“Blue Hawaii”
Song by Ray Charles
“Blue Hawaii” is one of the tracks chosen by Ray Charles for his first LP on ABC Records, and it is a strange choice that he does as well as he can with.
The song “Blue Hawaii” was written in 1937 for a movie musical called Waikiki Wedding; it was the B-side of a soundtrack single from the film’s star Bing Crosby that year. Written by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger, “Blue Hawaii” was covered by several other artists in the ensuing years, including Frank Sinatra in 1958, and fit in with Ray Charles’ concept for the 1960 album The Genius Hits The Road, on which every song was about a specific place in the United States.
The trouble with this song, and with much of the album, is that it was always a corny, almost gimmicky little waltz and didn’t seem to rise to the level of the bluesy gravitas that Ray was so famous for. Of course, Ray always said he was in the business of making music for money; he could turn the pathos on, off, up, or down as he saw fit. Even on “Blue Hawaii”?
Ralph Burns’ orchestral backing on Ray’s version is fine, as is Ray’s tender, sympathetic vocal. But what’s the point, really? To fit the LP’s concept, nothing more. Ray always liked to sing a beautiful song, and his warm tenor is much more interesting than, say, Elvis Presley’s silly, hammy version that would be released the following year. However, the song’s ultra-thin subject matter ultimately doesn’t seem to resonate with Ray; this performance is all skill and virtually no heart.
Ray Charles’ “Blue Hawaii” is not a total washout though; it is lovely, and it isn’t the most objectionable track on the album, certainly. That album, like “Blue Hawaii”, has its detractors and supporters, and it is entirely possible to love this song, and to love Ray Charles – in which case you’re in luck.
But if you’re looking for the true heart of Ray, you may be forgiven for thinking that, pleasant though it is, “Blue Hawaii” is not the place to find it.
Listen to “Blue Hawaii”
Songs on The Genius Hits The Road