Al Wilson
Allen LaMar "Al" Wilson (June 19, 1939 – April 21, 2008) was an American soul singer best known for the hit song "Show and Tell", and in the UK for the earlier hit, "The Snake"
Wilson was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He showed little interest in education but performed in school plays, sang in talent shows and won first prize in a local art contest. Wilson began his career at the age of 12 leading his own spiritual quartet and singing in the church choir, even performing covers of country and western hits as circumstances dictated. Read Full BioAllen LaMar "Al" Wilson (June 19, 1939 – April 21, 2008) was an American soul singer best known for the hit song "Show and Tell", and in the UK for the earlier hit, "The Snake"
Wilson was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He showed little interest in education but performed in school plays, sang in talent shows and won first prize in a local art contest. Wilson began his career at the age of 12 leading his own spiritual quartet and singing in the church choir, even performing covers of country and western hits as circumstances dictated. While he was in high school, Wilson and his family relocated to San Bernardino, California, where he worked odd jobs as a mail carrier, a janitor, and an office clerk, in addition to teaching himself to play drums; after graduation he spent four years touring with Johnny Harris and the Statesmen before joining the U.S. Navy and singing with an enlisted men's chorus. He also developed his stand-up comedy routine to fall back on in case he didn't make it as a singer.
After a two-year military stint, Wilson settled in Los Angeles, touring the local nightclub circuit before joining the R&B vocal group the Jewels; from there he landed with the Rollers, followed by a stint with the instrumental combo the Souls. In 1966, Wilson signed with manager Marc Gordon, who quickly scored his client an a cappella audition for Johnny Rivers — the "Secret Agent Man" singer not only signed Wilson to his Soul City imprint, but also agreed to produce the sessions that yielded the 1968 R&B smash "The Snake" (U.S. #27),which has been very popular on the Northern Soul music circuit in the UK; it also provided Wilson with his only British chart hit, reaching number 41 in 1975. The minor hit "Do What You Gotta Do" appeared that same year. In 1969, Wilson charted with his cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Lodi" (U.S. #67), and Rivers' own "Poor Side Of Town" (U.S. #75).
Wilson largely disappeared from sight until 1973, when he issued the platinum-selling Show And Tell — the album's success was spurred by the shimmering "Show and Tell", a Johnny Mathis castoff that sold well over a million copies.
"The La La Peace Song", released in 1974, proved another hit but caused some trouble as OC Smith had also recorded a version around the same time and sales suffered as a result. Two years later in 1976 he recorded "I've Got a Feeling We'll Be Seeing Each Other Again" for Playboy Records which cracked the R&B Top Three. He tried to leave Playboy Records but was unable to get a release from his contract. Two years later the label folded. With 1979's "Count the Days" Wilson scored his final chart hit, however, and he spent the next two decades touring clubs and lounges; in 2001 he re-recorded his classic hits for the album Spice of Life.
In March 2007 many of his original master tapes were lost to a fire that swept through his home garage he had converted into a recording studio.
Wilson died April 21, 2008 of kidney failure, in Fontana, California at the age of 68.
Wilson was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He showed little interest in education but performed in school plays, sang in talent shows and won first prize in a local art contest. Wilson began his career at the age of 12 leading his own spiritual quartet and singing in the church choir, even performing covers of country and western hits as circumstances dictated. Read Full BioAllen LaMar "Al" Wilson (June 19, 1939 – April 21, 2008) was an American soul singer best known for the hit song "Show and Tell", and in the UK for the earlier hit, "The Snake"
Wilson was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He showed little interest in education but performed in school plays, sang in talent shows and won first prize in a local art contest. Wilson began his career at the age of 12 leading his own spiritual quartet and singing in the church choir, even performing covers of country and western hits as circumstances dictated. While he was in high school, Wilson and his family relocated to San Bernardino, California, where he worked odd jobs as a mail carrier, a janitor, and an office clerk, in addition to teaching himself to play drums; after graduation he spent four years touring with Johnny Harris and the Statesmen before joining the U.S. Navy and singing with an enlisted men's chorus. He also developed his stand-up comedy routine to fall back on in case he didn't make it as a singer.
After a two-year military stint, Wilson settled in Los Angeles, touring the local nightclub circuit before joining the R&B vocal group the Jewels; from there he landed with the Rollers, followed by a stint with the instrumental combo the Souls. In 1966, Wilson signed with manager Marc Gordon, who quickly scored his client an a cappella audition for Johnny Rivers — the "Secret Agent Man" singer not only signed Wilson to his Soul City imprint, but also agreed to produce the sessions that yielded the 1968 R&B smash "The Snake" (U.S. #27),which has been very popular on the Northern Soul music circuit in the UK; it also provided Wilson with his only British chart hit, reaching number 41 in 1975. The minor hit "Do What You Gotta Do" appeared that same year. In 1969, Wilson charted with his cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Lodi" (U.S. #67), and Rivers' own "Poor Side Of Town" (U.S. #75).
Wilson largely disappeared from sight until 1973, when he issued the platinum-selling Show And Tell — the album's success was spurred by the shimmering "Show and Tell", a Johnny Mathis castoff that sold well over a million copies.
"The La La Peace Song", released in 1974, proved another hit but caused some trouble as OC Smith had also recorded a version around the same time and sales suffered as a result. Two years later in 1976 he recorded "I've Got a Feeling We'll Be Seeing Each Other Again" for Playboy Records which cracked the R&B Top Three. He tried to leave Playboy Records but was unable to get a release from his contract. Two years later the label folded. With 1979's "Count the Days" Wilson scored his final chart hit, however, and he spent the next two decades touring clubs and lounges; in 2001 he re-recorded his classic hits for the album Spice of Life.
In March 2007 many of his original master tapes were lost to a fire that swept through his home garage he had converted into a recording studio.
Wilson died April 21, 2008 of kidney failure, in Fontana, California at the age of 68.
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The Snake
Al Wilson Lyrics
On her way to work one morning
Down the path alongside the lake
A tender-hearted woman saw a poor half-frozen snake
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew
"Oh well," she cried, "I'll take you in and I'll take care of you"
"Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake
Now she wrapped him up all cozy in a coverture of silk
And laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk
Now she hurried home from work that night, as soon she arrived
Now she found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived
"Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake
Now she clutched him to her bosom, "You're so beautiful," she cried
"But if I hadn't brought you in by now you might have died"
Now she stroked his pretty skin again and then kissed and held him tight
But instead of saying thanks, that snake gave her a vicious bite (ooh)
"Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake
"I saved you," cried that woman
"And you've bitten me, even why?
And you know your bite is poisonous and now I'm gonna die"
"Oh, shut up, silly woman," said that reptile with a grin
"Now you knew darn well I was a snake before you brought me in"
"Please take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake
Sighed the snake
Take me in tender woman
(Come on in you pretty snake, come on in)
Snake, snake (yeah, come on in you pretty snake)
Take me in, tender woman (come on in, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Snake (come on in yeah, yeah, yeah)
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Oscar Brown Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Sebastiano Zezza
On her way to work one morning
Down the path alongside the lake
A tender-hearted woman saw a poor half-frozen snake
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew
"Oh well, " she cried, "I'll take you in and I'll take care of you"
"Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman, " sighed the snake
Now she wrapped him up all cozy in a coverture of silk
And laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk
Now she hurried home from work that night, as soon she arrived
Now she found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived
"Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman, " sighed the snake
Now she clutched him to her bosom, "You're so beautiful, " she cried
"But if I hadn't brought you in by now you might have died"
Now she stroked his pretty skin again and then kissed and held him tight
But instead of saying thanks, that snake gave her a vicious bite (ooh)
"Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman, " sighed the snake
"I saved you, " cried that woman
"And you've bitten me, even why?
And you know your bite is poisonous and now I'm gonna die"
"Oh, shut up, silly woman, " said that reptile with a grin
"Now you knew darn well I was a snake before you brought me in"
"Please take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)
Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)
Take me in, tender woman, " sighed the snake
Sighed the snake
Take me in tender woman
(Come on in you pretty snake, come on in)
Snake, snake (yeah, come on in you pretty snake)
Take me in, tender woman (come on in, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Snake (come on in yeah, yeah, yeah)
David Burton
On her way to work one morning
Down the path along side the lake
A tender-hearted woman saw a poor half-frozen snake
His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew
"Oh well," she cried, "I'll take you in, and I'll take care of you"
"Take me in ("yes"), oh tender woman ("come on in")
Take me in ("yes"), for heaven's sake ("come on in")
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake ("ooooooh")
Now, she wrapped him up all cozy, in a coverture of silk
And then laid him by the fireside, with some honey and some milk
Now, she hurried home from work that night. As soon as she arrived
She found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived
"Take me in ("yes"), oh tender woman ("come on in")
Take me in ("yes"), for heaven's sake ("come on in")
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake ("ooooooh")
("Oooooh!")
Now, she clutched him to her bosom. "You're so beautiful," she cried
"But if I hadn't brought you in by now you might have died"
Now, she stroked his pretty skin again, and then kissed and held him tight
But instead of saying thanks that snake gave her a vicious bite ("Ohhhh")
"Take me in ("yes"), oh tender woman ("come on in")
Take me in ("yes"), for heaven's sake ("come on in")
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake ("ooooooh")
("Oooooh!")
"I saved you," cried that woman
"And you bit me, even why?
And you know your bite is poisonous, and now I'm gonna die"
"Oh, shut up, silly woman," said that reptile with a grin
"Now you knew durn well I was a snake, before you brought me in!"
"Please, take me in ("yes"), oh tender woman ("come on in")
Take me in ("yes"), for heaven's sake ("come on in")
Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake
Sighed the snake
Take me in, tender woman! ("Come on in, you pretty snake!")
Sighed the snake ("come on in")
Loucee Lou
I love this song! My mom would blast Northern soul in her car and the once she picked me up from junior school with the snake on. The headmaster who was standing at the gate had the biggest smile on his face when she pulled up and started to dance a little. I will never forget that.. One of the best song's.
The Truth Will Set You Free
@travelingmoreno84 How old are you?
PAKiller1
GREAT song.. even Trump couldn’t ruin it for me
TractorBoy50
The worst song ever
Dawn Everett
Just found this song..Love it..Sooo uplifting 🤗😁❤
EZ QUAD
@Buffalo 4 Trump doesnt need shit you imbecile. Hes rich n powerful already. This is something he wants to do to help the country instead of seeing it dwindle away.. Hes proud of the country where he was able to be successful. You obviously are a shit heel that probably lives in your parents basement.
flyingrabbit
I think this is one of the most amazing songs ever performed and Northern Soul isn't even my favourite style of music- this song transcends style.
Dar Blanchard
@The Truth Will Set You Free absolutely
The Truth Will Set You Free
@Dar Blanchard Who married illegally, and should not be in Congress period.
The Truth Will Set You Free
@kingdom come What are these layers of truth you speak of?