Ray Reflects On America [Parlando]

Compilation album: Ray Charles Sings for America, Rhino/WEA, 3 September 2002.

The weeks after the 9/11 attack the American airwaves were filled with patriotic songs. Ray’s America The Beautiful was probably the song that was most frequently played.

The album was released a year after the 9/11 attack (read this for context).
Only one song track, God Bless America Again, was newly produced for this release, but so was this spoken monologue. Ray talked about “how wonderful and great, and lovely and beautiful this country we live in is”, and explained why songs were selected for this album. After highlighting Ol’ Man River (“he just keeps rollin’ along”) he says, “I wish I could do that”.