Boy -   Ray Charles: 28. I'm Glad For Your Sake -

CD2:
Ray Charles Trio: 1. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand -   Ray Charles with Orchestra: 2. Kiss Me Baby -   3. Hey Now -   4. Baby Won't You Please Come Home -   5. Guitar Blues -   6. Baby Let Me Hear You Call My Name -   7. Misery In My Heart -   8. The Snow Is Falling -   Ray Charles: 9. Why Did You Go -   10. Back Home -   11. Walkin' And Talkin' To Myself -   12. I'm Wonderin' And Wonderin' -   Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 13. Roll With Me Baby -   14. The Midnight Hour -   15. The Sun's Gonna Shine Again -   16. Jumpin' In The Morning -   17. Mess Around -   18. Funny (But I Still Love You) -   19. Feelin' Sad -   20. Heartbreaker -   21. It Should've Been Me -   22. Sinner’s Prayer -   23. Don't You Know -   24. Losing Hand -   Ray Charles and his Band: 25. I've Got A Woman -

CD3:
Ray Charles and his Band: 1. Come Back -   2. This Little Girl Of Mine -   3. A Fool For You -   4. Blackjack -   5. Greenbacks -   6. Drown In My Own Tears -   7. Mary Ann -   Ray Charles: 8. Hallelujah, I Love Her So -   9. What Would I Do Without You -   Ray Charles his Orchestra and Chorus: 10. Lonely Avenue -   11. Leave My Woman Alone -   12. I Want To Know -   13. Ain't That Love -   Ray Charles: 14. It's All Right -   15. Get On The Right Track Baby -   16. Swanee River Rock (Talkin' 'Bout That River) -   17. I Want A Little Girl -   18. Talkin' 'Bout You -   19. What Kind Of A Man Are You -   20. Yes Indeed -   21. I Had A Dream -   22. My Bonnie -   23. You Be My Baby -   Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 24. Rockhouse Pts 1 & 2 -   Ray Charles with The Raelettes: 25. Tell All The World About You -   Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 26. What'd I Say - Part 1 -

CD4:
Ray Charles with The Raelettes: 1. (Night Time Is) The Right Time -   2. Tell Me How You Feel -   3. That’s Enough - Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 4. I'm Movin' On -   5. I Believe To My Soul -   Ray Charles: 6. Let The Good Times Roll -   7. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' -   Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 8. Just For A Thrill -   9. Tell The Truth -   10. Sweet Sixteen Bars -   Ray Charles: 11. Come Rain Or Come Shine -   12. Tell Me You'll Wait For Me -   13. Early In The Morning -   Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 14. A Bit of Soul -   Ray Charles: 15. Am I Blue -   16. I Wonder Who -   17. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) -   Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 18. My Baby (I Love Her, Yes I Do) -   19. Who You Gonna Love -   20. Sticks And Stones -   21. Worried Life Blues -   Ray Charles: 22. Georgia On My Mind -   23. Carry Me Back To Old Virginny -

CD5:
Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 1. Them That Got -   2. I Wonder -   Ray Charles: 3. Hard Hearted Hannah -   4. Ruby - Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 5. Hit The Road Jack -   6. The Danger Zone -   7. Unchain My Heart -   8. But On The Other Hand, Baby -   Ray Charles: 9. One Mint Julep -   10. Let’s Go -   11. I've Got News For You -   12. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town -   Ray Charles & Betty Carter: 13. Baby It's Cold Outside -   14. We'll Be Together Again -   Ray Charles & His Orchestra: 15. Hide 'Nor Hair -   16. At The Club -   Ray Charles: 17. I Can't Stop Loving You -   18. Born To Lose -   19. You Don't Know Me -   20.. Careless Love -   21. You Are My Sunshine -   22. Your Cheating Heart -   23. Take These Chains From My Heart -