The ultimate over-the-hill song

[ladyapple27]

Most people are familiar with Billy Ward and the Dominoes' classic "Sixty Minute Man."  Answer songs were popular in the fifties, and they released their own answer: "Can't Do Sixty No More."  You can imagine the lyrics. A friend recently had a milestone birthday, and I sent him a copy. Priceless!

Note: Clarence Carter released a gleefully lascivious version of "Sixty Minute Man."  I can only imagine what his version of "Can't Do Sixty No More" would sound like. 

Comments

[brak55.livejournal.com]

Clarence seems to like those kinds of songs (also see Strokin').

I love Sixty Minute Man, although it's amazing it got airplay in the early-50's, even on R&B stations.

[ladyapple27.livejournal.com]

I never did care for "Strokin'." I do like "Making Love(At the Dark End of the Street)." Have you ever heard it? It isn't a remake of "The Dark End of the Street"; it features only one verse of that classic cheating song, sung after a gleefully lascivious sermon about the mating habits of various life forms. There is nothing graphic about it, it's just hilariously earthy and true. His observation that even mosquitos like to make love is one of the funniest things that I've ever heard. The strange thing about this sermon/song is that you're laughing your head off until he starts his masterful, paranoid rendition of the verse from James Carr's classic. "They're gonna find us..." Then, all of the sudden, it just hits you in the gut. The bit of singing wouldn't hit so hard without the contrast with the clowning. It has to be experienced to be believed.

The sad thing about Clarence Carter is that he has been assigned the role of naughty clown while he is actually a singer with a great voice and the ability to convey emotion. Check out his renditions of "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "I can't see Myself."

[brak55.livejournal.com]

Clarence Carter is, unfortunately, remembered for Patches and Strokin' which is unfortunate, because I don't really like either song.

I have this period in time from mid-1968 to the end of 1971 when I was first really discovering music and studying it. I have really fond memories of the great soul music in that 3-1/2 years and many of those songs I can still play over and over. Clarence Carter's Too Weak to Fight and Slip Away. Wilson Pickett's Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You and Don't Knock My Love. Jerry Butler's Moody Woman and Only the Strong Survive. Brook Benton's superb Rainy Night in Georgia. The Delfonics' Ready or Not Here I Come and Didn't I Blow Your Mind. I could go on and on.

[ladyapple27.livejournal.com]

I love all of those songs! I usually listen to "Too Weak to Fight" and "Slip Away" at least once a week.

The Delfonics have been largely forgotten, which is a shame.

"Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You" was another one of those songs that Daddy used to sing.

After all these years, Brook Benton's rendition of "Rainy Night in Georgia" breaks my heart every time I hear it. That's emotive power.

I could talk about this all day...

[ladyapple27.livejournal.com]

Daddy told me about stores keeping certain R&B records under the counter, out of sight of casual shoppers to avoid being prosecuted for selling obscene material. The recordings are considered tame now.

[scoobiedoggie.livejournal.com]

I use to have a boyfriend that you might call the 'sixty second man'....that boyfriend didn't last very long LOL

[ladyapple27.livejournal.com]

I can imagine.