'Ray!' Soundtrack Boasts Live Cuts, DVD

By Barry A. Jeckell
Billboard

The soundtrack to the forthcoming Ray Charles biopic "Ray!" features a combination of studio tracks and live recordings from the late "Genius of Soul." The 16-track set, due Aug. 24 via Atlantic/Rhino, will also be released in a special edition package with a bonus DVD.

Concert recordings of Charles performing "Hallelujah I Love Her So," "You Don't Know Me" and "Let the Good Times Roll" are included on the set. Filling it out are such classics as "Georgia on My Mind," "Hit the Road Jack" and "I Got a Woman."

As previously reported, "Ray!" is scheduled to open Oct. 27 in U.S. theaters. The film stars Jamie Foxx, who lip-syncs to recordings of Charles throughout the film.

The bonus DVD included with the limited-edition version of the soundtrack features four performance clips of Foxx as Charles, all created by the film's director, Tyler Hackford. Also included is the "Ray!" theatrical trailer and a photo gallery.

Charles, who died June 10 of complications relating to liver disease, had supported the film's creation and even contributed new recordings to the project.

"Ray Charles OK'ed the script, and he was 100% supportive of what we were doing in telling his life story," Curt Sobel, the film's music supervisor and music editor recently told Billboard."If there were [original recordings] that were unavailable, or if they didn't match the script, we had Ray come in and do the songs."

Here is the "Ray!" soundtrack list:

"Mess Around"
"I Got a Woman"
"Hallelujah I Love Her So" (live)
"Night Time Is the Right Time"
"Mary Ann"
"Hard Times"
"What'd I Say"
"Georgia on My Mind"
"Hit the Road Jack"
"Unchain My Heart"
"I Can't Stop Loving You"
"Born To Lose"
"Bye Bye Love"
"You Don't Know Me"
"Let the Good Times Roll"

Here is the bonus DVD track list:

"Mary Ann"
"Night Time Is the Right Time"/What'd I Say"
"Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)"
"Unchain My Heart"
• "Ray!" theatrical trailer
• Photo gallery

Thanks again for the info AKA!!! :wave:

Can't wait for the movie. I'm hearing alot of Oscar buzz about Jamie Foxx.

This movie looks like it'll be a must-see, folks. Here (http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&id=1808406395&cf=trailer&intl=us)'s the trailer.

Man, where was I when you posted this? Thanks for the info AKA. That cd certainly sounds like one to pick up.

Saw the trailer last night at the movies & Jamie Foxx seems to have Ray down perfect, facial expressions and all.

Originally posted by vashti1999
Man, where was I when you posted this? Thanks for the info AKA. That cd certainly sounds like one to pick up.

Absolutely. I've been looking to dip my toe into Ray's catalogue for years, and this looks like a good place to start.

Originally posted by Dr. Jazz
Saw the trailer last night at the movies & Jamie Foxx seems to have Ray down perfect, facial expressions and all.

I know. Who would have thought that Wanda The Ugly Woman from In Living Color would mature into a great actor?

He has another movie coming out with Tom Cruise I really want to see.

I tried searching both amazon.com and towerrecords.com for info on the Ray! soundtrack, seeing how it was due on the 24th of August but neither site has it listed. I hadn't heard any news that it was pushed back either, but I'm not surprised if it was. I would think they'd want to release the album around the same time as the movie. There is however a Ray Charles duets album due for release on August 31 called "Genius Loves Company". Here's the tracklist:

1. Here We Go Again - Features Norah Jones
2. Sweet Potato Pie - Features James Taylor
3. You Don't Know Me - Features Diana Krall
4. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Features Elton John
5. Fever - Features Natalie Cole
6. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind - Features Bonnie Raitt
7. It Was A Very Good Year - Features Willie Nelson
8. Hey Girl - Features Michael McDonald
9. Sinner's Prayer - Features B.B. King
10. Heaven Help Us All - Features Gladys Knight
11. Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Features Johnny Mathis
12. Crazy Love - Features Van Morrison

Wow, that album looks like a winner. Thanks for posting the tracklist, Vashti.

Originally posted by AKA
Wow, that album looks like a winner.

Yeah, it sounds like it might be interesting. Checking online, I saw that there's a massive Ray Charles box set available. That may be too much to invest in for someone who doesn't have Ray in the collection but would like to (namely me), but it is enticing.

I guess we'll have to wait until October 19 (the new scheduled release date) to see how this comes out. The few American sites I've checked out that had any info at all made no mention of the dvd. Amazon.com lists only 16 tracks on the cd, but other sites list 17. The article below is from a website based in Australia.


Ray Charles Soundtrack Album Coming

By Paul Cashmere

18 September 2004

Hot on the heels of the success of Ray Charles final album 'Genius Loves Company' comes the official tracklisting for the Ray Charles movie 'Ray'.

Warner Music will release the 'Ray' soundtrack featuring a best of Ray Charles.

The album will be released with a special edition CD/DVD package. The 13 minute bonus DVD will include the Ray trailer and photo gallery.

The movie features Jamie Foxx playing the lead role of Ray Charles. It traces the life of Ray from the time of his birth. Charles went blind at age 7 shortly after witnessing his younger brother's accidental death.

Charles then found his calling behind a keyboard and incorporated various genres including jazz, soul and country and western into his music.

The movie opens in the United States on October 29.

Soundtrack tracklisting is:

1. Mess Around [2:38]
Atlantic single #999 (7/53)
From the album Ray Charles (aka Hallelujah I Love Her So), Atlantic #8006 (6/57)

2. I've Got A Woman [2:48]
Atlantic single #1050 (12/54)
From the album Ray Charles (aka Hallelujah I Love Her So), Atlantic #8006 (6/57)

3. Hallelujah I Love Her So (Live) [2:26]
From the album Ray Charles Live In Concert, ABC-Paramount #500 (1/65)

4. Drown In My Own Tears [3:19]
Atlantic single #1085 (1/56)
From the album Ray Charles (aka Hallelujah I Love Her So), Atlantic #8006 (6/57)

5. (Night Time Is) The Right Time [3:26]
Atlantic single #2010 (11/58)
From the album The Genius Sings The Blues, Atlantic #8052 (9/61)

6. Mary Ann [2:45]
Atlantic single #1085 (1/56)
From the album Ray Charles (aka Hallelujah I Love Her So), Atlantic #8006 (6/57)

7. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) [2:53]
Atlantic single #2118 (9/61)
From the album The Genius Sings The Blues, Atlantic #8052 (9/61)

8. What'd I Say (Live) [4:29]
From the album Ray Charles Live In Concert, ABC-Paramount #500 (1/65)

9. Georgia On My Mind [3:37]
ABC-Paramount single #10135 (8/60)
From the album Genius Hits The Road, ABC-Paramount #335 (7/60)

10. Hit The Road Jack [2:00]
ABC-Paramount single #10244 (8/61)
From the album Ray Charles Greatest Hits, ABC-Paramount #415 (7/62)

11. Unchain My Heart [2:52]
ABC-Paramount single #10266 (11/61)
From the album Ray Charles Greatest Hits, ABC-Paramount #415 (7/62)

12. I Can't Stop Loving You (Live) [3:11]
From the album Ray Charles Live In Japan, Crossover/London [Japan] #535/536 (1976)

13. Born To Lose [3:15]
ABC-Paramount single #10330 (4/62)
From the album Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, ABC-Paramount #410 (4/62)

14. Bye Bye, Love [2:09]
From the album Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, ABC-Paramount #410 (4/62)

15. You Don't Know Me (Live) [3:09]
From the album Ray Charles Live In Concert, ABC-Paramount #500 (1/65)

16. Let The Good Times Roll (Live) [2:59]
From the album Ray Charles Live In Japan, Crossover/London [Japan] #535/536 (1976)

17. Georgia On My Mind (Live) [5:24]
From the album Ray Charles Live In Japan, Crossover/London [Japan] #535/536 (1976)

Special Edition DVD:

1. Mary Ann [3:17]

2. (Night Time Is) The Right Time [:31]

3. What'd I Say [3:03]

4. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) [2:23]

5. Unchain My Heart [2:19]

Looks really good, Vashti! Thanks.