Doing His Thing Explained

Doing His Thing
Type:studio
Artist:Ray Charles
Cover:RayCharles_DoingHisThing.jpg
Released:May 1969
Recorded:RPM Studios, Los Angeles, California
Genre:Soul
Length:32:33
Label:ABC/Tangerine
Producer:Joe Adams
Prev Title:I'm All Yours Baby
Prev Year:1969
Next Title:My Kind of Jazz
Next Year:1970

Doing His Thing is a 1969 studio album by Ray Charles, released by Tangerine Records. The cover artwork was by Lafayette Chew.

Critical reception

In his January 1970 "Consumer Guide" column, The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau wrote of Charles and the LP: "It's so easy to forget what a genius he still is. No balladeering here, no Beatle-mongering, nothing but hard-bopping Ray Charles soul. Yeah."[1] In The Rolling Stone Album Guide (1992), J. D. Considine said it marked a return to Charles' funkier style of music with "an album that's long on groove but short on songs (although the interplay between Charles and Jimmy Lewis on 'If It Wasn't for Bad Luck' is delightful)".[2]

Rex Reed's review of the album for Stereo Review in December 1969 stated, "Ray Charles is one singer who can be counted on to do his own thing, and if you dig his doing it over and over again, you'll love this record. Mr. Charles has collaborated in writing several of the songs here, and Jimmy Lewis has a credit on every one of them. The result is a sameness of emotional content, musical style, and tempo. Over it all hangs Charles' hearty wail, like a baitrabbit leading a pack of greyhounds. Round and round the track he leads them. If you're an avid Charles fan, you'll still be in the stands for the final band. I left this event early and went to one of my favorite restaurants, where they still have 'Ruby' on the jukebox."[3] Reviewing the cassette, 8-track and reel-to-reel versions two months later, Don Heckman, in the same publication, wrote:

Track listing

all songs written by Jimmy Lewis except as noted

Side A

  1. "The Same Thing That Can Make You Laugh (Can Make You Cry)" (Jimmy Lewis, Ray Charles) – 2:06
  2. "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers" (Cliff Chambers, Jimmy Holiday, Jimmy Lewis) – 2:25
  3. "You Ought To Change Your Ways" – 2:45
  4. "Baby Please" – 3:35
  5. "Come and Get It" – 2:48

Side B

  1. "We Can Make It" – 3:43
  2. "I’m Ready" – 3:20
  3. "That Thing Called Love" – 2:54
  4. "If It Wasn’t For Bad Luck" (Jimmy Lewis, Ray Charles) – 4:45[4]
  5. "I Told You So" – 4:11

Personnel

Notes / references

Notes and References

  1. News: Christgau. Robert. Robert Christgau. November 18, 2021. Consumer Guide (6). The Village Voice. November 18, 2021.
  2. Book: Considine, J. D.. J. D. Considine

    . 123, 126. DeCurtis. Anthony. Anthony DeCurtis. George-Warren. Holly. Henke. James. J. D. Considine. 1992. Ray Charles. . Random House. 9780679737292.

  3. December 1969 . RAY CHARLES: Doing His Thing . . 134.
  4. Duet with Jimmy Lewis

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