Ray Charles performs "It's Not Easy Being Green" Live at The McCallum Theatre (1991) in Palm Desert, CA. HB Barnum - conductor. David Rokeach - drums. Kenny Carr - guitar. Benoit Grey - bass. The Tommy Shepard Orchestra.
Thank you for your beautiful observation of this video as you took the emotions I have always felt watching this and managed to word my personal feelings with 100% accuracy in just these few perfectly chosen words, which was something I have somehow NOT been able to do -- up until I read your comment tonight :) I have said for many years, that if there was ONE singer that I was told I could hear sing ONE last song before I went to meet my maker, my choice would be Ray Charles without ANY question, who, in my opinion, is the Greatest Of All Time and your comment on what makes his version of "this" particular song so ironic and moving is poetic in its emotion and EXACTLY what I have always wanted to claify within myself and I just wanted to thank you for doing that for me - God Bless and #ROCKON
What makes me really tear up when listening to this performance is that Jim Henson, who originally sang this song in 1969 on Sesame Street and alongside Ray Charles in 1975, had passed away about a year prior. So Ray here is partially doing a tribute to Jim and expressing how much that song meant to him as a blind black person growing up in the pre-Civil Rights era. I can’t help but cry my eyes out whenever hearing this with that in mind.
Yeah. I recommend watching Kermit's original version of this song; then -- *just in case* the allegory was a bit too subtle -- watch Kermit and Ray Charles singing it together (and as always, wonder at how *expressive* Kermit's face can be); and then watch this one.
Not ashamed to say it. The first time I heard Ray sing this silly little children's song, first recorded by a frog, I started crying. I realized what Ray had done was take it and make it about a six year old blind child in the poor south hated by too many for the color of the skin he could not see on his own body. With his incomparable soul and inimitable voice, plus an amazing arrangement added to it, it is now an anthem about survival, acceptance, understanding and love.
I don't agree that this was ever a "silly little children's song". It has always been about isolation, self-doubt, and ultimately personal acceptance. The fact that it is about a frog and his greenness allows all of us to apply it to our own circumstances. This version by Ray Charles is brilliant and beautiful, but he doesn't reinvent the intent of the original. .
No, but the history of the song is well documented, I do read....I wasn't there when the Declaration of Independence was written either, but I can comment on it's original meaning. What is your point?
It's not easy being green. It's not easy being blind. It's not easy being black. It's not easy living the childhood Ray's lived. I can see why he loved this song so much. Because despite it all, every bit of Ray was great.
The song was very popular. It became super famous when Kermit the Frog first sang it in the Sesame Street movie and the show and many big artists sang it ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VlyUPxp4R2Q.html
Just in case the metaphors in Kermit's original version were too subtle for some people in the back of the class to pick up on, here's Ray hammering it home.
As I'm watching the Jim Henson "Idea Man" documentary, I went searching for renditions of "Bein' Green" and found this. Be still, my heart. The late, great Ray Charles. AMAZING.
EVERYTIME!!! My mom passed 2018...i used to watch her and dad dance...they have passed...my heart aches everyday...SHE. was my BEST friend...so yes sweet person...everytime. MY💓2U&2URS.
His pitch control is absolutely perfect. For all the expressive glides and bends and gospel soulfulness and emotive painting, he always returns to perfectly clear notes. Unbelievable. Truly one of the greatest of all time.
That's what made him The Genius! Set everything else aside, and there was so much -the creativity, the soul, his outrageous personality and stage presence- on a musical level his execution was always perfect.Truly one of the greats. There was Ray, and then there's everyone else
I had this on a 45 when I was a kid... This song had the words to describe the feeling trapped inside my heart... It was not easy... young, black, and a little girl living in the south.
Hit the nail squarely. This song is about accepting & loving oneself, one's individuality, one's uniqueness, sometimes despite all obstacles & appearances to the contrary. A valuable lesson not only for muppets & children.
I had that Muppets album when I was a child and that song always made me cry when Kermit sang it, but this is on a whole nother level. The tears are rolling!
Man....I first heard this on the Cosby Show... In my childhood.... This song, that show, this artist... RAY CHARLES... Touches my soul.... My heart... Reminds me of a time, when life could be defined in a "Simple Song"....
I’m in the hospital with Covid and I have pneumonia but this song makes me cry and smile at the same time 🙂..please pray for me I have no one with me now and I’m scared to die alone here
Great song, great suit, great man. Ray was unparalleled in his revision of other people's music. Another musician once said of him "When Ray gets ahold of it, it ain't no more their song."
The Cosby Show bought me here ... The one where Rudy wanted to wear her pretty purple summer dress to a birthday party but it was autumn and Claire wasn't here for Rudy's shenanigans and made her take that dress off and put on some fall clothes. That was one of my favorite Cosby Show scenes because of this song.
This song always breaks me... we often use "it's not easy being green" among friends after something happened l, which was clearly caused by being perceived as different or worse. I actually found this cover after a friend posted me that sentence. I send him the kermit and this version... it never fails to lift you up.
I’m about to cry, this is amazing. The meaning of this song I beautiful. Also blind man singing about a color he may’ve never seen before makes me so sad :(
Believe it or not i had never heard this song! I heard it for the first time on The Cosby Show & my daughter explained to me the real meaning of the song, just heard the whole song for the first time today when i bought it up on You Tube, beautiful song & beautiful meaning, this song is timeless!❤🌹
One of my favorite childhood songs, by one of my favorite singers, Rest in peace for both Ray Charles and Jim Henson, which they both deserve. Thank you for posting this.
This song reminds me of when I was lonely and I couldn't understand why. I've grown used to being alone. It's not such a bad thing. I've looked learned to love me everyday
I miss the genius of Ray Charles and you can add me alongside those who cried when they first heard him sing this beautiful. It's not that easy growing up black in pre civil rights America!
The composer of this beautiful piece of music is the legendary "Joe Raposa" read his autobiography to see how he arrived at composing this fabulous piece.
I just heard this song on The Cosby Show. And then I needed to see Ray sing it live. This song truly evokes a lot of emotions. Thank u Ray,for only you could.