The Things That I Used to Do

"The Things That I Used to Do"
Single by Guitar Slim
B-side	"Well, I Done Got Over It"
Released	1953 (1953)
Recorded	1953
Studio	J&M (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Genre	Blues electric blues New Orleans blues
Length	2:57
Label	Specialty
Songwriter(s)	Eddie Jones a.k.a. Guitar Slim
Producer(s)	Ray Charles
Guitar Slim singles chronology
"Feelin' Sad" (1952) "The Things That I Used to Do" (1953) "Sum'thin' to Remember You By" (1954)
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"The Things That I Used to Do" is a blues standard written by Guitar Slim. He recorded it at Cosimo Matassa's J&M Recording Studio in New Orleans, where the young Ray Charles arranged and produced the session.^[1] Specialty Records released the song as a single in 1953 and it became a bestseller the following year. Specialty founder Art Rupe believed that the appeal would be limited to the Southern U.S. rural audience. However, urban rhythm and blues radio stations in the North began airing the song and built it into a national hit. As a result, Guitar Slim became in great demand as a performer and played at venues such as the Apollo Theater in New York City.

The single was one of the biggest hits in Specialty's history and stayed on the Billboard's Rhythm and Blues Records charts for 42 weeks. The song remained at number one for six weeks and was the best-selling R&B record of the year, selling more than a million copies.^[2]