Introduction
“Hit the Road Jack” is a composition penned by the rhythm and blues artist Percy Mayfield and captured in a recording by Ray Charles. Achieving the status of a US number 1 hit in 1961, the song earned Ray Charles a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Recording, solidifying its place as one of Charles’ iconic tracks. Featured in the 1995 film Grumpier Old Men, the song’s roots trace back to Percy Mayfield’s initial a cappella demo in 1960, sent to music executive Art Rupe. Ray Charles, accompanied by The Raelettes vocalist Margie Hendrix, later popularized the track.
Ray Charles’s rendition claimed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks starting from October 9, 1961. Garnering additional acclaim, “Hit the Road Jack” secured a Grammy Award and dominated the R&B Sides chart for five weeks, marking Charles’s sixth number-one on that chart. The song’s significance is underscored by its inclusion in Rolling Stone magazine’s 2010 list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” at number 387 (originally ranked 377 in 2004). In 2013, Ray Charles’s 1961 recording on the ABC-Paramount label earned induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Notably, The Chantels responded with an answer song titled “Well, I Told You,” reaching No. 29 on the charts. The enduring impact of “Hit the Road Jack” is further evidenced by the incorporation of its vocal sample and lyrics in contemporary music.