Ray Charles, Hit The Road Jack | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

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In the 158^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “Hit The Road Jack” by the iconic, late musician, Ray Charles.

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez ! Throwback Vibez is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past. The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils ! All genres of music are welcome. In the 158^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “Hit The Road Jack”, performed by Ray Charles.

“What’d you say?” Ah, who doesn’t love a great, tongue in cheek classic! That is what the late, great Ray Charles serves up on “Hit The Road Jack”, which was penned by Percy Mayfield. “Hit The Road Jack” is one of the 17-time Grammy winner’s most beloved and most popular songs. Notably, it spent two weeks at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961 – impressive. Furthermore, the record is credited to Charles, and his orchestra, with The Raelettes, who provide superb background vocals. Yes, it is Ray’s lead vocals that take the cake, but The Raelettes play a sizable role in the success of this classic joint.

The incredibly catchy chorus of “Hit The Road Jack” is one of the most easily recognizable of all time: “Hit the road, Jack, and don’t ya come back / No more, no more, no more, no more.” Charles serves up gritty, soulful lead vocals. He sings with an incredible amount of personality which is always a win. There are no shortage of memorable lyrics aside from the chorus. Perhaps the best example is the first verse:

“Old woman, old woman, don’t treat me so mean

You’re the meanest old woman that I’ve ever seen

I guess if you say so

I’ll have to pack my things and go (That’s right).”

Beyond the epic vocals – lead and backgrounds – the instrumental arrangement and production ( Sid Feller produces) are on-point too . Idiomatic of the early 1960s, listening to “Hit The Road Jack” north of 70 years later, it still sounds epic to the n^thdegree. This is a two-minute-long oldie that never, ever gets old.