Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Toughts this would be a drag due to being a double album. But i very much enjoyed this, did not get sick of the sound. Ray Charles is great, the piano, horns and everything else is great. My mind is saying 4 but my heart is saying 5.

Vrolijk, emotioneel, mooie stem, mooie instrumenten, ga ik vaker luisteren

good

5/5. This is such a unique sound, it's hard to deny the influence and importance of this album. Ray's soulful tones through these country ballads and songs, adding big band saxophones and background vocals expands the power and simple vocals these songs contain. Just throwing these guitar and vocal songs into larger than life experiences is a masterclass in and of itself. Great song choices as well so just a bonus. Best Song: You Don't Know Me, Half As Much, Careless Love

Beautiful and big—expansive. Loved it, and felt as if, for some reason, I needed it today.

Normally this would be a 4 for me, but context matters. Appropriating these songs in 1962, re-arranging them (often for the better), and choosing songs with lines about chains and being a slave and having it harder than others suddenly becomes much more poignant. Don’t tell me he was blind to what he was doing.

This is how you can get me to enjoy Country and Western music.

Damn good album. Ray Charles is just phenomenal performer and the backing is just so classic. Very few misses on this, pretty much all great songs

Ray makes every song better.

One of the best albums of all time. This is one of the first CDs I ever remember listening to. My dad's favorite, and one of mine today. Really just amazing music, Ray Charles is great.

Great jazz, great themes, not so great artist if you’ve seen the biopic

The Genius. What else can be said?

What else is there to say? It's just legendary. Favorite track: Oh, Lonesome Me

Ive been wanting to listen to this album for a long time! Such amazing and beautiful soul and country! This album was one of gram parson’s biggest inspirations!

Ray Charles is royalty. I'd give anything from him five stars. But this album deserves them all (despite the occasional use of cheesy strings and mid-century white chorus). As an aside; Willie Nelson credits this album with making Country a commercially viable genre. With all of the ridiculous conversation over whether Beyonce's Cowboy Carter is Country, I never heard or read anyone cite to this album. To me it proved that that whole conversation was never about music.

This is the shizzle. Ray shows the hairs width difference between r and b and country. Jimmie Rogers, the Everly brothers and Hank Williams get their genius polished. Musical dna. 1500000

First impressions - I like a torch songs. Soothing and swoony. Then into fun big band. Back to serenading with strings. Oh he does the aching beauty well, and when he goes low the reediness of his voice disappears. Impressed by my first listen to Ray Charles, adding it to the pile of music from that generation which will be eternal.

I think Robert Christgau sums this album up best : "It transfigured pop, prefigured soul, and defined modern country & western music." Apparently I purchased the album sometime in the early 70’s at Ashwoods in Sydney for 85c. (I also have Volume Two, which was quickly recorded & released in the same year, after the huge success of this album. Apparently it cost me $2.00 at Cash Converters sometime in the 90’s.) As is shown in the 2004 biopic “Ray”, after over a decade of recording in the jazz & r&b genres, Charles had a big hankering to record with strings, & this was the album on which he achieved that aim, with amazing success. AllMusic's Stephen Cook writes that "Charles intones the sleepy-blue nuances of country crooners while still giving the songs a needed kick with his gospel outbursts." The fact is that over 60 years since these recordings were made, I sometimes find the strings & particularly the background singers when they sound particularly white, to be a little jarring. You Don’t Know Me is a good example of that, but what makes it work is the magical voice of Brother Ray. One of the great post-war vocalists. And once he started using strings & strayed from pure r&b, even my father started buying Ray Charles records. The other things behind the album’s greatness are the arrangements and the country songs chosen. Superb, whether you like those strings or not. I Can’t Stop Loving You (Don Gibson) & You Don’t Know Me (Eddy Arnold/Cindy Walker) are the standouts. I loved Ray before I’d ever heard of Hank Williams, who died when I was three. But ever since discovering him in the 70’s, he has been one of my favourite songwriters. And it’s just a treat to hear Charles’s voice interpret Hank’s lyrics on the two Hank tracks, You Win Again & Hey Good Lookin’, which also ends the album with a rousing big-band arrangement. The arrangements also reinvent The Everly Brothers’ hit Bye Bye Love (Bryant/Bryant) & the Curley Williams classic Half As Much. But let’s face it, Ray Charles could sing the telephone book & make it work.

I am having a really shitty week at work. Lots of stress and crazy deadlines. I'm tired and cranky, and this has been reflected in this week's review. But then there is this. This album (and its sequel, Vol. 2) are dead-set, must-own, classic records, and so enjoyable to listen to. Ray had a great ear for great songs, without fear or favour towards any genre. And then he sings the hell out of them, with absolutely terrific big band arrangements, strings and backing choir. everyone is at the peak of their powers. And despite Ray clearly aiming at a cross-over market (i.e. white people), he doesn't tone down the soul in his voice or playing. Don't get me wrong, I am also a big fan of his grittier RnB records, but I could listen to this all day. I've streamed it three times today already. I'm going to pull out my vinyl copies later and spin them too. Every home should have a copy of both volumes of this wonderful, wonderful album.

Absolutely loved it

While this isn’t a record I throw on every day, I’m not sure it’s possible to give it less than 5 stars. Hugely influential and probably the best example of Charles’ talents on record, it’s a fascinating listen from start to finish. There’s so much emotion in all the phrasing and delivery in Ray’s vocals and piano playing. His takes on these classic songs transform them into all new songs. I’m not sure I could listen to this and not have my mood elevated and my outlook brightened. This is music intended to lift up the soul and strengthen it even after it’s done. It should be required listening for everybody.

Awesome!

Nice. Love Ray Charles. 1962. Saw him twice in concert.

So beautiful. So artistic. Thanks, 1001 Albums Generator, for bringing this album to me.

Great album…first time listening to the entire album. I knew the hits but the rest was fresh. This is what all music should make one feel.

Incredible. Such a range of feelings. Smoooooth vocals

great

A timeless classic. Ray Charles has a fantastic voice and he effortlessly converts these country songs into beautiful swing and soul numbers. Fantastic all around! Note for Spotify Users: Volumes 1 & 2 are combined into one album on Spotify, but only Disc 1 was on the original album. Best Song: You Don't Know Me Weakest Song: I Can't Stop Loving You Album Score: 10/10

Timeless. Pure class. There's as much soul and rock & roll as countrypolitan. This sounds vibrant in any era, and I expect will continue to do so.

Obra fundamental de uno de los artistas esenciales del siglo XX. Sobre los hombros de Ray, James brown y Stevie Wonder (se les pueden sumar Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong Y Duke Ellington) se erigen una pléyade artistas del calibre de Prince, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Tina, Aretha, Marving Gaye, y un largo etcétera. Este disco tiene un valor excepcional, a ritmo de Big Band, con unos exquisitos arreglos que le sientan como un guante a la inconfundible voz de Ray. Se escucha de principio a fin y entra como la seda. Fino-filipino!! Que no incluya himnos como Hot the road Jack, Unchain my heart, What I´d say, Mess around, I got a woman, Hallelujah I Love Her So, Come Rain Or Come Shine, Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin, Let the Good Times Roll o Georgia on my mind y sin embargo sea su mejor disco dice mucho de la dimensión del mismo. Las canciones más recordadas son "Born to Lose", "Careless Love", "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "You Don't Know Me", aunque el Worried Mind de Buddy Guy merece la pena mucho. Publicó este mismo año otro volumen de canciones, con You are my sunshine como excepcional punta de lanza. Recordemos que estamos aun en la era Pre-Beatles (publican su primer single a finales de 1962) y otros artitas están aun muy lejos de sus mejores obras (Dylan, Beach Boys, Supremes, Stevie Wonder...) Otrso grandes discos de 1962 son los deHowlin' Wolf, Roy Orbison o Booker T.

An album I did not know existed and instantly made my “wanted on vinyl” list

Boy, country and western music has changed a lot over the years. This was very nice and easy to listen to, would make a good soundtrack to a lazy Saturday morning spend reading with a coffee.

There are good albums and there are historical albums. And then there’s this one, which is effortlessly both. Brother Ray probably did more for racial relations in the US with this album than any single person in the 1960s not named Martin or Malcolm.

Loved it

An artist with an incredible gift. Timeless music

Great album to cut your finger nails to.

10/10

damn this album came out 62..the year my dad was born! bye bye love is good. this is gonna be really good isnt it......hehe OKAY RE-LISTEN TO THIS!!!!!!!

Genius Ray Charles!!!

Hard to beat Ray's sound, especially from this era. I genuinely enjoyed this all the way through.

Not every track is a banger, but how on Earth did I not pay more attention to Ray Charles before this???? This was a great Monday morning listen as I was getting my act together to start my week. Some of it was a bit too "oldie" for me, but more often than not I found myself smiling or tapping my foot and just enjoying the listen. Go Ray!

Such a great album -- great songs, great arrangements, great voice. I'd listen to this anytime -- and certainly will again.

Pure voice. Horns and strings. Soul. Crystal clear recording. Space to breathe. Wonderful in every way.

This was wonderful

It shows you the versatility and Genius of Ray Charles.

God I am so sick I forgot how I feel about this album. 5/5 no misses and beautiful singing

Lovely. As always.

It's possibly my favorite thing in music when an artist covers a song in a new genre that is so well done, you feel like it was meant to sound that way all along. This double album does that magic trick 24 times in a row without breaking a sweat. As always, I like his ballads a little bit more, but there's not a bad song on this one. Masterpiece.

the Volume 1 is an easy 5-star decision, in the Volume 2 the sounds might start getting a tad repetitive but it does not really diminish the power of this work – it's worth 5 stars for its cultural significance alone the slower songs are so dreamy and the faster ones make me want to dance swing again

Ein Wunder: Country Hits für Big Band arrangiert! Danke Gerald Wilson, Gil Fuller.

Love the band! And Ray Charles is, like Johnny Cash, an iconic voice that helps to define American music over the last century. Simply LOVE this album. A bit mellow with orchestration but still brings a smile.

SO GOOD. Would listen to on repeat. Deserves its place in modern music history.

One of the great all time albums. I have listened over and over. The voice, the arrangements. Amazing.

I would have never known these were country songs. Ray is a genius.

This was so good that, despite being pretty sure only Volume 1 was intended to be on this project, I listened to both.

A standard

"Modern Sounds" may be Ray Charles' greatest album(s). Charles' move in to country and western was possible because he gained artistic control of his projects in the early 60s. Previous success afforded considerable freedoms - and a rare level of creative control for the era. Charles crossed racial lines moving into country music. He brought his vocal skill, R&B background, and big band orchestrations to these country standards. His soulful renditions brought considerable critical and commercial success, and helped bolster Charles' position as one of the most influential American recording artists.

Amazeballs

I don’t know Ray Charles’s body of work. I know him more than his music. That’s a shame because I really,loved this record.

This is the stuff. What a great album.

Absolutely perfect.

What a great album

This is a really fascinating album. Love Ray Charles’ singing and piano, and the concept of reworking C&W could’ve been a risk. But he really pulls it off. The whole album works, and there’s several standout songs. My only gripe is the early 60’s sound, there’s a bit more orchestra than I’d prefer. But that’s minor. I’ll certainly listen to this again, it may well end up purchased. 4.5, I’ll round this one to 5/5

Chilllinnng😎

The brilliant Ray!

A classic and deservedly so.

Favourite songs: "Oh, Lonesome Me", "Hey, Good Lookin'", Bye Bye Love, You Are My Sunshine, Don't Tell Me Your Troubles, I Can't Stop Loving You, Worried Mind, Just a Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long Way), Take These Chains From My Heart, Your Cheatin' Heart, Born to Lose, It Makes No Difference Now, You Don't Know Me, You Win Again, Careless Love, Half as Much, I'll Never Stand In Your Way, Hang Your Head in Shame Least favourite songs: Midnight 5/5

One of Cooper's favs

Nach 18 Sekunden: Gefällt mir jetzt schon.

Beautiful album and music

Wonderful

amazing music.

It’s killer, helped me go through one Christmas trip and I haven’t forgot it since

Provavelmente o melhor disco, recheados de hits.

I've always loved this album and play it at home a decent amount! This era of Ray Charles reminds my of a PSE commercial growing up that, I think, had one of his songs. The commercial depicted warm images of the home and a street in what I am guessing was West Seattle that lights up when the sun goes down. It had a strong impact on me. I still look for that street.

Excellent. Ray Charles - legend!

Gorgeous

Feels like something I’d play to relax. It’s Ray Charles, baby! Beautiful arrangements and somber tunes. A tiny bit of variety on here I didn’t expect. What else is there to say?

Ray Charles- enough said. Classic.

Good

Chill AF. Can't stop listening.

Romantic, sexy music for grownups. A great let's get back together album. So many people saying it's too long, you're listening to Vol 1 & 2! The original album is 40 minutes long and ends with Hey, Good Lookin'...

Incredible?? Thank goodness for the art of music, as it gives us amazing records like this. I'm very unfamiliar with country music so most of this was new to me, but each song sounded right at home with Ray Charles' voice and his backing band. So much soul and good vibes, whether it was a ballad or an upbeat track. It's also not as dated as some of its contemporaries, mainly because of how clean and well-produced it is. Crazy good stuff, made even better by its cultural impact. He transcended genres and broke racial barriers during a very rocky time in history. Talk about hitting two birds with one solid record. I can't even name a standout. Every song was a standout. Imagine that!

amaaaazing!

everything he touched grooved so hard, and a lot of the production on his albums sounds so crisp for the time

Massively influential, perfectly executed. You Don’t Know Me is one of my all time favorites.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this, but this type of thing is right up my alley. I'm not sure I'd listen again, but I really liked it. I usually reserve my 5s for stuff I know I'll listen to again, but I can't fathom giving this any less than a perfect score.

Que capo Ray por favor, te mete unos countrys con una banda de soul. Me gustaría escuchar algo así (Malosetti no estuvo a la altura) de folklore argentino hecho soul.

I always love listening to the unique take different singers have on familiar songs. Ray Charles makes you forget there were other versions. This was marvelous.

I was familiar with many of these tracks from a best of Ray Charles collection that I have listened to many times. There were also many new tunes for me. I really liked them all!

A wonderful way to spend an evening.

WOW! I’ve heard a few of these songs and they are truly classics… but did realize what an incredible experience listening to both volumes of this lovely release would be. Just a total pleasure from beginning to end. Made my day!

Ray Charles is a legend, and these performances and recordings are excellent. This was an incredible album to pull on a lazy drizzly Friday morning. Excellent all around.

Bye Bye Love is my favorite song from the album!

Stellar record. The production, arrangements, and soulfully virtuosic musicianship that made Charles a legend shines through here.

The ultimate crossover. An R&B star releasing a country album at a time of racial tensions in the south. The connection between the two genre - always there - became apparent to all. And, we are all better for it. A stone-cold classic.

Here’s why I was going to give it a 4: I’m hoping that there is a more soul/r&b Ray Charles album on here, because while that would likely get a 5 from me, this doesn’t quite get there. There are some excellent moments, but it’s a little too schmaltzy for me. The more raw and wild Ray Charles is probably in my top 5 singers of all time (the scream on Someday almost gets there) He’s certainly able to make many of these songs his own which should count for something, I just wish he made them better than they were before. Here’s why I decided it deserved a 5: I will end by saying that I totally understand why this is on here, and think it’s one of the most important albums we’ve heard so far. In something I’m calling a “reverse Elvis”, Ray Charles shows how similar country, jazz, rock, and r&b could be and thus serves as a powerful symbol of the melting pot of American music (the cover of Your Cheating Heart, with the jazzy and bluesy piano solo proves my point). This music could only be made in a country like this.

Classic Ray Charles

I mean what more do you really want out of life

Забавная вещь: узнал о нем после фильма Рэй и очень проникся артистом. Я представляю насколько круто вживую смотреть на его выступления и у меня мурашки идут сразу.

Great old school style jazzy vibe

This album has so many things going for it: - The concept: country/folk/western songs reworked into pop/soul/jazz is genius, in my opinion. And the execution is great. - The instrumentation: the orchestra! The piano! Beautiful arrangements. - The voice: his voice makes the whole thing work. My only complaint is that it’s a little on the long side to listen as a whole. Doesn’t detract from the actual music though.

Jazzy, well-articulated, easy going tunes. Ray Charles nailed it. Lush orchestration and classic tunes. A great collection to be made aware of

I've liked Ray for many years but never listened to this one for some crazy reason - maybe I was put off by the title, not thinking that it was still going to be classic fantastic Ray.

Sonzao, já de entrada

Ok

During the recording of this album, Ray Charles became one of the few black artists in the early rock era to gain complete creative control of their music. He puts that control to phenomenal use here, interpreting folk and country standards with a blistering R&B flair.

Classic. No notes.

Amazing love it

Ray Charles. He does what he wants. And it's always brilliant.

GOATED

This was really good! I don't think I would have been able to tell that these were covers of country songs if it wasn't right there in the title, and while they may sound a bit dated for 1960s standards, I have a massive soft spot for a good big band. Favourite: Don't Tell Me Your Troubles

amazing. 5/5

Now this is real music

Hey this ray guy is pretty good

He's such a natural musician. Even though some of the elements are overdone when listened with today's ear, it does not detract from the greatness of this album.

I enjoyed every minute of this album. Split between jazzy big band arrangements for most of the quicker tempo songs and orchestral arrangements for the ballads the album swings effortlessly from one to the other. Underpinning it all is Charles' soulful singing that elevates each song and makes these country classics his own. It's not my go to genre especially the string arranged compositions, but tht did not get in the way of my enjoyment of the album. An album that should be heard by anyone that loves music. 5 stars.

Wow. What a once in a generation talent. The way he rewrote/reworked/restyled these standards was so good, quite often amazing..

Album number 6 I have on vinyl! I can’t begin to express how much I love this album. It was incredibly revolutionary and progressive for the time, it tore down barriers, and it’s probably Ray’s best or second best album. Holy shit it’s such a joy to listen to. While some of the songs aren’t as perfect as “Bye Bye Love”, “You Don’t Know Me”, or “You Win Again”, I enjoy listening to every single one of them. No filler or bloat whatsoever. If you don’t like this album, I don’t even know what to say to you. I should note that I’m only writing about Volume 1 here, but Volume 2 is equally perfect (if not better).

Big fan of 60s era of music. Ray Charles does some good stuff.

I'm stunned that the average review isn't higher. Maybe it's a recency bias. This album is exactly why the "1001 albums" project exists. This is a groundbreaking and culturally significant album, that also happens to be pretty darn good. Is it my favorite Ray Charles album? No. Did it have more impact on the course of American and World music than any other Ray Charles album ... and really most any album? Absolutely.

Many Classics, Is That Careless Love An Interpolation Of Silent Night?

Classic Oldies

Brilliance

Not much to say, no faults, all of his genius encapsulated.

By some quirk, yesterday Ray Charles album was followed by another Ray Charles album today - and I wasn’t disappointed. More beautiful arrangements, singing and playing; evocative of a certain era; charming, delightful and satisfying. These are recordings of the highest quality from a wonderfully talented artist.

Ray Charles 18th overall album featuring country, folk and western music standards reworked in popular song forms - R&B, pop and jazz. This album got lots of airplay on both R&B and country music stations. Ray said he didn't see a lot of difference in blues and country music. Given a lot artistic freedom the idea came to do this album which is absolutely incredible. His A&R man, Ray Feller went through 250 country songs to pick from. The songs are mostly love and heartbreak ballads as you would expect. The backing music are strings, horns, Ray's piano and voice and great backing vocals. Every song on this album is worth listening to. He creates an extremely unique style. I would like to go back and compare the original country version to Ray's. Two standout tracks are both near the end. What a great vocal delivery on "Careless Love." His voice just soars with the strings in the background. "I Can't Stop Loving You" is a classic example to the point that there really isn't much difference between blues and country. This song fits both...just great backing vocals and probably my favorite Ray Charles song. This was an historically important album crossing racial borders in a very racially-charged time. A timeless performance and album.

Ray Charles is his own genre. He saw no barriers.

man i just love a ray charles album, this was really nice

I just knew I was going to like a guy when it he played this album on vinyl the first time I went over to his house. Sigh, Ray Charles makes everything good, better.

Delicious

Great album, with great sounds and incredible balades

So so soulful yet precise. True synthesis of great American art forms.

Wow! What can I say?! It’s Ray Charles! Music doesn’t get any better than this! An absolute gem!

GOAT

So, so good.

love Ray Charles!

One of the great cross genre records

Pretty great. Didn't get a chance to listen to all of it, but will definitely go back.

Beautiful songs, beautiful voice, beautiful arrangements!

Very nice

Iconic and nothing less.

genius, pure & Simple

One of the best albums of all time. Period.

I think this is a remarkable project. But actually listening to it back to back gets tedious. 4 Boolean: True

Even though I like Ray Charles's music, I wasn't sure if I'd like Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, because I'm not the biggest fan of country. In the end, it really surprised me!

Bye bye love - 4 You don't know me - 4 Half as much - 4 I love you so much it hurts - 3 Just a little lovin' (will go a long way) - 4 Born to lose - 3 Worried mind - 3 It makes no difference now - 4 You win again - 3 Careless love - 4 I can't stop loving you - 4 Hey, good lookin' - 4 You are my sunshine - 4 No letter today - 3 Someday (you'll want me to want you) - 3 Don't tell me your troubles - 3 Midnight - 3 Oh lonesome me - 3 Take these chains from my heart - 3 Your cheating heart - 4 I'll never stand in your way - 3 Making believe - 3 Teardrops in my heart - 3 Hang your head in shame - 3

Storbandjazz med kvalitet over hele linja. "You Don't Know Me" står igjen som favorittlåt. Mangler kanskje det lille ekstra for å komme seg helt opp på 5ern, men dette var bra greier.

Måtte være i riktig humør for denne. Sterk 3er på første lytt, men god 4er på andre

Jeg kan se hvorfor folk har fått øynene opp for hans gode blikk for musikk

I really enjoyed this - will add to my rotation of albums!

Inject this into my veins! This was a complete blind spot, and without question the best discovery I’ve made through this project. I’m rating it a 4 out of 5 primarily because the second volume doesn’t hold up as well as the first. Still quite good.

"I once was blind, but now I see" that's very funny Ray

Pretty amazing album from an artist that could rework a number of genres

재즈의 분위기가 좋았고, 앨범이 전체적으로 꽤 괜찮았다. The jazz atmosphere was great, and the album was pretty good overall.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Ray Charles 1962 Genres: Soul, Blues Styles: Rhythm Blues 1. Bye Bye Love (★★★★★) -Contexto: tema de los Everly Brothers sobre una ruptura amorosa; el narrador ve a su ex felicidad con alguien más mientras él queda con el corazón roto, tratando de aceptar la despedida. -Fav 2. You Don't Know Me (★★★★★) -Contexto: amor no correspondido y silenciado; el narrador nunca se anima a confesarle sus sentimientos a la mujer que ama, que solo lo ve como un amigo, y se queda solo al final por su propia timidez. 3. Half as Much (★★★★★) -Contexto: el narrador le pide a su pareja que lo quiera "aunque sea la mitad" de lo que él la quiere a ella, insinuando que si no es así, estaría mejor sin esa relación desigual. 4. I Love You So Much It Hurts (★★★★⯨) -Contexto: balada de amor doloroso y desbordante; el cariño es tan intenso que se vuelve una fuente de sufrimiento físico y emocional para quien lo siente. 5. Just a Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long Way) (★★★★★) -Contexto: súplica de cariño y atención; el narrador pide pequeños gestos de amor, sugiriendo que no necesita grandes cosas, solo un poco de afecto sincero para sentirse bien. -Fav 6. Born to Lose (★★★★★) -Contexto: resignación fatalista frente al amor; el narrador se describe como alguien "nacido para perder", condenado a la soledad y al fracaso sentimental por naturaleza. -Fav -Frisson 7. Worried Mind (★★★★★) -Contexto: ansiedad y desconfianza en una relación; la mente del narrador no descansa por miedo a perder a su pareja o por sospechas sobre su fidelidad. 8. It Makes No Difference Now (★★★★⯨) -Contexto: aceptación resignada de una ruptura; el narrador afirma que ya nada le importa tras la separación, aunque el tono sugiere que en el fondo sigue dolido. 9. You Win Again (★★★★☆) -Contexto: escrita por Hank Williams; el narrador se siente humillado y derrotado al descubrir que su pareja le fue infiel una vez más, pero admite que no puede dejarla pese a todo. 10. Careless Love (★★★★☆) -Contexto: estándar tradicional de blues/folk sobre las consecuencias devastadoras de un amor imprudente y prohibido, y el arrepentimiento y la ruina personal que trae. 11. I Can't Stop Loving You (★★★★★) -Contexto: compuesta por Don Gibson; el narrador intenta en vano superar a un amor perdido, reconociendo que, pese al tiempo pasado, no logra dejar de amarlo. -Fav 12. Hey, Good Lookin' (★★★★⯨) -Contexto: escrita por Hank Williams; tema liviano y coqueto de conquista, con el narrador proponiéndole a alguien atractivo pasar tiempo juntos, en tono divertido y directo. 13. You Are My Sunshine (★★★★★) -Contexto: aunque suena como una canción alegre, la letra completa (poco conocida en sus versiones sing-along) habla del miedo a perder a la persona amada y de sentirse traicionado al despertar y encontrarla ausente. -Fav 14. No Letter Today (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: soledad de quien espera día tras día una carta de un amor lejano que nunca llega, aferrándose a la esperanza de tener noticias. 15. Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You) (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: advertencia a una expareja que lo dejó: algún día ella va a arrepentirse y va a querer volver, pero para entonces quizás él ya no la quiera a ella. 16. Don't Tell Me Your Troubles (★★★★★) -Contexto: respuesta desafiante y sin culpa hacia alguien que lo abandonó y ahora vuelve a quejarse de sus propios problemas; el narrador se niega a compadecerse después de haber sido herido. -Fav 17. Midnight (★★★★⯨) -Contexto: la soledad se vuelve insoportable a la medianoche, cuando la ausencia del ser querido pesa más que en cualquier otro momento del día. 18. Oh, Lonesome Me (★★★★★) -Contexto: clásico de Don Gibson sobre la autocompasión de quien quedó solo tras una ruptura, mientras ve a los demás disfrutar de su vida en pareja. -Fav 19. Take These Chains from My Heart (★★★★★) -Contexto: súplica por ser liberado del dolor de un amor que se volvió una cadena emocional, pidiendo volver a sentirse libre. 20. Your Cheatin' Heart (★★★★☆) -Contexto: clásico de Hank Williams; el narrador le advierte a su expareja infiel que su propia conciencia culpable y "corazón traidor" la van a atormentar con noches de insomnio y arrepentimiento. 21. I'll Never Stand in Your Way (★★★★☆) -Contexto: aceptación dolorosa de dejar ir a la persona amada sin retenerla, aunque eso implique renunciar a la propia felicidad. 22. Making Believe (★★★★☆) -Contexto: el narrador sobrelleva la pérdida de su amor fingiendo, en su imaginación, que todavía siguen juntos. 23. Teardrops in My Heart (★★★★⯨) -Contexto: tristeza oculta detrás de una sonrisa; el narrador disimula ante el mundo un dolor interno que nadie más ve. 24. Hang Your Head in Shame (★★★★☆) -Contexto: reproche directo a una expareja por haberlo traicionado, exigiéndole que sienta vergüenza por cómo lo trató. -TOTAL = ★★★★⯨ (4,50) -Suena tan bien que merece un 5, pero bueno, tanto amor y despecho no es de mi completo agrado y fascinación lamentablemente.

Great voice. The soul sound makes the country songs really interesting.

Loved the soul feeling for country songs. I really enjoyed it, it will be in my rotation.

I thought it´d be too long, but I really enjoyed myself. Great record, nice variation, great surprise!

I know of Ray Charles (of course) but had never focused on a whole album. From the outset, this is impressive for smooth, high quality arrangements and performances. I particularly liked the opener, Bye Bye Love, because I knew the original tune, and the big band arrangement is cooking. I'm not a big country fan but turned out I knew quite a few of these songs, and I was happy with the versions here. But somehow most of these songs didn't stand out as engaging such that I would want to play them again. This is relevant to replayability of this album for me - it's a long album, I could listen to it again, but not clear why I would bother. On the other hand, reading Wikipedia filled me with respect for the achievement - doing C&W songs in RnB/big band style, in 1962, and being popular across multiple markets, was a big deal and IMHO still is. So I'll rate this Very Good, 8/10.

Turns out I'm a big fan of Ray Charles. That's been a fun discovery

Ray charles has a sick ass voice and his piano skills are legendary. With the background singers and strings i cant help but feel that it sounds like a christmas album which is tough unfortunately. However i REALLY liked the song dont tell me your troubles so I'll give a star just for that. Also saved i love you so much it hurts

I enjoyed this quite a bit though not sure it sounds too country.

Ray truly elevates everything he touches. Not a favorite of mine, though.

I think the fact I listened to this entire thing means it gets a 4 because it reminded me of Christmas Vacation.

Went into this not knowing what to expect and ending up liking it much more than I expected!

Very old school with the background vocals and strings. If I could do half stars, I would give it 3.5, but I will bounce it up to 4 stars.

The production values aren’t doing the album many favors anymore. Those background singers! But Charles’s vocals are iconic. And so many of these songs are essential. 4.5?

I was digging this this morning. The talent of those instrumentalists is something else.

tem um instrumental riquíssimo, chique mesmo. me lembrou algo que tocaria na série ‘coisa mais linda’, meio bossa. não é nada parecido com o que eu costumo ouvir, mas gostei demais. me imaginei dançando as mais românticas com minha namorada na nossa futura casa e espero realizar isso algum dia.

yesss

never listened to ray before, well not actually listened I guess. amazing album with great tracks all round

timeless album that makes me feel like i'm in a tv show.

King Ray! Big band, soulful, rhythm and blues. Marvellous.

Interesting, I know there was less opportunity back then, but it is wild to think of a current mainstream artist doing an entire album of cover songs representing a completely different genre. Glad I got to hear it, had no idea it existed.

Really good. Beautiful, easy listening. Dope concept too, bringing soul to classic westerns. Ray is the man. One of the greatest to ever do it. We’ve talked about this. My only complaint, which I believe was the same as the first time he came up on this list is that it’s a little monochromatic. Each song feels the same, just slightly different. Doesnt take away from the album or the talent or the listen, a little mix up in arrangement or rhythm or style would be refreshing.

Brilliant. Didn't expect that. Don't like C&W. And it's before my time. Ok sometimes the strings and angelic choirs are way OTT. The few bits of RC on piano are beautiful.

Modern as hell

Очень хотелось поставить 5 этому альбому, но в момент выбора двух лучших песен особенно остро почувствовал, что это, по сути, очень хорошая, но одна песня растянутая на час с лишним. Очень хорошая. Топ-1 - You Don't Know Me Топ-2 - Your Cheating Heart (хотя выбрать можно абсолютно любую, не промахнешься)

I wasn’t sure about this album, but then I really appreciated the high production quality and I feel like our desire for lo-fi and authentic sound mixes with the ease electronic production has taken away this kind of work.

I don't think this is the best Ray Charles but I really enjoyed his take on Country and Western. I was less keen on the backing vocals and the strings especially as it went on - it felt quite dated. But I think it still deserves the higher score even if I wouldn't listen again.

As you would expect with Ray Charles , a wonderful voice and incredibly catchy music.

Ray does R&B like nobody else. His choice to cover country songs is an interesting one, but it surprisingly works. It's quite beautiful with the backing vocals and orchestra in Ray's classic stylings.

87

This album goes to prove that if you throw a little soul in it, country music doesn't suck. I guess the problem is just that 99% of the time there is no soul. Not sure I'd go back to this over, say, some better Ray Charles music but this is pretty good. 4/5

4-/5

His voice is iconic, and i can imagine how this might have hit when it came out. But the big band-like arrangements leave me cold.

This is a fascinating crossroads record. Stylistically, it's definitely not country and western. Ray Charles took in the country canon and treated it like a jazz head - reimagining standards in the "modern style". To contemporary ears it sounds, ironically, more dated than actual country. We are in full easy listening territory: syrupy backing vocals; gorgeous strings; and Ray Charles in full crooner mode - it could be Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole. Not that that's a bad thing, but it does feel like a long double album, and is lacks variety. I could've done with a few more of the bangers that defined most of his 60s work. The racial dimension feels radical - a black r&b star taking white-coded songs and transforming them, partly as proto-soul and partly 50s balladry, in a style that was neither black nor white. Overall, I don't love the songs (I'm not really up on my country standards), but the arrangements are so classy and the piano playing is sublime.

Very good but the orchestration was a bit too commercial for me - felt like I was watching some late 50s Hollywood feel-good film. I prefer his earlier work even if it’s big band it has a more musical frame

Really good all the songs were very enjoyable. Really different version of oh lonesome me to the Neil young version.

Interesting notes on the influence of this during the Civil Rights Movement - easy listening

I suspect a lot of the discourse about this album has gotten hung up on the use of the terms "country" and "western" - ironically, the very thing Charles was trying to avoid with this genre-crossing collection. What he's really looking for is something like a pan-Americana that can take in Tin Pan Alley, traditional country, soul, jazz, and gospel without being too precious about which parts are coming from where. And that's exactly what we have here: great American songs, beautifully arranged (Marty Paich's strings are a particular treat) and movingly performed. Charles undoubtedly had bluesier takes in him for most of these (and I might have preferred those) but what he puts forth is a success on its own terms. (Incidentally, it wasn't totally clear to me whether the list is intended to just include Volume 1 or the 2-album collection of Volumes 1 and 2 available on streaming - and, honestly, I enjoyed Volume 1 enough that I didn't mind another half hour of more of the same. I think the material on Volume 2 is slightly better but I preferred the more varied track order on Volume 1.)

🕶️🎹🎼🎤✨

That was a beautiful album that I really enjoyed. Not something that I'd reach for all the time, but very lovely to listen to.

pretty good, love his vocals. does drag on a bit but i still enjoyed it

I mean what can I say? It's Ray Charles. Silky smooth and always fun to listen to. Will likely revisit. Favourite Tracks: - Careless Love - Midnight - Hey Good Lookin' No Letter Today

einfach tolle musik.

Ein Klassiker

Ray Charles certainly had the voice of a generation. Charles' singing is amazing, as expected, and the music is fantastically done. It is easily a great record and maybe because it's not really in my wheelhouse, but I'm not wholly convinced that it's one of the greatest albums of all time.

rare moment i wish i was born in a different era. imagine this album drops and you’re listening to it for the first time on your record player in your living room in the house you bought for $200 oh my god

Beautiful. I just wish there was less of the Ray Conniff-style background singing. Midnight was my favorite track

hermoso

Ray Charles and his spin on many a good song that only Ray Charles can do. Some of which I know that was done by the original song writer or performer.

Wonderful bittersweet breakup album. Whiskey music. Ray's voice is clear and confident in tone as it is weary and sorrowful in texture. Brassy standards are accented with furtive chorus and string. Lyrical content is fairly consistent through the runtime, melancholy, dismal. Variety comes in performance and composition. Drifts between end of night ballad and start of night party. For traditional pop and classic R&B the question is posed if it's ever more refined than what's accomplished here. Soul's a soft spot of mine so it's no wonder I loved this as much as I did. It says something about Ray's power as an artist that the song he's credited with writing is very, very easily the best here. Sing the song, children. Volume 2's fine.

vibe

Listened to the deluxe version. Highly acclaimed and an essential pioneer album for the early 60s. I enjoyed his version of some of these tunes.

Excellent arrangements of classic songs. What's not to love? Ray has not just a wonderful voice, but an incredible skill interpreting songs. Any song, apparently, from what he offers here. This isn't my usual bag of tea, but I dig it. FOUR STARS

This is pretty good, it’s cool how it fuses two very different genres of music. It’s not quite my style, the songs are slow and a little boring after a while (although that might be because I listened to volume 1 and 2 in one sitting)

I liked this a tonne. The big band instrumentation, extra voices, song choices. Ray transformed these tracks and made them his own. 4/5

A very nice and relaxing album to listen to. In the right mood, it is a fantastic album to listen to, but I don't think it's an album I would listen to most days

I had a big mental block when it came to this album. I just rated album 222 before looping back to this one (#209) but I figured it was time to force myself to listen. What I thought was going to be Ray Charles covering Patsy Cline with a fake twang, turned out to be a beautiful album of standards. I guess "country" meant something different in 1962. Ray Charles has a gorgeous voice, and I'm so glad i listened to this album!

old nice music

An iconic album that helped give rise to the "Nashville" sound and influenced many of the country music icons that would come about, and overall a rather lovely listen. Admittedly it's less 'country' than I expected, but I guess it makes sense given the year it came out. Ray's songwriting style combined with the crooning of the backing singers makes it feel oh so 1950s (but that's not a bad thing).

Charming from start to end. How Ray Charles is able to make genuine country songs sound like genuine soul numbers is a remarkable skill. A truly enjoyable listen.

Very soothing listen I liked it

It's Ray Charles. He's timeless for a reason. Even if the album title doesn't tend to be my favorite genre.

Loved how Ray made these songs his own and that you can barely tell that they were originally country songs. I also adore how strong his voice is throughout, although I wish there were more fast-paced songs so that the album doesn't just slip into very pleasant background music like it does in the middle of the album.

This is great. If I was more familiar with the sources I think it would be better but as it stands it's a cool project.

so dreamy and gorgeous. love that it's called modern sounds in country and western - he definitely flipped many of those songs on their heads.

Très sympa niveau musical mais un peu long

aye this shit pretty good

This is a great album. I nearly gave it a 5. Sinatra gets great plaudits (and deserves it) but others like Ray Charles not so much

Jolly lyrics, slow dancing, and pitchy strings. Almost makes you shed a tear.

It's never a bad time with Ray Charles

ray charles can sing the soundtrack to my life. also love how the song titles are the opposite of cryptic.

Beautiful arrangements and a voice unlike any other

An old sounding album it came out in 1962 I like rays voice and the music although can sound a little dated is really good and once you get used to the sound and dig deeper it's a nice collection of songs and I enjoyed it

put me to sleep

Vibes: 5 Instruments: 5 Production: 3 Emotional Value: 4 Storytelling: 4 Album Cover: +0 Stand Outs: I Love You So Much it Hurts, Bye Bye Love Overall Rating: 4.2

Very joyeus album. Ray Charles always cooks and this one is no different. I don’t actually know if it’s a live album, but it certainly has the energy of one. I really like how he manages to transform these good but old sounding songs into something fresh and novel for the time. This is really the bridge begween the crooner era of the 50’s and the more Motown-Soul side of the 60’s. Important album, but besides that also just a good album.

Enjoyable. It’s a fun sound for a singer with a good voice. Officially petitioning for an Alex Turner soul-infused country and western album, or is it a country-and-western-infused soul album.

Beautiful, simply beautiful. What can you even say about Ray Charles, this is album with a great impact to popular music and everything else that followed it. But despite me enjoying this very much, I am not sure if I will go to full 5 stars, definitely at least 4 but not sure why I am hesitant on top marks here despite loving Ray.

sd

Very good album with a lot of quick pace and slow paced songs. Both the lyrics and instrumentals are very good. I would definitely listen again but just short of being a favorite album of mine.

Couldn’t stand the arrangements, but Ray often rescues the songs anyhow.

Ray Charles was actually a huge country fan, and these are great versions of some true classics. Great album!

day 1 a pleasant listen, despite my initial hesitance. charles' vocals are incredibly soothing and, listening to this album at night, i feel i could fall asleep to him. (though i suppose some songs, like "just a little lovin' (will go a long way)", are admittedly better suited for waking up.) ♡: "you don't know me"

Not bad for its time. The lyrics were really cheesy but otherwise the album seemed pretty solid.

Like, I can see why he's good, it's just not my taste. Still solid

I havent really listent to this genre that much, I think this album was a really great start.

pure midcentury americana. the perfect synthesis of rhythm and blues, country crooning, and vocal jazz. Ray Charles made an album that not just stands as an important musical moment, but epitomizes the culture that gave rise to it. show this to aliens when you need to cover this time period in the “history of western popular music” class. helps that Ray Charles can make a hellova ballad. deserves to be one of the 1001? i think so

#2 Enjoyed this one quite a bit. Growing up in the south I'm already very familiar with Ray Charles and enjoy his music a lot. I'm a little confused as to why this album is considered country though. Definitely heavy soul, blues, and jazz vibes kinda? Makes for some very easy listening!

Kind of great

A great album. I’ve giving it a 4 instead of 5 because the songs eventually blended together a bit for my uncultured ear but it’s still super pleasant to listen to

Some excellent songs, but a little slow moving for my tastes.

Apparently the definitive way to enjoy Country and Western classics. So glad this exists.

Classics from one of the all time greats, you can't go wrong

Classic, probably wouldn’t go out of my way to listen but would not be mad if it came on. Fun and upbeat!

Tiene un buen concepto el album, es de este tipo de albumes que te pueden hacer sentir deferentes emciones a medida que cambias de canción, no todos los artistas pueden hacer eso.

Bye Bye Love - 4/5. Good. I'd listen to this. I love the big band and choir sounds. It helps that I already like the song. It's pretty different from the Everly Brothers, and that helps. You Don't Know Me - 3/5. I like this one. Ray sings very well on it. It sounded a little too showtune-y for it to be a great song, but still. I do like the theme of this song though. Half As Much - 4/5. A Hank Williams cover that was not country, but it sounded great. I Love You So Much It Hurts - 3/5. This one is okay. Pretty slow, but that can be okay. Just a Little Lovin' (Will Go A Long Way) - 5/5. This is more upbeat, so more like the songs I like. I really like this one. Ray does great, and the backing music is excellent. Born to Lose - 4/5. I like this one too. It's slow, but more jazzy. Worried Mind - 4/5. I like this one a lot. Ray's soothing voice really sounds great. It Makes No Difference Now - 5/5. This one's pretty good. The soul sounds very good, I would definetely listen to this kind of music. You Win Again - 4/5. This one is good, soulful. The backing vocals are very good. Kind of sounds like an old Disney song, but in a good way. Careless Love - 5/5. I love this one. It's smooth and sounds so familliar. I Can't Stop Loving You - 4/5. I really like Ray's part, but the choir section isn't really doing it for me. Hey, Good Lookin' - 5/5. Ray sounds great, it's well paced, and the piano is so good. You Are My Sunshine - 2/5. I like the original a lot better unfortunately. No Letter Today - 4/5. It just sounds so good. Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) - 3/5. It just didn't really speak to me. Pretty unmemorable. Don't Tell Me Your Troubles - 4/5. I like it a lot, but it is kind of hard to keep up with. Midnight - 4/5. I like this one a lot too. Sounds so nice. Oh, Lonesome Me - 4/5. Short and sweet. Take These Chains From My Heart - 4/5. I am really starting to like these slower, more ballad-y songs. Your Cheatin' Heart - 5/5. very good. I love this one. I'll Never Stand In Your Way - 4/5. This sounds like music that would be playing in fallout, with crinkles. I love it. Making Believe - 4/5. This wasn't originally a soulful song like this? It sounds so good like this. Teardrops In My Heart - 4/5. These songs are all so good. Hang Your Head in Shame - 4/5. Good closing song for a great album. It is a cover album. I need to keep that into consideration. But still, it is very good. It makes me want to listen to more Ray. I wish there was more of his piano playing, but other than that, it was very good. I think that it gets a solid 4/5.

Nice

I was a bit skeptical that Charles could pull off messing with country classics, but shame on me! My wife loved it, I loved that, so all is good... Including this album.

Historic album at the time, and I enjoyed the fusion of blues and old country. Would listen again Rating: 7.5/10 Favorite Song: Bye Bye Love, Midnight

The strings and chorus are a bit much, but it’s still a pretty good album. Ray Charles was a very charismatic singer.

A classic voice

One of those absolute forces of nature… one of the great clean the house and listen albums. Floatin! 4.1

This drags a bit; it’s definitely from a different era. But, unlike the Sinatra album I had recently, this actually reimagines the songs instead of just covering them as they are. Super cool, even if it’s not really for me. 7/10 Quite Likeable

ik zou het zelf niet direct beginnen luisteren, maar stel dat dit op zou staan in een restaurantje of een bar dan zou ik wel gelukkig zijn

Turns out I had little idea what Ray Charles was all about. For the lazy, he's black Sinatra. Fortunately, I found nothing that I would call Country Western here. Modern . . . for the time, sure. I'm here for it, though. Ray isn't (or at least wasn't at the time) the songwriter of Sinatra, but the performances are at least equal.

How can you not love ray charles!?

Initially, I was quite daunted by a 24 track double album, but honestly I had a great time. So many well known standards, just classed up to the highest degree. Favourite track: Hey, Good Lookin’

A classic

Que album tan precioso, da gusto escuchar cosas asi. Tan relajantes, armoniosas, hechas con tanto amor 9/10

So much soul in this album A bit long for a comfortable listening but really relaxing 4 stars Fav song : Bye Bye Love

Koselig gammal ray charles, 60 talls sweetness! Dette liker jeg meget godt

Ray Charles vocals were so good I creamed

lovely

To be able to enjoy c&w classic songs by Mr. Charles is a surprise for me

Banger🔥

great stuff

Fantastic, just a really classic sound. Will be listening again

I liked this. Lots of old country classics done with gusto. Perfect for cooking and eating Friday night dinner.

This is what I mean when I say I like pre-911 country.

so gorgeous. the arrangements are wonderful and i love the way he sings... really powerful but definitely a bit understated. 'i love you so much it hurts' and 'you win again' were favorites.

finally. something made before the advent of personal computing. one minute in and i can already tell i've been grossly underestimating his amount of juice (no pause) for the entirety of my life. yes i watched ray (2004). "i love you so much it hurts." that's it. that's the comment. great a side. alright b side. listen before the tau tangles kick in. 3.8-5.

Ray Charles fucking legend!

Great sound on this album.

Excellent double-album! Feel good music that felt a little like it transported me back in time.

Cool

Not my type of music but really well done

Very pleasant listen

A lil repetitive but ooooh im swinging (3.75)

listening to the 2024 remaster. hope that doesn’t suck ass. it shouldn’t, i trust 20s remasters a lot more than stuff before that tbh.

One of the best old school music

Very, very good. Would have been 5 stars, but it was just so long.

Classic Ray Charles. Kind of a cross between Sinatra and Country & Western

Gave this a few tries, it's a good album but often ends up fading to the back. Ray is a great singer and I think the jazz elements on top of the country themes is such a unique idea and he executes very well on it. Maybe could've been a bit shorter for a cohesiveness but it's an awesome piece of work.

Really enjoyed, sheer quality performance and arrangements the grand father of modern American music.

great listening music

album para escuchar en mis mañanas, calido y elegante, romantico. me hace acordar a disney

Amazing record

479/1089 - Great concept. Very good execution too but unfortunately it has schmaltzy string orchestra and choir which kind of defeats the purpose. Great feel on piano.

2 great records by Ray Charles. The name threw me off for a moment as I thought he had taken his shot at making Country / Western music. I should have realized it was him and his take on Country / Western classics from that era. Ray's voice is soothing and rich, such a good listen.

This is a short album but it felt like a long album. However the good songs are really good.

Ray Charles is going to get a lot more playtime in the next ten years of my life than he had in the first 50.

I liked this way more than I thought I would

3.5/4

It feels like it's mostly Ray Charles doing covers, don't get me wrong, I like it, but I prefer his more iconic songs to this.

notas muy relajantes con tonos suaves pero a la vez altos

A record that deserves a high ranking based on the barriers it broke and its place in American history. Musically, it’s all quite pleasant. Ray Charles has a beautiful voice. Certain songs like Hey Good Lookin are quite amazing. I do find myself wishing there was more piano from Ray throughout. The style does get a little old after an hour. But still a timelessly important album, with some legitimate musical chops. 4/5.