Ray Charles’s rendition of “Compared To What” is a potent blend of hard funk and impassioned vocals, originally unleashed as a single and as the opening track of his 1980 album, Brother Ray Is At It Again. While the disco craze was receding and his previous disco-infused releases hadn’t achieved the widespread resurgence he might have anticipated, “Compared To What” signaled a compelling evolution in Ray’s late 70s artistic journey. This wasn’t just disco; it was disco imbued with a profound social commentary.
Gene McDaniels penned “Compared To What” in 1969. Roberta Flack was the first to record and release it as a single that same year. However, it was the electrifying performance by pianist Les McCann and saxophonist Eddie Harris at the 1969 Montreux Jazz Festival that catapulted the song to mainstream success, selling over a million copies. Flack’s version was characterized by a gradual build-up and a simmering tension, a more subdued, plaintive expression of the song’s core message. In contrast, McCann’s extended, jazz-infused interpretation showcased an intensely raw and exasperated vocal delivery.
Ray Charles’s 1980 take on “Compared To What” dives headfirst into the disco soundscape, echoing elements from his recent albums Love And Peace and Ain’t It So. However, it distinguishes itself through its sharply conscious lyrics. The original lyrics confront themes of injustice, abortion, racial inequality, and the Vietnam War, a stark departure from the often lighthearted, Studio 54-centric themes prevalent in dance music of that era.
Interestingly, with Jimmy Carter, a fellow Georgian, in the presidential office and the Vietnam War concluded, Ray Charles opted to omit the verse referencing Nixon and the war. Yet, he retained the song’s powerful core of social critique. He also incorporated many of McCann’s signature vocal interjections, most notably “sock it to me!” injecting an extra layer of dynamism into the performance.
Mike Post, known for his diverse production work with artists ranging from Dolly Parton to Van Halen and even immortalized in a song by The Who, arranged “Compared To What”. The synthesized disco beat is relentless and driving, mirroring the lyrical content’s uncompromising nature. The song’s hook lies in the final line of each verse, the iconic and indignant question, “Trying to make it real – compared to what?” Here, the music dramatically cuts in and out in a forceful staccato, amplifying Ray’s palpable outrage with each repetition – a technique borrowed from the McCann/Harris rendition. Eleven years after the song’s inception, the poignant message remained sadly relevant.
A striking electric guitar solo emerges midway through the track, a somewhat unusual sonic element in Ray Charles’s discography. Not to be outdone, Ray himself delivers a synth solo towards the song’s conclusion, exploring the then-cutting-edge pitch-bending technology, hinting at the sonic directions he would explore more fully in his 1990s work.
Single Releases
Atlantic 3762, released in August 1980, featured “Compared To What” as the A-side, backed with “Now That We’ve Found Each Other”.
Listen to “Compared To What”
For enthusiasts of “Compared To What”, exploring Les McCann and Eddie Harris’ album Swiss Movement is highly recommended to experience their distinctive and equally captivating interpretation.
You can acquire your own copy of “Compared To What” in 45, LP, or MP3 formats from Amazon.
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Songs featured on Brother Ray Is At It Again include:
“Compared To What”
“Anyway You Want To”
Explore more Ray Charles songs from A to Z, including:
“Come Rain Or Come Shine”
“Compared To What”
“Confession Blues”
