In the Heat of the night ( Ray Charles song ) - Wikipedia In the Heat of the night ( Ray Charles song ) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( April 2016 ) `` In the Heat of the Night '' is a 1967 song performed by Ray Charles, composed by Quincy Jones, and written by Marilyn Bergman and Alan Bergman for the film In the Heat of the Night. As Matthew Greenwald of AllMusic states, the song `` opens the film and accompanying soundtrack with a slice of real, rural backwoods gospel. Lyrically, one of the key lines is ' In the heat of the night / I 'm feeling motherless somehow, ' which clearly illustrates the main character 's dilemma of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The main melody is guided by Charles ' funky piano work and is buttressed by then - session ace Billy Preston 's powerful, soulful organ trills. The underlying sense of drama that is so much a part of the film is reflected perfectly in this song, and the Ray Charles Singers add to this with a stately grace. It 's perfect listening for a midsummer night when the temperature is just a bit too hot for comfort. '' Released as a single by ABC Records, Charles ' version of the song reached # 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and # 21 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart. The song was also released on the soundtrack album on United Artists in 1967. For the 1988 -- 95 television series of the same name, the song was recorded by Bill Champlin. References Jump up ^ Matthew Greenwald, Song Review, AllMusic. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Ray Charles Studio albums Atlantic Ray Charles ( Hallelujah, I Love Her So ) The Great Ray Charles Yes Indeed ! Soul Brothers What 'd I Say The Genius of Ray Charles The Genius Sings the Blues Soul Meeting The Genius After Hours True to Life Love & Peace Ai n't It So Brother Ray Is at It Again ABC The Genius Hits the Road Dedicated to You Ray Charles and Betty Carter 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 Ray Charles Invites You to Listen A Portrait of Ray I 'm All Yours Baby ! Doing His Thing My Kind of Jazz Love Country Style Volcanic Action of My Soul Jazz Number II A Message From The People Through The Eyes Of Love Crossover Renaissance My Kind of Jazz Part 3 Columbia 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 Warner Bros. Would You Believe My World Strong Love Affair Other labels Genius + Soul = Jazz Porgy and Bess Thanks for Bringing Love Around Again Genius Loves Company Posthumous studio creations Genius & Friends Ray Sings, Basie Swings Rare Genius Live albums Ray Charles at Newport Ray Charles in Person Live in Concert Ray Charles Live Notable compilations Do the Twist ! with Ray Charles Ray Charles Greatest Hits A Man and His Soul The Best of Ray Charles Anthology The Birth of Soul Ray Charles in Concert Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 Singles `` What 'd I Say '' `` Georgia on My Mind '' `` Hit the Road Jack '' `` One Mint Julep '' `` Unchain My Heart '' `` I Ca n't Stop Loving You '' `` You Do n't Know Me '' `` You Are My Sunshine '' `` Busted '' `` Take These Chains from My Heart '' `` Crying Time '' Other Billboard Charts # 1 singles `` I Got a Woman '' `` A Fool for You '' `` Mary Ann '' `` Drown in My Own Tears '' `` Together Again '' `` Let 's Go Get Stoned '' `` Seven Spanish Angels '' `` I 'll Be Good to You '' Grammy Awarded Works ( not included above ) `` Let The Good Times Roll '' `` Living for the City '' `` A Song for You '' `` Heaven Help Us All '' `` Here We Go Again '' See also Discography David `` Fathead '' Newman Fathead / Ray Charles Sextet Hank Crawford The Raelettes Ray soundtrack Here We Go Again : Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles Tribute to Uncle Ray `` Confession Blues '' Book This 1960s song - related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=In_the_Heat_of_the_Night_(Ray_Charles_song)&oldid=843006020 '' Categories : 1967 songs Songs written by Quincy Jones Songs with lyrics by Marilyn Bergman Songs with lyrics by Alan Bergman Ray Charles songs 1960s song stubs Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from April 2016 All articles needing additional references All stub articles Talk About Wikipedia Polski Edit links This page was last edited on 26 May 2018, at 06 : 15 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who sang the theme song for in the heat of the night
Answer: Ray Charles