Charles,Ray Singles Collection 1949-62 CD

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.

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 13. I've Had My Fun 14. Sittin' on Top of the World 15. Ain't That Fine 16. Don't Put All Your Dreams in One Basket 17. See See Rider 18. What Have I Done (Tell Me Baby) 19. She's on the Ball 20. Honey Honey 21. Late in the Evening Blues 22. The Ego Song 23. I'll Do Anything But Work 24. Someday (Blues Is My Middle Name) 25. All to Myself 26. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now 27. Lonely Boy 28. I'm Glad for Your Sake 29. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand 30. Kiss Me Baby 31. Hey Now 32. Baby Won't You Please Come Home 33. Guitar Blues 34. Baby Let Me Hear You Call My Name 35. Misery in My Heart 36. The Snow Is Falling 37. Why Did You Go 38. Back Home 39. Walkin' and Talkin' to Myself 40. I'm Wonderin' and Wonderin' 41. Roll with Me Baby 42. The Midnight Hour 43. The Sun's Gonna Shine Again 44. Jumpin' in the Morning 45. Mess Around 46. Funny (But I Still Love You) 47. Feelin' Sad 48. Heartbreaker 49. It Should've Been Me 50. Sinner's Prayer 51. Don't You Know 52. Losing Hand 53. I've Got a Woman 54. Come Back 55. This Little Girl of Mine 56. A Fool for You 57. Blackjack 58. Greenbacks 59. Drown in My Own Tears 60. Mary Ann 61. Hallelujah, I Love Her So 62. What Would I Do Without You 63. Lonely Avenue 64. Leave My Woman Alone 65. I Want to Know 66. Ain't That Love 67. It's All Right 68. Get on the Right Track Baby 69. Swanee River Rock (Talkin' 'Bout That River) 70. I Want a Little Girl 71. Talkin' 'Bout You 72. What Kind of a Man Are You 73. Yes Indeed 74. I Had a Dream 75. My Bonnie 76. You Be My Baby 77. Rockhouse PTS 1 ; 2 78. Tell All the World About You 79. What'd I Say - Part 1 80. (Night Time Is) the Right Time 81. Tell Me How You Feel 82. That's Enough 83. I'm Movin' on 84. I Believe to My Soul 85. Let the Good Times Roll 86. Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin' 87. Just for a Thrill 88. Tell the Truth 89. Sweet Sixteen Bars 90. Come Rain or Come Shine 91. Tell Me You'll Wait for Me 92. Early in the Morning 93. A Bit of Soul 94. Am I Blue 95. I Wonder Who 96. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) 97. My Baby (I Love Her, Yes I Do) 98. Who You Gonna Love 99. Sticks and Stones 100. Worried Life Blues 101. Georgia on My Mind 102. Carry Me Back to Old Virginny 103. Them That Got 104. I Wonder 105. Hard Hearted Hannah 106. Ruby 107. Hit the Road Jack 108. The Danger Zone 109. Unchain My Heart 110. But on the Other Hand, Baby 111. One Mint Julep 112. Let's Go 113. I've Got News for You 114. I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town 115. Baby It's Cold Outside 116. We'll Be Together Again 117. Hide 'Nor Hair 118. At the Club 119. I Can't Stop Loving You 120. Born to Lose 121. You Don't Know Me 122. Careless Love 123. You Are My Sunshine 124. Your Cheating Heart 125. Take These Chains from My Heart