Whatd I Say

Song meaning of Whatd I Say by Ray Charles

When asked how "What'd I Say," his first Top 10 pop record, came to be, Ray Charles told Rolling Stone in 1978, "The people just went crazy, and they loved that little 'ummmmmh, unnnnh'."

He actually penned the song "What'd I Say" in front of a crowd. He was performing a protracted dance performance in a tiny town close to Pittsburgh with his top-notch R&B orchestra, which had recently been expanded by the Raelettes, a female singing group.

Late in the second set, Charles ran out of material and began playing an uphill bass-note arpeggio on the piano. He then commanded the band to play along and the Raelettes to "Whatever I say, just repeat after me." After that, dancers flocked around Charles and said, "Where can I buy that record?"

Whatd I Say lyrics by Ray Charles

Hey mama, don't you treat me wrong

Come and love your daddy all night long

All right now, hey hey, all right

See the girl with the diamond ring

She knows how to shake that thing

All right now now now, hey hey, hey hey

Tell your mama, tell your pa

I'm gonna send you back to Arkansas

Oh yes, ma'm, you don't do right, don't do right

Aw, play it boy

When you see me in misery

Come on baby, see about me

Now yeah, all right, all right, aw play it, boy

When you see me in misery

Come on baby, see about me

Now yeah, hey hey, all right

See the girl with the red dress on

She can do the Birdland all night long

Yeah yeah, what'd I say, all right

Well, tell me what'd I say, yeah

Tell me what'd I say right now

Tell me what'd I say

Tell me what'd I say right now

Tell me what'd I say

Tell me what'd I say yeah

And I wanna know

Baby I wanna know right now

And-a I wanna know

And I wanna know right now yeah

And-a I wanna know

Said I wanna know yeah

[Spoken:] Hey, don't quit now! (c'mon honey)

Naw, I got, I uh-uh-uh, I'm changing (stop! stop! we'll do it again)

Wait a minute, wait a minute, oh hold it! Hold it! Hold it!

Hey (hey) ho (ho) hey (hey) ho (ho) hey (hey) ho (ho) hey

Oh one more time (just one more time)

Say it one more time right now (just one more time)

Say it one more time now (just one more time)

Say it one more time yeah (just one more time)

Say it one more time (just one more time)

Say it one more time yeah (just one more time)

Hey (hey) ho (ho) hey (hey) ho (ho) hey (hey) ho (ho) hey

Ah! Make me feel so good (make me feel so good)

Make me feel so good now yeah (make me feel so good)

Woah! Baby (make me feel so good)

Make me feel so good yeah (make me feel so good)

Make me feel so good (make me feel so good)

Make me feel so good yeah (make me feel so good)

Huh (huh) ho (ho) huh (huh) ho (ho) huh (huh) ho (ho) huh

Awh it's all right (baby it's all right)

Said that it's all right right now (baby it's all right)

Said that it's all right (baby it's all right)

Said that it's all right yeah (baby it's all right)

Said that it's all right (baby it's all right)

Said that it's all right (baby it's all right)

Woah! Shake that thing now (baby shake that thing)

Baby shake that thing now now (baby shake that thing)

Baby shake that thing (baby shake that thing)

Baby shake that thing right now (baby shake that thing)

Baby shake that thing (baby shake that thing)

Baby shake that thing (baby shake that thing)

Woah! I feel all right now yeah (make me feel all right)

Said I feel all right now (make me feel all right)

Woooah! (make me feel all right)

Tell you I feel all right (make me feel all right)

Said I feel all right (make me feel all right)

Baby I feel all right (make me feel all right)