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I Got a Woman

Rating:
4.5 / 5

Words & Music: Ray Charles

Well, I've got a woman
Way cross town
She's good to me oh, yeah
Say. I've got a woman
Way cross town
She's good to me oh, yeah

She's here in the morning,
loving me
Yeah, she's a kind of friend to me

She says she love me early in the morning
Just for me
Oh, yeah you know she loves me
Oh, naturally

She's there to love me both day and night
No groans or fusses, treats me right
Never running in the street
Loving me alone
She knows a woman's place is around home at night

Well, she's my baby
And I'm her loving man

Recordingdate: 1956/01/10, first released on: Elvis Presley (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of I Got a Woman:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)

Availability

Find available albums with I Got a Woman.

Lex wrote on April 21, 2008
This Ray Charles cover rocked like hell in 1956. The early "Vegas" versions were quite good too, but by the time he started the Amen routine it got less and less.
My boy, my boy wrote on May 21, 2008
The very first song Elvis ever recorded for RCA...it succesfully put everyone in the right mood for what was about to break out !
Natha wrote on May 21, 2008
After a deliberately chosen sort of inconclusive 'well' Elvis breaks out in his pure rock 'n' roll interpretation which makes all the more clear why he is the king, both in style and presentation.
sitdown68 wrote on May 21, 2008
Well,...I got a woman is based on the gospel song "I Want My Crown, Lord" as sung by Mahalia Jackson.
old shep wrote on May 21, 2008
The 1956 version was a strange recording with RCA trying to find that "SUN sound" which they never achieved.non the less an Elvis classic. Sorry I didn't like the concert I Got a Woman/Amen throw away version at all.
Steve V wrote on May 21, 2008
Great song. Only Elvis did this song justice in the Rock n Roll style. Ray has the ultimate R&B version & Darin's isnt bad either. But the 1956 version by Elvis defined who he was as much as any recording he did that year especially with the introduction of the 'Elvis ending'. I like the earlier live versions 1969-70 too, but couldnt take later live versions with the Amen ending. It became so boring as he was on auto-pilot by then.
I Saw the Light wrote on May 21, 2008
Yep, great song! One of this magic happy songs. I really like Elvis' 70's concert versions, he enjoyed singing it and it was a perfect song to show the crowd that King still rocks.
OtisBlue22 wrote on May 21, 2008
The August 1970 performance captured in 'That's The Way It Is' is great but I especially like the 1974 Memphis version, not to mention the 1972 Elvis on Tour rendition which is quite similar. The Amen segment is an affirmation of Elvis' gospel roots, and I would love to have seen it live!! As for the 1956 studio recording, it was lacking a certain warmth as Elvis was getting used to the RCA style and for me it didn't gel like the Sun sessions, not by a long shot. Sounded a bit phony, almost an imitation.
burninglove92 wrote on December 10, 2008
The 1956 version is a fantastic version i love watchin his performance of this on the stage show. but TTWII versions is just pure entertainment, andi love the on tour version which where the amen phase starts coming in. fantastic, Elvis at his best
bajo wrote on September 04, 2009
Always loved the '56 version! But, I like many of the '70's renditions also of which a few have already been mentioned here. I think the concert version fit well into the shows! Actually one of the better ones of his own early studio material he did on stage including Trying To Get To You!
JLpResLey wrote on September 04, 2009
Great song, the recording from 1956 is a good recording. I guess everyone has totally different opinions about the concert versions. The versions from 1969-1973 are better than the ones from 1974-1977. But I find some versions from 1976-1977 excting, like the EIC version. It´s a standard in the live show, but Elvis rarely did the song justice, I compare it with CC Rider. But from time to time, I enjoy it
Ruthie wrote on September 05, 2009
I have never gotten over the 56 recording - never will. It just rocked so much for the times. His version at the August 71 show was incredible. Two different versions at 2 different times spanning almost 2 decades. He does it better than anyone & always will.
Gorse wrote on January 10, 2013
Absolutely sensational rock and roll. What a start to his RCA recordings and one of the best rock songs of his whole career. I just can't believe this does not have 5 stars as an average.
Deano1 wrote on February 24, 2013
I am not quite as enamored with this one as most others are, but I still think the version that appeared on his first LP is exceptional (4.5 stars). The live 1974 version that appeared on the live Memphis LP in '74 was fun and I really liked the version that appeared on "Elvis In Concert". It is true that today too many versions of the IGAW/Amen medley exist on soundboard and audience recording CD's and it has lost some of its charm, but at the time it was fine.
ElvisSacramento wrote on February 25, 2013
This is such a magnificent, catchy, groovy, fun and electrifying song and all of Elvis' renditions of it were brilliant. My favorite Elvis rendition of it is the 1956 studio recording from his debut RCA album. This was such a spectacular start to his tenure with RCA.
sugartummy wrote on March 15, 2013
For the record, Ray Charles didn't like Elvis' singing. That said, Elvis clearly liked Charles' songs. During Sun he sang this one live and still did it in 1977. The 1969 version is at a tremendous speed. That one is probabaly my favourite version.
Pedro Nuno wrote on May 13, 2014
This is why Elvis is The King of Rock. He transformed a good soul song into an ultimate Rock’n’Roll hymn! Way better than the original. Brutal! Immortal! Elvis The Pelvis the greatest social and cultural force in the World! Amen.
DerekH wrote on May 13, 2014
I remember reading an article back in the 60's that the powers to be at RCA wanted this song to be Elvis first RCA single, but Elvis put his foot down and got his way to release Heartbreak Hotel. He was very strong minded in those early days. Wonder how it would have impacted the pop world. 4 star from me. HH 5 star.
TheMemphisFan wrote on August 08, 2015
Elvis' live versions from 1969 and 1970 are unbeatable!
Cruiser621 wrote on June 12, 2017
One of the very first records I ever had via a Christmas present on 78 RPM. The sound RCA was trying to duplicate was the sound he had while at Sun Records and it never really came close. I sometimes wonder what Elvis would have sounded like with his voice recorded "dry", which in fact you can hear on the FTD release of his first album, "Elvis Presley". A classic.
atomic powered poste wrote on April 28, 2018
The master is a nice Cover, and a good album track, but i prefer Ray Charles original recording. But i love the Versions from 69, they really kick ass. They blow me away every time i hear them, never get tired of them. I also like the versions from 1970, nice renditions. Everything afterwards is forgettable at best. 4 stars for the studio-version.
TheMemphisFan wrote on April 28, 2018
I wouldn't say all of Elvis' live versions after 1970 are forgettable. His live renditions in 1972 were also fabulous (before the additions of "Amen" and the dive bomb routine).
TheMemphisFan wrote on April 28, 2018
6 Stars for Elvis' best live versions from 1969 - 1972.
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