Doing His Thing
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."[2] 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)".[1] 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 listingall songs written by Jimmy Lewis except as noted Side A
Side B
Personnel
Notes / references
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