“I Wonder Who”
Song by Ray Charles
Ray Charles recorded “I Wonder Who” in August 1953 at a session for his new label Atlantic Records; it was passed over for release at the time but ended up as the final song on the 1961 compilation album The Genius Sings The Blues. It was also released as the B-side of the “Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)” single in September 1961.
(Note: “I Wonder Who” is not to be confused with “I Wonder”, a non-LP B-side from a 1960 single, nor with “I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now” from a Ray Charles Trio 78 from 1951.)
“I Wonder Who” is a sly R&B song with a smoky, dusty, jazz-bar feel. It’s near closing time and the two or three patrons left want to hear one more dejected cri de coeur before they finish their final whiskeys and the bartender sends them out into the night.
Ray’s pained voice suits “I Wonder Who” perfectly, as he ponders obsessively the identity of the fortunate gentleman is who is going to take his baby home tonight. As with most of his recordings at this early stage of his career, Ray is joined by his own sparklingly busy piano playing, a fret-sliding electric guitar as backup, dramatic drums, and a small horn section to add its splash of dirty gold color.
The singer on “I Wonder Who” seems almost addicted to feeling bad – he asks his woman to tell him if she finds a new man, knowing full well the news would devastate him:
If you find a new love
Baby won’t you please tell me so
Well it might break my heart
But still I wanna know
Ray is the undeniable star of “I Wonder Who”, which he also wrote: his voice is recorded louder than the instruments because his howling, deeply suspicious lines are the main emotional focus of the performance. With his voice Ray Charles achieves a rich, electrifying quality. He commands attention just with the force of his personality.
Single releases
“Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)”
b/w
“I Wonder Who”
Listen to “I Wonder Who”
Get your own “I Wonder Who” on 45, LP, CD or MP3 from Amazon. Or get the complete Atlantic recordings 7xCD box set.