Ray Stevens discography explained

Artist:Ray Stevens
Studio:51
Compilation:67
Live:3
Ep:1
Singles:125
Music Videos:75
Option:3
Option Name:Box sets
1Option:2
1Option Name:No. 1 singles

The discography of the American country, pop, and novelty artist Ray Stevens consists of 50 studio albums, 125 singles, 3 live albums, 67 compilation albums, 3 box sets, and 1 extended play. Stevens released his first single in 1957 and his first full album in 1962. Dozens of Stevens' singles have charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and two of them reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "The Streak" and "Everything Is Beautiful". The former and a cover of the jazz standard "Misty" are his biggest hits on the country charts.

Studio albums

1960s

YearAlbumUS
19621,837 Seconds of Humor135
1963This Is Ray Stevens
1968Even Stevens
1969Gitarzan57
Have a Little Talk with Myself

1970s

YearAlbumChart positions
US CountryUSAUS[1] CAN
1970Everything Is Beautiful3528
Unreal!!!141
1972Turn Your Radio On14175
1973Losin' Streak
Nashville36
1974Boogity Boogity101598582
1975Misty310637
1976Just for the Record34
1977Feel the Music50
There Is Something on Your Mind
1978Be Your Own Best Friend

1980s

YearAlbumChart positionsRIAA
US CountryUSAUS
1980Shriner's Convention4132
1981One More Last Chance
1982Don't Laugh Now
1983Me
1984He Thinks He's Ray Stevens3118Platinum
1985I Have Returned198Gold
1986Surely You Joust11
1987Crackin' Up!25
1988I Never Made a Record I Didn't Like52
1989Beside Myself51

1990s

YearAlbumChart positions
US CountryUS Comedy
1990Lend Me Your Ears
1991
  1. 1 With a Bullet
6014
1993Classic Ray Stevens
199520 Comedy Hits
1997Hum It
Ray Stevens Christmas: Through a Different Window69

2000s

YearAlbumChart positions
US CountryUS Comedy
2000Ear Candy
2002Osama-Yo' Mama: The Album29
2007New Orleans Moon
2008Hurricane
2009Ray Stevens Sings Sinatra…Say What??
One for the Road
Christmas

2010s

YearAlbumChart positions
US CountryUS Comedy
2010We the People584
2011Spirit of '76
Bozo's Back Again
2014Ray Stevens Gospel Collection, Volume One
2015Here We Go Again!4
2016Just A Closer Walk With Thee: Gospel Favorites
Love Lifted Me
Mary and Joseph and the Baby and Me

2020s

YearAlbum
2021Great Country Ballads
Melancholy Fescue (High Class Bluegrass)
Slow Dance
Nouveau Retro (What's Old Is New Again)
Ain't Nothin' Funny Anymore

Live albums

YearAlbum
1995Ray Stevens Live!
2012Such A Night! 50 Years Of Hits & Hilarity On Stage…Alive
Patriots and Politics: Live On Stage

Box sets

YearAlbum
1995The Incredible World of Ray Stevens
2006Box Set
2012Encyclopedia Of Recorded Comedy Music
2021Iconic Songs of the 20th Century: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

Compilation albums

YearAlbumChart positionsRIAA
US CountryUS Comedy
1967The Best of Ray Stevens
1968The Best of Ray Stevens
1971Rock & Roll Show (reissue of 1,837 Seconds of Humor)
Ray Stevens' Greatest Hits1595
1975The Very Best of Ray Stevens19173
1976Both Sides of Ray Stevens
1977The Many Sides of Ray Stevens
The Remarkable Ray Stevens: 20 Incredible Hits
1979The Feeling's Not Right Again
The Ray Stevens Greatest Hits Collection
The Best of Ray Stevens
1980Wild and Crazy
1981Oh Lonesome Me
1983Greatest Hits67
1984Ray Stevens Collection
Ray Stevens Greatest Hits
1985Ray Stevens Collector's Series
1986The Very Best of Ray Stevens/Roger Miller
1987Greatest Hits, Vol. 141Platinum
Get the Best of Ray Stevens
Greatest Hits, Vol. 262Gold
1989Funny Man
1990His All-Time Greatest Comic HitsGold
1991Greatest Hits
1992Ahab the Arab
Everything Is Beautiful & Other Hits
Mississippi Squirrel Revival (reissue of He Thinks He's Ray Stevens)
A Brighter Day
The Gospel Side of Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens/Jim Stafford
Ray Stevens – At His Best (reissue of Beside Myself)
1995Get Serious! Soundtrack
Cornball
Serious Side of Ray Stevens
1997The Streak
Gitarzan
The Biggest and the Best
The Best of Ray Stevens
Golden Classics
The Country Hits Collection
1998Back 2 Back
1999The Last Laugh
Misty: The Very Best of Ray Stevens
2000Funniest Characters
200212 Hits
2003Classic Masters
The Collection
2004
The Ones You Want
2005The NRC Years
2008Greatest Hits: The 50th Anniversary Collection
Only The Best Of Ray Stevens
2009Laughter Is The Best Medicine
2010A Funny Thing Happened In Church Today
2014Ahab, Jeremiah, Sgt Preston and More...: The Early Ray Stevens
2016Face the Music: The Complete Monument Singles, 1965-1970
Love Lifted Me

Singles

1950s and 1960s

YearSingle (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated
Peak chart positionsAlbum
US
[2]
US R&BCANAUS
1957"Rang Tang Ding Dong"
b/w "Silver Bracelet"
Non-album tracks
"Five More Steps"
b/w "Tingle"
1958"Chickie-Chickie Wah Wah"
b/w "Crying Goodbye"
"Love Goes on Forever"
b/w "Cat Pants"
"The Clown"
b/w "School"
1959"High School Yearbook - A Deck of Cards"
b/w Truly True"
"My Heart Cries for You"
b/w "What Would I Do Without You?"
"Sgt. Preston of the Yukon"
b/w "Who Do You Love"
108
1960"Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving
Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green and Purple Pills
"
b/w "Teen Years" (from This Is Ray Stevens)
35831,837 Seconds Of Humor
1961"Scratch My Back (I Love It)"
b/w "When You Wish Upon a Star" (Non-album track)
"White Christmas"
b/w "Happy Blue Year"
Non-album tracks
1962"Ahab the Arab"
b/w "It's Been So Long" (from This Is Ray Stevens)
5971,837 Seconds of Humor
"Further More"
b/w "Saturday Night at the Movies'
91
"Santa Claus Is Watching You"
b/w "Loved and Lost" (from This Is Ray Stevens)
45The Best of Ray Stevens
1963"Funny Man"
b/w "Just One of Life's Little Tragedies"
8114This Is Ray Stevens
"Harry The Hairy Ape"
b/w "Little Stone Statue"
17143072
"Speed Ball"
b/w "It's Party Time" (Non-album track)
5929
1964"Butch Barbarian"
b/w "Don't Say Anything" (Non-album track)
The Best of Ray Stevens
"Bubble Gum the Bubble Dancer"
b/w "Laughing Over My Grave" (Non-album track)
1965"The Rockin' Teenage Mummies"
b/w "It Only Hurts When I Laugh"
Non-album tracks
"Mr. Baker the Undertaker"
b/w "The Old English Surfer"
"Party People"
b/w "A-B-C"
130Face the Music: The Complete Monument Singles 1965-1970
1966"Devil May Care"
b/w "Make a Few Memories"
"Freddie Feelgood (and His Funky Little
Five Piece Band)"
b/w "There's One in Every Crowd" (Non-album track)
9122Gitarzan
1967"Answer Me, My Love"
b/w "Mary My Secretary"
95Face the Music: The Complete Monument Singles 1965-1970
1968"Unwind"
b/w "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"
5229Even Stevens
"Mr. Businessman"
b/w "Face the Music"
28733
"The Great Escape"
b/w "Isn't It Lonely Together"
1144334
1969"Gitarzan"
b/w "Bagpipes - That's My Bag"
8103Gitarzan
"Along Came Jones"
b/w "Yakety Yak"
272813
"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down"A
b/w "The Minority" (from Even Stevens)
815934Have a Little Talk with Myself
"—" denotes released that failed to chart or were not released

1970s

YearSinglePeak chart positionsAlbum
US CountryUS
US ACUKCAN CountryCANCAN ACAUS
1970"Have a Little Talk with Myself"
b/w "The Little Woman"
6312350Have a Little Talk with Myself
"I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"
b/w "The Fool on the Hill"
112
"Everything Is Beautiful"
b/w "A Brighter Day"
3911611Everything Is Beautiful
"America, Communicate with Me"
b/w "Monkey See, Monkey Do"
451234Unreal!
"Sunset Strip"
b/w "Islands"
81176830
1971"Bridget the Midget (The Queen of the Blues)"
b/w "Night People" (from Unreal
!)5023761Boogity Boogity
"A Mama and a Papa"
b/w "Melt" (Non-album track)
824726Turn Your Radio On
"All My Trials"
b/w "Have a Little Talk with Myself" (from Have a Little Talk with Myself)
70682
"Turn Your Radio On"
b/w "Loving You on Paper" (from Unreal
!)1763243310399
1972"Love Lifted Me"
b/w "Glory Special"
"Losing Streak"
b/w "Inside"
Losin' Streak
1973"Nashville"
b/w "Golden Age"
3744702983Nashville
"Love Me Longer"
b/w "Float"
1974"The Streak"
b/w "You've Got the Music Inside" (from Nashville)
311211112Boogity Boogity
"The Moonlight Special"
b/w "Just So Proud to Be Here"
735926
"Everybody Needs a Rainbow"
b/w "Inside" (from Losin' Streak)
371816Non-album track
1975"Misty"
b/w "Sunshine"
3148221565Misty
"Indian Love Call"
b/w "Piece of Paradise" (Non-album track)
386834
1976"Young Love"
b/w "Deep Purple"
48934447
"Lady of Spain"
b/w "Mockingbird Hill"
108
"You Are So Beautiful"
b/w "One Man Band"
1610117Just for the Record
"Honky Tonk Waltz"
b/w "Om"
2738
1977"In the Mood"
b/w "Classical Cluck
Shown as "Henhouse Five Plus Too"
39403831Non-album tracks
"Get Crazy with Me" /81Feel the Music
"Dixie Hummingbird"4443
1978"Be Your Own Best Friend"
b/w "With a Smile"
365016Be Your Own Best Friend
1979"I Need Your Help Barry Manilow"
b/w "Daydream Romance"
8549116392The Feeling's Not Right Again
"—" denotes released that failed to chart or were not released

1980s and 1990s

YearSingle (A-side, B-side)Peak chart positionsAlbum
US CountryCAN Country
1980"Shriner's Convention"B
b/w "You're Never Goin' to Tampa with Me"
72Shriner's Convention
"Night Games"
b/w "Let's Do It Right This Time"
2011One More Last Chance
1981"One More Last Chance"
b/w "I Believe You Love Me"
3346
1982"Written Down in My Heart"
b/w "Country Boy, Country Club Girl"
35Don't Laugh Now
"Where the Sun Don't Shine"
b/w "Why Don't We Go Somewhere and Love"
63
1983"Mary Lou Nights"
b/w "Piece of Paradise Called Tennessee"
Me
1984"My Dad"
b/w "Me"
64
"I'm Kissin' You Goodbye"
b/w "Joggin'"
He Thinks He's Ray Stevens
1985"Mississippi Squirrel Revival"
b/w "Ned Nostril (and His South Seas Paradise)"
2032
"It's Me Again, Margaret"
b/w "Joggin'"
74
"The Haircut Song"
b/w "Punk Country Love"
45I Have Returned
"Santa Claus Is Watching You" (re-recording)
b/w "Armchair Quarterback"
1986"The Ballad of the Blue Cyclone"
b/w "Vacation Bible School"
50
"Southern Air" (with Jerry Clower and Minnie Pearl)
b/w "The Camping Trip"
63Surely You Joust
"People's Court"
b/w "Dudley Dorite (Of the Highway Patrol)"
70
"Can He Love You Half as Much as I"
b/w "Dudley Dorite (Of the Highway Patrol)"
1987"Would Jesus Wear a Rolex"
b/w "Cool Down Willard"
4145Crackin' Up
"Three Legged Man"
b/w "Doctor Doctor (Have Mercy on Me)"
"Sex Symbols"
b/w "The Ballad of Cactus Pete and Lefty"
1988"Surfin' U.S.S.R."
b/w "Language, Nudity, Violence and Sex"
I Never Made a Record I Didn't Like
"The Day I Tried to Teach
Charlene Mackenzie How to Drive"
b/w "I Don't Need None of That"
88
"I Saw Elvis in a UFO"
b/w "I Used to Be Crazy"
Beside Myself
1989"There's a Star Spangled Banner"
1990"Help Me Make It Through the Night"[3] Lend Me Your Ears
1991"Workin' For the Japanese"62
  1. 1 with a Bullet
"Teenage Mutant Kung Fu Chickens"
1992"Power Tools"72
1993"If 10% Is Good Enough for Jesus"Classic Ray Stevens
"The Motel Song"
"Super Cop"
1997"Mama Sang Bass"Hum It
"Too Drunk to Fish"
"Virgil and the Moonshot"
"Nightmare Before Christmas"Ray Stevens Christmas: Through a Different Window
From 1989 on, tracks were released as CD singles
"—" denotes released that failed to chart or were not released

2000s, 2010s, & 2020s

YearSinglePeak chart positionsAlbum
US Country
2002"Osama - Yo' Mama"48Osama - Yo' Mama: The Album
2004"Thank You"Thank You
2005"We're Having a Baby"Box Set
2006"The New Battle of New Orleans"Non-album single
2008"Hurricane"Hurricane
2009"Concrete Sailor"One for the Road
"Cooter Brown"
"If 10% Is Good Enough for Jesus" We The People
"We the People"
2010"Thank You"
"Caribou Barbie"
"Come to the U.S.A."
"Throw the Bums Out"
"The Global Warming Song"
"God Save Arizona"Spirit of '76
2011"The Skies Just Ain't Friendly Anymore"
"Obama Budget Plan"
"Mr. President - Mr. President"
2012"Obama Nation"
"Grandpa Voted Democrat"
"Guilt For Christmas"Non-album single
"Blue Christmas"
"White Christmas"
"Merry Christmas"
"Redneck Christmas"
2013"Red Hot Chili Cookoff"
"Unchained Melody"
2014"If You Like Your Plan"Here We Go Again
"Nero Fiddled"
2015"Taylor Swift Is Stalking Me"
"You Didn’t Build That"
"Come to the USA"
2016"Dear America"Non-album single
"Mary and Joseph and the Baby and Me"Mary and Joseph and the Baby and Me
2020"Everything Is Beautiful (50th Anniversary Edition)"Non-album single
"The Quarantine Song"
2021"Gas"Ain't Nothin' Funny Anymore
"Hoochie Coochie Dancer"
"—" denotes released that failed to chart or were not released

Music videos

Ray Stevens recognized the power of the music video in the mid-80s and has been releasing them ever since. Ray released a direct-to-video collection of these videos in 1992 called Ray Stevens Comedy Video Classics, which won Billboard Home Video of the Year in 1993. In 1995, Stevens released his film Get Serious! which consisted of several music videos. A series of animated videos were released between 2004 and 2008 which revisited many of Stevens' most popular hits. Ray returned to live action with a series of direct-to-YouTube music videos starting with 2009's "We The People". Some of Stevens' music videos have gone viral and most of them have garnered millions of unique views. In 2012, Stevens released a series of non-album Christmas music videos. Since then he has continued to sporadically release direct-to-YouTube music videos.

YearVideo
1985"Santa Claus Is Watchin' You"
1988"Surfin' USSR"
1990"Help Me Make It Through the Night"
"Sittin' Up With the Dead"
1992"The Mississippi Squirrel Revival"
"It's Me Again, Margaret"
"Everything Is Beautiful"
"The Streak"
1995"Shriner's Convention"
"Gitarzan"
"The Woogie Boogie"
"Dudley Dorite of the Highway Patrol"
"The Dooright Family"
"We Don't Take Nothin' Off Nobody"
"Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens"
"Can He Love You Half as Much as I?"
"I Used to Be Crazy"
"Ahab the Arab"
1997"Virgil and the Moonshot"
"Too Drunk to Fish"
2000"Juanita and the Kids"
"The Pirate Song"
"The Haircut Song"
"Freddie Feelgood (and His Funky Little Five Piece Band)"
"The Ballad of the Blue Cyclone, Parts 1 and 2"
2002"Osama Yo' Mama"
"Hello Mama"
2003"Bridget the Midget (Queen of the Blues)"
"Deerslayer"
"Hang Up and Drive"
"Erik the Awful"
"Gone for Good"
2004"Thank You"
"Power Tools" (Animated)
2006"Teenage Mutant Kung Fu Chickens" (Animated)
"Misty" (Animated)
"Harry the Hairy Ape" (Animated)
"Along Came Jones" (Animated)
"Barbeque" (Animated)
"Gourmet Restaurant" (Animated)
"This Ain't Exactly What I Had in Mind" (Animated)
"Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green and Purple Pills" (Animated)
"The Ballad of Cactus Pete and Lefty" (Animated)
"Can He Love You Half as Much as I" (Animated)
"Smokey Mountain Rattlesnake Retreat" (Animated)
"Hugo the Human Cannonball" (Animated)
"The Moonlight Special" (Animated)
"The Camping Trip" (Animated)
2009"We the People"
2010"Caribou Barbie"
"Throw the Bums Out!"
"Come to the USA"
"The Global Warming Song"
"God Save Arizona"
"Nightmare Before Christmas"
2011"The Skies Just Ain't Friendly Anymore"
"Obama Budget Plan"
"Mr. President - Mr. President"
2012"Obama Nation"
"Grandpa Voted Democrat"
"White Christmas"
"Blue Christmas"
"Merry Christmas"
"Redneck Christmas"
2013"Red Hot Chili Cookoff"
"Aba Daba Honeymoon"
"Doctor Doctor (Have Mercy On Me)"
"Guilt For Christmas"
"Nashville"
"Unchained Melody"
2014"If You Like Your Plan"
"Nero Fiddled"
2015"Taylor Swift Is Stalking Me"
"You Didn't Build That"
"Come To The USA"
2016"Dear America"
"Mary and Joseph and the Baby and Me"
2020"Everything Is Beautiful (50th Anniversary Edition)"
2021"Hoochie Coochie Dancer"

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian)

    . David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 293.

  2. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. 854. 2011. 978-0-89820-188-8.
  3. Reviews . Cash Box . 22 . December 8, 1990.