The List That Trumps All Other Lists – The Top 50 Songs Ever

47. What’d I Say, Parts 1 & 2 – Ray Charles

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Released in 1959, it was one of the first soul songs. The composition was improvised one evening late in 1958 when Charles, his orchestra, and backup singers were playing their entire set list at a show and still had time left. The response from the audiences was so enthusiastic that Charles announced to his producer that he was going to record it.

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