Today's song is a double feature. I present to you something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, all in one song. Lonely Avenue, originally recorded by Ray Charles in 1956 and more recently covered by Stephen Marley in 2007, is a classic i'm-blue-without-you type of song. Ray Charles was a blind singer-songwriter/musician most noted for his soulful voice and his instrumentation on piano. He could make country music into soul, and national anthems into chart-topping pop hits. He was indeed a Genius. Stephen Marley, son of Bob and Rita Marley, is a 37 year old musician/producer. Of the Marley kids Stephen has the voice most closely resembling Bob's, in my opinion. He has produced much of his brothers' music, as well as the album Chant Down Babylon, which features modern remixes of Bob Marley hits. He released his first solo album Mind Control in 2007. Come and take a walk down Lonely Avenue, it'll be well worth you time. 2 great artists, 2 great versions of 1 great song.
Song: Lonely Avenue
Artist: Ray Charles|Stephen Marley
Album: Yes Indeed! (1958)|Mind Control (2007)
The warm, soulicious voice of Ray Charles is backed by a simple but lovely piano rhythm. A saxophone solo is featured midway through the song, adding a smooth jazzy feel to the song. Lonely Avenue, which was penned by Doc Pomus, was one of the first of countless Ray Charles hits.
Stephen Marley's cover of the song features a bluesy reggae bass line and the signature Marley vibe. Beautiful backing vocals are notable, as well as the insightful ad lib "Stand in love, don't fall in love". Stephen does a wonderful job of breathing new life into a timeless classic.
Listen to Ray's version here
Listen to Marley's version here
Want more Ray Charles? There's plenty more where that came from...try Drown In My Own Tears, Hallelujah I Love Her So, and The Night Time (Is The Right Time).
Keep it comin'...Pick up The Birth Of Soul (compilation) for more Ray.
For more Stephen Marley listen to Hey Baby, Pimpa's Paradise, and Iron Bars.
Still more Stephen...Pick up the his album Mind Control and his brother Damian's Welcome to Jamrock which Stephen produced.
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