The Genius Hits The Road
Ray Charles
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CAT # CRE-31670-02
1. Alabamy Bound 1:55 Preview 2. Georgia On My Mind 3:35 Preview 3. Basin Street Blues 2:47 Preview 4. Mississippi Mud 3:25 Preview 5. Moonlight In Vermont 3:03 Preview 6. New York's My Home 3:06 Preview 7. California, Here I Come 2:10 Preview 8. Moon Over Miami 3:21 Preview 9. Deep In The Heart Of Texas 2:28 Preview 10. Carry Me Back To Old Virginny 2:03 Preview 11. Blue Hawaii 2:59 Preview 12. Chattanooga Choo-Choo 3:06 Preview 13. Hit The Road Jack 2:00 Preview 14. Sentimental Journey 2:57 Preview 15. Blue Moon Of Kentucky (Swingova) 2:11 Preview 16. Rainy Night In Georgia 6:14 Preview 17. The Long And Winding Road 3:15 Preview 18. I Was On Georgia Time 3:32 Preview 19. Take Me Home, Country Roads 3:36 Preview Also available as
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CAT # CRE-31670-25
1. Alabamy Bound 1:55 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 2. Georgia On My Mind 3:35 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 3. Basin Street Blues 2:47 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 4. Mississippi Mud 3:25 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 5. Moonlight In Vermont 3:03 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 6. New York's My Home 3:06 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 7. California, Here I Come 2:10 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 8. Moon Over Miami 3:21 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 9. Deep In The Heart Of Texas 2:28 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 10. Carry Me Back To Old Virginny 2:03 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 11. Blue Hawaii 2:59 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 12. Chattanooga Choo-Choo 3:06 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 13. Hit The Road Jack 2:00 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 14. Sentimental Journey 2:57 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 15. Blue Moon Of Kentucky (Swingova) 2:11 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 16. Rainy Night In Georgia 6:14 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 17. The Long And Winding Road 3:15 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 18. I Was On Georgia Time 3:32 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ 19. Take Me Home, Country Roads 3:36 Preview Buy MP3 89¢ BUY ALBUM AS MP3 DOWNLOAD — only
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When Ray Charles left Atlantic Records for ABC-Paramount, his first move was to gather up a dozen vintage songs about U.S. destinations. The resulting album, The Genius Hits the Road, in turn gave Charles his first No. 1 hit, a soulful reading of Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia On My Mind." The album, which also contains such travel songs as "Alabamy Bound," "California, Here I Come," "Deep in the Heart of Texas" and "Blue Hawaii," marked the start of Charles' long association with producer Sid Feller and featured band longtime accompanists saxmen David "Fathead" Newman and Hank Crawford, plus the Raeletts.
A deluxe reissue of The Genius Hits the Road, augmented by six bonus tracks, digital re-mastering and new liner notes by Bill Dahl alongside original notes by Rick Ward.
"This was the first album we made together," said late producer Feller. "(Ray) wanted to do songs either about states or cities. A lot of the material he knew himself. He'd give me some titles and then check through catalogs and publishers for other ones that had names of cities or states."
The Genius Hits the Road was recorded in two lengthy New York recording sessions in March 1960. "Georgia On My Mind" was first on the evening's agenda. The song's lyricist Stuart Gorrell actually found his inspiration in Carmichael's sister Georgia rather than the state, but the words pay tribute to either. It was Charles' first No. 1 hit, earning him two of four Grammys that year. The album also contained a version of Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger's "Blue Hawaii," recorded originally for the 1937 movie Waikiki Wedding starring Bing Crosby. A year after Charles recorded it, the song became the title track to a 1961 Elvis Presley film.
The 12 songs of The Genius Hits the Road were by no means the only travel tunes Charles recorded in his ABC-Paramount tenure. The expanded edition reissue adds six more. The best known of these is Charles' No. 1 version of Percy Mayfield's "Hit the Road Jack," which joins Les Brown's "Sentimental Journey," Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky," Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia," Paul McCartney's "Long and Winding Road," John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and Charles' own "I Was on Georgia Time."
The Genius Hits the Road vaulted to No. 9 on Billboard's pop charts during a 50-week run that began in October 1960. But this particular road was just the beginning of a new journey for Brother Ray.
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