Hit the Road Jack - wikipedia Hit the Road Jack This article is about the single by Ray Charles. For the album by Big Youth, see Hit the Road Jack ( album ). For the television series, see Hit the Road Jack ( TV series ). 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. ( August 2014 ) `` Hit the Road Jack '' Single by Ray Charles from the album Ray Charles Greatest Hits B - side `` The Danger Zone '' Released 1961 Format 7 '' single, 45rpm Genre R&B, jazz Length 1 : 57 Label ABC - Paramount Songwriter ( s ) Percy Mayfield Ray Charles singles chronology `` Ruby '' ( 1960 ) `` Hit the Road Jack '' ( 1961 ) `` I 'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town '' ( 1961 ) `` Ruby '' ( 1960 ) `` Hit the Road Jack '' ( 1961 ) `` I 'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town '' ( 1961 ) `` Hit the Road Jack '' is a song written by the rhythm and blues artist Percy Mayfield and first recorded in 1960 as an a cappella demo sent to Art Rupe. It became famous after it was recorded by the singer - songwriter - pianist Ray Charles with The Raelettes vocalist Margie Hendrix. Charles 's recording hit number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, beginning on Monday, October 9, 1961. `` Hit the Road Jack '' won a Grammy award for Best Rhythm and Blues Recording. The song was number one on the R&B Sides chart for five weeks, thereby becoming Charles 's sixth number - one on that chart. The song is ranked number 387 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of `` The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ''. Contents 1 Cover versions 1.1 The Stampeders 1.2 Other versions 2 References in popular culture and usage in media 3 Charts 4 References 5 External links Cover versions The Stampeders In 1976, Canadian band The Stampeders released a version of the song featuring DJ Wolfman Jack. The song was a hit, reaching number 6 in Canada and the top 40 in the US. Other versions Rough Copy sang `` Hit the Road Jack '' on the fifth live show of the tenth series of The X Factor. In 2013, Pentatonix sang `` Hit the Road Jack '' on PTX, Vol. II and PTX, Vols. 1 & 2. Nika Terenteva from The Voice Kids Russia covered the song in 2014. References in popular culture and usage in media The Buffalo Bill episode `` Hit the Road, Newdell '' includes a dream sequence where Dabney Coleman 's character lipsyncs the Ray Charles version of the song. This musical sequence was deleted from the DVD release because producers were unable to secure rights to include the song. In the Two and a Half Men episode `` A Bottle of Wine and a Jackhammer '', Charlie plays the piece in delight on his piano as Alan moves out of his house. The sitcom Unhappily Ever After used the song as its theme. The song is featured in Kenneth Anger 's 1964 short film Scorpio Rising. Ray Charles ' version is played over the PA during Chicago Bulls games when an opponent fouls out of the game. A version is played over the PA in Chicago Cubs games when an opposing pitcher is ' chased ' ( pulled ) from the game. The song is featured in the 1980 film Cheech and Chong 's Next Movie after the main characters are kicked out of the welfare office. The song, performed by the characters appeared in the 1981 Arthur Penn film Four Friends It plays during the closing credits of 1989 film The Dream Team. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Kentucky Fried Chicken released a series of TV advertisements that used a rerecorded version of the song, re-titled `` Cross the Road Jack '' ; additionally, the line `` and do n't you come back no more '' was also changed to `` Kentucky Fried Chicken 's got more ''. The song is featured in the 1995 film Man of the House, which features Chevy Chase as a character named Jack. The song is referenced in the hook of British singer Conor Maynard 's single `` RU Crazy ''. In the movie The Fisher King, radio DJ Jack Lucas uses it as the closing theme for his phone in show. EastEnders actor Scott Maslen and professional dancer Natalie Lowe danced a Jive to this song in the 8th series of Strictly Come Dancing in week 7, scoring 39 points out of 40 from the judges. The song is referenced and sampled on Kid Rock 's 2001 hit `` Forever ''. Since March of 2005, the song was played on repeat on the website YTMND for banned users when trying to access content on the site. Ray Charles ' version plays over the closing credits of the 2006 film Failure to Launch. In the late 2000s, Pizza brand Delissio used this in one of their advertisements. The song is included in the 2015 dance exergame Just Dance 2016 as an in - house cover production under the pseudonym `` Charles Percy '', presumably from the names of Ray Charles, the singer who popularized the tune, and Percy Mayfield, the song 's composer. In the 2016 film Deadpool it is briefly played while Wade Wilson is in a garbage truck. In the MTV game show Remote Control, audience sang this song when the contestants sprang through the wall after they lost. A recording of the song was sampled by dance artist Throttle on an electronic swing / disco song also entitled `` Hit the Road Jack ''. Charts Chart ( 1961 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 13 France ( SNEP ) 42 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 6 US Billboard Hot 100 US Hot R&B Sides ( Billboard ) Chart ( 2011 ) Peak position France ( SNEP ) 90 References Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2011 ). Top Pop Singles 1955 -- 2010. Record Research, Inc. p. 847. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 188 - 8. Jump up ^ Weinberg, Scott ( October 11, 2005 ). `` Buffalo Bill - The Complete First and Second Seasons ''. DVD Talk. Retrieved December 10, 2013. Jump up ^ Kenneth Anger - Scorpio Rising 1964 / With Interview, YouTube. Jump up ^ ( 1 ). Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 2005 ). Australian Chart Book ( 1940 -- 1969 ). Turramurra : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 44439 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Ray Charles -- Hit the Road Jack '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 8, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Accès direct à ces Artistes : Ray Charles '' ( in French ). InfoDisc. Archived from the original ( select `` Ray Charles '' and then click `` Go '' ) on February 17, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 8, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Ray Charles -- Awards ''. AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved March 8, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Ray Charles -- Hit the Road Jack '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Retrieved March 8, 2014. 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 Genius and 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 ) Quincy Jones The Blues Brothers Here We Go Again : Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles Tribute to Uncle Ray `` Confession Blues '' Diet Pepsi Book Commons Wikiquote Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hit_the_Road_Jack&oldid=829296604 '' Categories : 1960 songs 1961 singles ABC Records singles Paramount Records singles Songs written by Percy Mayfield Ray Charles songs The Animals songs Billboard Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs number - one singles Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Hidden categories : CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) Articles needing additional references from August 2014 All articles needing additional references Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart usages for France Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Español Euskara Français Հայերեն Italiano עברית Norsk Polski Português Русский Simple English Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська 8 more Edit links This page was last edited on 7 March 2018, at 19 : 51. 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Question: who sang the original hit the road jack
Answer: rhythm and blues artist Percy Mayfield