‘What’d I Say’ — Ray Charles
Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say” was named the 10th best song in history by Rolling Stone. He wrote it while the band was performing in Pittsburgh in 1958. They had some spare time, so he wrote one of the all-time great songs. “I said to the guys, ‘Hey, whatever I do, just follow me,’” he shared with David Letterman. He added, “And I said the same thing to the girls, I said, ‘Whatever I say, just repeat it, I don’t care what it is.’” The audience enthusiastically obeyed. The song went on to become his first top ten pop hit. This song was always played at the end of his shows. It was added to the National Recording Registry in 2002, which was created to archive tracks that “are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States.”
‘What’d I Say’ — Ray Charles
‘Paint It Black’ — The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black” is currently ranked fifth on Ranker. The single was released in 1966 and was a huge hit. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in the United Kingdom. Chart of singles The band’s third No. 1 hit single in the United States and their sixth in the United Kingdom. Rolling Stone readers voted it the band’s third-best single, behind only “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Gimme Shelter.” In 2004, Keith Richards said that Bill Wyman’s organ was instrumental in the song’s success. He said, “It didn’t sound anything like the finished record until Bill said, ‘You go like this.’”
‘Paint It Black’ — The Rolling Stones