"Hallelujah I Love Her So"

"Hallelujah I Love Her So" is a rhythm and blues single written by and released by American singer Ray Charles in 1956 on the Atlantic label.

The song peaked at number five on the Billboard R&B chart and much like "I Got a Woman" and "This Little Girl of Mine" before it was a song based on a gospel hymn with lyrics changed around to fit a secular blues format.

These songs predated the groundbreaking success Charles had near the end of the fifties with "What'd I Say" but they helped contribute to Charles' huge success with the R&B community at the time.

"Hallelujah I Love Her So" is a testament to the joyous release of love, featuring a sophisticated horn arrangement, and memorable tenor sax solo (by Don Wilkerson). Peggy Lee, Eddie Cochran and later, Humble Pie would successfully cover the song.

Credits

* Lead vocal by Ray Charles
* Instrumentation by the Ray Charles Orchestra
* Produced by Jerry Wexler

Cover versions

* Peggy Lee (as "Hallelujah I Love Him So")
* Connie Francis (as "Hallelujah I Love Him So")
* Eddie Cochran (single A-side)
* Earl Grant
* Jerry Lee Lewis
* Frank Sinatra (taken at a slow, bluesy pace, appears on My Way)
* The Beatles
* The Animals
* Gerry & The Pacemakers
* Humble Pie
* Eva Cassidy (as "Hallelujah I Love Him So")
* The Blues Band
* The Holloways
* Davy Graham (acoustic instrumental version on 1963 album The Guitar Player)
* New Zealand Jazz singer Erna Ferry covered the song for her 2005 album Devil May Care (as "Hallelujah I Love Him So") with the Rodger Fox big band
* Belgian singer Raymond van het Groenewoud translated the song on his 1988 album Intiem
* Saxophonist Maceo Parker on his 2008 album Roots & Grooves

Single by Ray Charles
from the album Ray Charles (or, Hallelujah I Love Her So)
A-side: "Hallelujah I Love Her So"
B-side: "What Would I Do Without You"
Released: 1956
Format: 7" 45rpm
Length: 2:35
Label: Atlantic
Writer(s): Ray Charles
Producer: Jerry Wexler

Wikipedia