Song of the Day 11/12: Ray Charles, “Hit the Road Jack”

Somebody should blast this at the White House 24/7 until he concedes.

Ray Charles took this blunt kiss-off to No. 1 in 1961. Margie Hendrix of the Raelettes plays his foil, something she could do easily because they were in a stormy relationship at the time, but the song isn’t about them. It was written by ’50s R&B singer Percy Mayfield, who stopped performing after he was disfigured in an auto accident.

And yes, the song has already been repurposed to comment on recent history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMnytiQCQkA