"Georgia on My Mind" is a song written in 1930 by Hoagy
Carmichael (music) and Stuart Gorrell (lyrics). It is the
official state song of the U.S. state of Georgia. Gorrell wrote
the lyrics for Hoagy's sister, Georgia Carmichael . However,
the lyrics of the song are ambiguous enough to refer either to
the state or to a woman named "Georgia". Carmichael's 1965
autobiography,
Sometimes I Wonder, records the origin: a friend,
saxophonist and bandleader Frankie Trumbauer, suggested: "Why
don't you write a song called 'Georgia?' Nobody lost much
writing about the South." Thus, the song is universally
believed to have been written about the state.
The song was first recorded on September 15, 1930 in New
York by Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra with Bix Beiderbecke
on muted cornet and Hoagy Carmichael on vocals. The recording
was part of Bix Beiderbecke's last recording session. The
recording was released as Victor 23013 with "One Night in
Havana".
Frankie Trumbauer had the first major hit recording in 1931
when his recording made the top ten on the charts. Trumbauer
had suggested that Carmichael compose the song.
The song is perhaps best known as sung by Ray Charles, who
recorded it in 1960 on the album
The Genius Hits the Road. It became Georgia's state song
in 1979. Inspired by this blues version, Willie Nelson formally
introduced the song to country audiences in 1978 as a #1
Country/Western hit.
The song was first recorded by Hoagy Carmichael (with Bix
Beiderbecke) in 1930. The song has subsequently been covered by
many artists, significant among them: Frankie Trumbauer and His
Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Dean Martin, Glenn Miller, Michael
Bublé, Ian Moss, Willie Nelson, Michael Bolton, Anita O'Day,
Ella Fitzgerald, Jo Stafford, Red McKenzie and His Mound City
Blue Blowers in 1931, Gladys Knight, Gene Krupa, James Brown,
Alicia Keys and Jamie Foxx, Usher, Fats Waller, Billie Holiday,
Nat Gonella and his Georgians, The Band, Django Reinhardt, Wes
Montgomery, John Mayer, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Righteous
Brothers, Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Coldplay, The Joel Haynes
Trio (with Denzel Sinclair) and the Spencer Davis Group (with
Steve Winwood on vocals), Tony Rice in his California Autumn
album, as well as Arturo Sandoval in his Ronnie Scott's Jazz
House album, and an instrumental version by Oscar Peterson.
Czech singer Pavel Novak recorded song in 1968.
On 30 July 1963, Lou Rawls recorded the song for his album
"Tobacco Road". Cold Chisel's version of the song has become a
staple of their live shows. Guitarist Ian Moss still performs
the song and a live version is included in his "Let's All Get
Together" album. American Idol (Season 8) contestant Matt
Giraud performed this song during Hollywood Week Second Solo
Performance.
It was not until Ray Charles' 1960 recording on
The Genius Hits the Roadthat the song became a major
hit, reaching the number one spot for one week in November 1960
on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. On March 7, 1979, in a mutual
symbol of reconciliation after conflict over civil rights
issues, he performed it before the Georgia General Assembly
(the state legislature). After this performance, the connection
to the
statewas firmly made, and then the Assembly adopted it
as the state song on April 24.
This version of the song was played with a video montage
each time that Georgia Public Television went off the air
nightly. With the advent of 24-hour broadcasting, it is rarely
used now, the last time being in 2009 for the permanent
sign-off of GPB's analog TV stations on February 17.
The song was used as the theme song to the CBS sitcom
Designing Women(set in Atlanta), initially as an
instrumental (performed by Doc Severinsen), and later in a
recording by Ray Charles. Charles' version was also sampled for
rap group Field Mob's 2005 single, "Georgia", featuring Jamie
Foxx and Ludacris.
Sometime after 2000, Charles invited the Italian singer
Giorgia Todrani to sing the song with him after learning that
she was named in honor of the song.
Jamie Foxx and Alicia Keys, backed by Quincy Jones & his
Orchestra, performed a new arrangement in honour of Ray Charles
at the 2005 Grammy Awards.
In 2003,
Rolling Stonemagazine named "Georgia on My Mind" the
44th greatest song of all time.
The title of the song was used as the state of Georgia's
license plate slogan exclusively from January 1997 through
November 2003, with some of these plates remaining valid
through at least December 2009.
The song is referenced in The Beatles' "Back in the USSR",
with the line "Georgia's always on my mind" referring to the
Georgian SSR (Soviet Georgia).
The song is featured in the Stone Mountain Laser Show that
runs each summer outside Atlanta.
The song was one of the songs of the 1996 Summer Olympics
held in Atlanta.
In the television show
Quantum Leap, the Ray Charles version of the song is
used in several episodes, since it was the song which played at
the wedding of the supporting character Al Calavicci. The usage
license was limited, and when the series was released on DVD in
the USA, the producers decided they could not afford to renew
the rights, so the song was replaced with generic instrumental
music. Since the song was used in several emotional scenes,
some fans were disappointed with this decision.
The song is mentioned in the Johnny Flynn song, "Hong Kong
Cemetery".
The song is featured at the end of the House episode
"Saviors" performed by Hugh Laurie.
The lyrics to Ray Charles' version of this song appear in
the Georgia Code under license.
Ray Charles (Hallelujah, I Love Her So) ·
The Great Ray Charles ·
Yes Indeed! ·
Soul Brothers ·
What'd I Say ·
The Genius of Ray Charles ·
Genius+Soul = Jazz ·
The Genius Hits the Road ·
Dedicated to You ·
Ray Charles and Betty Carter ·
The Genius Sings the Blues ·
Soul Meeting ·
The Genius After Hours ·
Ray Charles Greatest Hits ·
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music ·
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol.
2 ·
Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul ·
Sweet & Sour Tears ·
Have a Smile with Me ·
Together Again / Country and Western Meets Rhythm and
Blues ·
Crying Time ·
Ray's Moods ·
Invites You to Listen ·
Portrait of Ray ·
I'm All Yours Baby! ·
Doing His Thing ·
Love Country Style ·
My Kind of Jazz ·
Volcanic Action of My Soul ·
A Message From the People ·
Through the Eyes of Love ·
Jazz Number II ·
Come Live With Me ·
Renaissance ·
My Kind of Jazz, Part 3 ·
Porgy and Bess with Cleo Laine ·
True to Life ·
Love & Peace ·
Ain't It So ·
Brother Ray Is at It Again ·
Wish You Were Here Tonight ·
Do I Ever Cross Your Mind? ·
Friendship ·
The Spirit of Christmas ·
From the Pages of My Mind ·
Just Between Us ·
Would You Believe? ·
My World ·
Strong Love Affair ·
Thanks for Bringing Love Around Again ·
Genius Loves Company
Genius & Friends ·
Ray Sings, Basie Swings
Ray Charles at Newport ·
Ray Charles in Person ·
Live in Concert ·
Live in Japan ·
(Ray Charles Live) ·
Berlin, '62 ·
Ray Charles Celebrates a Gospel Christmas with the
Voices of Jubilation ·
Live at the Olympia, 2000
Do the Twist! with Ray Charles ·
The Ray Charles Story, Vol 1~4 ·
A Man and His Soul ·
The Best of Ray Charles ·
Anthology ·
Seven Spanish Angels and Other Hits ·
The Birth of Soul ·
Genius and Soul ·
The Complete Swing Time & Down Beat
Recordings ·
Ultimate Hits Collection ·
Ray Charles In Concert ·
Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings
(1952-1959)
David "Fathead"
Newman ·
Fathead / Ray Charles Sextet ·
Hank Crawford ·
The Raelettes ·
Ray ·
Quincy Jones ·
The Blues Brothers
Discography ·
Albums ·
Songs