Recorded by The Soul Stirrers in 1951, this Black church gospel masterpiece finds Sam Cooke’s flowing lead delivering a fervent prayer through melisma and call-and-response. It stands as the peak of sacred passion in an era when the taboo separating church music from secular music was still absolute.
Ray Charles fused this gospel melody with secular lyrics and a blues progression to create "I Got a Woman" (1954), transmuting the church’s sacred fervor into worldly sensuality and opening the door to soul music.