Hit the Road, Jack facts for kids
"Hit the Road Jack" is a very famous rhythm and blues (R&B) song. It became popular in the 1960s.
How the Song Started
Percy Mayfield wrote and first sang "Hit the Road Jack" in 1960. But it was Ray Charles who made the song super famous. His version became the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the fall of 1961. This song is so well-known that Rolling Stone magazine put it on their list. It's ranked #377 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. That's a big deal!
What the Song Says
The most famous part of the song is its chorus. It goes like this:
- Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.
- Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more.
The words in the song are not exactly like standard English. For example, in regular English, you might say "don't come back again" or "don't come back anymore." The phrase "hit the road" is an idiom. An idiom is a phrase where the words together mean something different from their usual meaning. In this song, "hit the road" means "go away" or "get lost." The rest of the lyrics help explain this meaning.
Song Details
Here are some facts about the most popular recording of "Hit the Road Jack":
- Title: "Hit the Road Jack"
- Artist: Single by Ray Charles
- B-side: "The Danger Zone"
- Released: September 1961
- Format: 7", 45rpm
- Genre: R&B
- Length: 2:00
- Label: ABC
- Writer(s): Percy Mayfield
See also
In Spanish: Hit the Road Jack para niños
