Carter's earliest releases were as half of the duo Clarence And Calvin. Also known as the "C And C Boys", the blind duo made seven singles, the last of which was recorded at Fame's Muscle Shoals studio. When his partner, Calvin Thomas (aka Scott), suffered serious injuries in a car accident in 1966, Carter became a solo act (Calvin himself later reappeared as a solo act to record two Dave Crawford-produced Atco Records singles in 1969/70 and a Clarence Paul-produced 1971 album for Stax Records, I'm Not Blind ... I Just Can't See, from which two singles were also taken). "Tell Daddy", released in January 1967, began a fruitful spell of Fame-produced hits by Carter, released on the Atlantic Records label. Noteworthy were "Thread The Needle", "Looking For A Fox" and "Slip Away", where the singer combined his outstanding voice with his skill as an arranger and musician.
"Patches", first recorded by Chairmen Of The Board, was a UK number 2 and a US number 4 in 1970, but despite further strong offerings, Clarence was unable to sustain the momentum. He remained with Fame until 1973, where he also helped guide Candi Staton, who was now his wife, before moving to ABC Records the subsequent year.
Further recordings on Venture and Big C took Carter's career into the 1980s and later the artist found a sympathetic outlet with the Ichiban Records label. Despite being blinded as a child, he developed a distinctive guitar style that complemented his earthy delivery, and was just as comfortable on keyboards, writing songs or arranging sessions. The first two albums, This Is Clarence Carter and The Dynamic Clarence Carter show off his versatile talent to good effect.
Clarence returned in the late Eighties with the album Dr. CC, which spawned the bawdy, comedic single "Strokin'", which has evolved into a favorite at clubs and weddings. He later followed it up with a sequel, "Still Strokin'", in 1989.
Brick House
Clarence Carter Lyrics
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Mighty might just lettin' it all hang out
She's a brick-house
The lady's stacked and that's a fact,
ain't holding nothing back.
She's a brick-house
She's the one, the only one,
We're together everybody knows,
and here's how the story goes.
She knows she got everything
a woman needs to get a man, yeah.
How can she use, the things she use
36-24-36, what a winning hand!
She's a brick-house
Mighty might just lettin' it all hang out
She's a brick-house
The lady's stacked and that's a fact,
ain't holding nothing back.
The clothes she wears, the sexy ways,
make an old man wish for younger days
She knows she's built and knows how to please
Sure enough to knock a man to his knees
She's a brick-house
Mighty might just lettin' it all hang out
She's a brick-house
The lady's stacked and that's a fact,
ain't holding nothing back.
The clothes she wears, the sexy ways,
make an old man wish for younger days
She knows she's built and knows how to please
Sure enough to knock a man to his knees
Shake it down, shake it down now
Shake it down, shake it down now
Shake it down, shake it down now
The song "Brick House" by Clarence Carter focuses on a woman who is described as a “brick house,” a term used to reference a woman with a curvaceous and voluptuous figure. She is proud of her body and is not afraid to flaunt it. The lyrics suggest that she knows she has what it takes to get any man she wants, and she enjoys using her looks and confidence to her advantage. It is said that she has all the curves in the right place and that her body measurements of 36-24-36 are a "winning hand."
Through the lyrics, the woman is portrayed as confident and powerful. She knows how to please a man and is comfortable in her own skin. Despite the way men may objectify her, she remains in control, and she uses her sexuality to her advantage. The woman seems to take pleasure in making men weak at the knees and forcing them to acknowledge her beauty and allure.
Overall, the song speaks about a woman who is fierce, confident, and unapologetic. The lyrics celebrate her body and her power and urge the listener to shake it down while admiring her confidence.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a brick-house
The subject is a woman who possesses great physical beauty that exudes confidence and elegance.
Mighty might just lettin' it all hang out
She is not afraid to flaunt her attractive features and dresses to fully showcase her assets.
The lady's stacked and that's a fact,
ain't holding nothing back.
She is well-endowed with curves in all the right places and never hides her assets.
She's the one, the only one,
who's built like a amazon
We're together everybody knows,
and here's how the story goes.
The singer proudly declares that he is with the only woman of such remarkable beauty and likens her to an Amazon warrior.
She knows she got everything
a woman needs to get a man, yeah.
The woman is confident in her abilities to attract men and knows that her looks alone are enough to leave them weak in the knees.
How can she use, the things she use
36-24-36, what a winning hand!
The numbers 36-24-36 refer to her hourglass figure, and the singer proclaims it to be an unbeatable combination.
The clothes she wears, the sexy ways,
make an old man wish for younger days
She knows she's built and knows how to please
Sure enough to knock a man to his knees
Her alluring attire and seductive mannerisms are enough to make even older men desire her, and she is fully aware of her appeal and how to use it to her advantage.
Shake it down, shake it down now
The singer urges the woman to demonstrate her moves and to fully showcase her assets to the audience.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LIONEL RICHIE, MILAN WILLIAMS, RONALD LAPREAD, THOMAS MCCLARY, WALTER ORANGE, WILLIAM KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gail Waterbury
on Strokin
I remember the first time hearing this from my friend 20 years ago. Me being me fell in love with not only this but many other nasty songs. He'll I raised my kids on this s*** . Alongwith David Allen coe Even played this for my Grandma who almost died of laughter