“I’m Satisfied”
Song by Ray Charles
First off: “I’m Satisfied” is a duet, even though it isn’t credited as such. The song, originally appearing only on a 1969 single B-side, is full of lines traded off between Ray Charles and Susaye Green, a Raelet around this era. Green receives no credit on the record’s label, which is a shame. It’s not “What Kind Of Man Are You”, but she is more than a mere backing vocalist on “I’m Satisfied”. The song was the B-side of “Let Me Love You”.
Written by husband and wife team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson with Josephine Armstead (a.k.a. Jo or Joshie), “I’m Satisfied” is a fast-paced and funky soul tune. Big horns and an all-business bass guitar open the performance, demanding attention from the very opening seconds. Once the song swings into high gear, it’s driven forward by the ringing tambourine that makes you shake your body in rhythm.
Ray gets the first line (naturally) but Susaye Green is not to be pushed aside: she’s cooing even as Ray is finishing, ready to grab the microphone and say her piece. And she sounds great; one thing that drew Ray to her was her high, angelic voice, pure and soaring. At the time of this record, she was 21 years old; Ray was 38.
Ray Charles, too, is amazing as always. By this point in his career he was so effortless at crawling inside a song; his growled and emotional singing suit the tune perfectly. All of this, together with the busy chords and winning melodies of the song itself, make for a superb if sadly obscure Ray Charles recording.
The Origins of “I’m Satisfied”
The songwriting team of Ashford and Simpson and Armstead had supplied Ray Charles with a number one hit in 1966 with “Let’s Go Get Stoned” from his great Crying Time album; they’d also written “I Don’t Need No Doctor” for him. It was always a match made in heaven when Ray did one of their well-formed and compelling tunes. “I’m Satisfied” is no different.
“I’m Satisfied” was actually first recorded as early as 1965, on the album Saying Something by Chuck Jackson and Maxine Brown. (That album also featured five other tracks by the songwriting trio.)
Single releases
Listen to “I’m Satisfied”
Get your own “I’m Satisfied” on 45 or MP3 from Amazon. Or get the out-of-print complete ABC singles 5xCD box set.