Please (You Got That) (With INXS) (1993)

Please (You Got That) may well be called the most unexpected duet that Ray ever did. And it certainly wasn't the worst. His duet partner was INXS' Michael Hutchence.
The INXS album Full Moon, Dirty Hearts was released on 2 November 1993 (EastWest 4509942182 / Atlantic Records, 82541-2). Recording it took from November '92 to October '93.

Liner notes from co-writer Andrew Farriss:

"Michael [Hutchence] and I had written two songs in particular with vocal duets in mind. One was the title track of the album Full Moon, Dirty Hearts (with Chrissy Hynde) and the other was Make Your Peace.

We were in Paris working on some overdubs for the album and we heard Mr. Ray Charles was recording in the same studio. We thought it unlikely that he would sing the song with us but we gave him a copy of the song to listen to anyway. To our surprise Ray said he liked the song but the key was way out of his range.

We were running out of time so instead of re-recording it, we switched songs and suggested he listen to Please... instead. He immediately warmed to this one and Michael and he shared the vocal parts, recorded in Ray’s studio in Los Angeles in 1993. We later made a video with Mr. Charles and also appeared on David Letterman’s show playing the song live with Mr. Charles and INXS."

INXS' keyboardist Andrew Farriss also remembered how: "We're jamming away, in the third take, and Mr. Charles – he was always Mr. Charles to me – doesn't have much patience for that stuff,” wrote Tim, in the Shine Like It Does liner notes. “He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Then, all of a sudden, Michael runs off to have a piss. While I'm standing there, Mr. Charles comes over, puts his hand on my shoulder and goes 'Michael, I love the way you're singing this thing. It's so cool.' It was really heavy to have to say, 'Uh, Mr. Charles, I'm not Michael.' But then he laughed his head off. He thought it was really funny."

Hutchinson and Charles, recording at RPM, LA.

Please (You Got That)  was one of the Atlantic singles (EastWest 4509944362 / Atlantic DMD 2078; on CD, cassette, 7" & 12" vinyl) extracted from the album (released on 11 December 1993), including several mixes (Club Need Mix, Needful Dub Mix, Downtown Dub Mix, Downtown Instrumental Mix). Cf. this.

From Wikipedia:

"When Ray Charles arrived to sing his part, Hutchence was there in the studio to teach him how to produce the Hutchencesque vocal style. 'Mr. Charles,' Michael respectfully addressed him, '...it [the melody] goes like this ... (Michael sings the line and Ray Charles attempts to imitate it). After many attempts Charles says, 'Sir [Michael], I know I will eventually get it right' ...and of course he did.'"

The single reached chart positions in several markets (e.g. # 9 on U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play; # 50 on the UK Singles Chart; # 37 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart). The video for the song was produced in New York in October 1993 and was directed by Matt Mahurin. Also read this.

'93 Clip INXS:


In an MTV interview Michael Hutchence and Tim Farriss discussed their collaboration with Ray, also sharing some making of-footage from the video clip. '93 DM INXS:


On 28 October 1993 INXS and Ray Charles performed the song live on David Letterman's Late Show:


In 1994 Ray was honored at the World Music Awards, in Monaco. Ray's award was presented to him by Michael Hutchence (and beauty queen Helena Christensen):


The Michael Hutchence Memorial site has an interesting audio snippet, where Michael coaches Ray in singing a phrase from the song. Listen here.