"It Should've Been Me" is a 1954

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predomina ...

song written by Memphis Curtis, produced by

Ahmet Ertegun Ahmet Ertegun ( ; , ; July 31, 1923 – December 14, 2006) was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, record executive and philanthropist. Ertegun was the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records. He discovered and championed many lead ...

and recorded and released as a single by American singer

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...

. Recorded at the same May 10, 1953 session as the

boogie-woogie Boogie-woogie is a genre of blues music that became popular during the late 1920s, but already developed in African-American communities since the 1870s.Paul, Elliot, ''That Crazy American Music'' (1957), Chapter 10, p. 229. It was eventually ex ...

-like R&B hit "

Mess Around The "Mess Around" is a song written by Ahmet Ertegun, co-founder and then-vice-president of Atlantic Records, under the pseudonym of A. Nugetre, or "Nuggy". It was performed by Ray Charles, and was one of Charles's first hits. Origins and compo ...

", which was written by Ertegun and released first, "It Should've Been Me" played on a comedic

rap Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates " rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backin ...

vibe/jive in which Charles talked about certain instances where he was smitten with "fine chicks" only to be dismayed that they had partners causing Charles (and in background vocal, Atlantic session musician and writer

Jesse Stone Jesse Stone may refer to: People * Jesse Stone (musician) (1901–1999) was an American musician and songwriter, also known as Charles Calhoun. * Jesse Stone (Wisconsin politician) (1836–1902), Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin from 1899 to 1902 ...

), to say "it should have been (him) with (those) real fine chick(s)." Despite being blind since the age of seven, Ray repeatedly states in the song that he saw different things and different "chicks." Released in early 1954, the song became Charles' first charted hit for

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...

and soon reached number five on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The song begins: :''As I passed by, a real fine hotel, a chick walked out, she sure looked swell..''

James Booker James Carroll Booker III (December 17, 1939 – November 8, 1983) was an American New Orleans rhythm and blues keyboardist and singer. Flamboyant in personality and style, and a pianist of extraordinary technical skill, he was dubbed "the Blac ...

covered the song on his album ''Resurrection Of The Bayou Maharajah'' (1993) as part of a medley with "Life" and "Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee".

Personnel

*Lead vocals and piano by Ray Charles *Background vocals by Jesse Stone *Produced by Ahmet Ertegun

References

1954 singles Ray Charles songs Atlantic Records singles 1953 songs Song recordings produced by Ahmet Ertegun Songs written by Eddie Curtis {{1950s-R&B-song-stub