Released in 1953
Ah you can talk about the pit, barbecueThe band was jumpin, ' the people tooAh mess around, they doin' the Mess AroundThey doin' the mess aroundEverybody doin' the mess aroundAh, everybody was juiced, you can, bet your soulThey did the boogie-woogie, with a sturdy rollThey mess around, they doin' the mess aroundThey doin' the mess aroundEverybody doin' the mess aroundNow ah, when I say stop don't you move a pegWhen I say go just ah, shake your legAnd do the mess around, I declare do the mess aroundYeah do the mess aroundEverybody's doin' the mess aroundNow let me have it there boyNow you got it boyYeah ah, mess around, go on mess aroundMess around, boyNow this band's goin' to play from 9 to 1Everybody here's gonna have some funDoin' the mess aroundAh, doin' the mess aroundThey doin' the mess aroundEverybody doin' the mess aroundNow you see that girl, with that diamond ringShe knows how to shake that thingMess around, I declare she can mess aroundAh, mess aroundEverybody do the mess around
Man, oh man! This song is great! Considering this was released a year before "rock and roll" really mainstreamed (with thanks to Bill Haley), this song is a great example of rock and roll that you can hear influences in. This song starts with a boogie-woogie beat played by Charles on the Piano before exploding to the chorus. The Mess Around, seems to me, is a certain dance that he is singing about. Hey, Charles was also much ahead of the dance craze that came in the late 50's to the early 60's!
When I first heard of this song, I heard it from The Animals. They recorded their version in 1965 for their album "The Animals on Tour", which is basically a bunch of old R&B songs. I was immediacy drawn to the piano played by none other than Alan Price. I then took a look of the original, and the piano in that song is just a great! It may be played a tad slower (although you cant tell unless you listen to them closely.)
However, the original slaps. One thing that is different is that Ray Charles adds a terrific horn selection in his version. I really like the horns because it reminds me of old rock and roll and swing.
The piano solo is also fab. When I think of early 50's music, I think of Old Blue Eyes and that song "How Much Is That Doggie In the Window". Basically, old pop music. Teenagers didn't have their own music to communicate with and then this song comes out. Man, this song must have been a real treat to teenagers. It's fast, it's raw, and it's exciting.
Although Charles did do some slower songs in the future, this song will forever associate me with him.
