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.
Dear Abby
Clarence Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To my girl who reads your column all the time
And I hope that by printing this letter
Maybe it might change her mind
You see, Abby, she saw me talkin'
To an old girlfriend the other day
And she thought we were trying
Now she won't see me
Or talk to me on the phone
Because she thought we really
Had something going on
You see, Abby, your column has touched many hearts
Help me save this romance from falling apart
Abby, please help me, Abby
Dear Abby, I'm calling on you, Abby
She's the only girl I'd really, really loved
That's what I was trying to explain
When she saw me talking to that girl
Now Abby, I done tried everything
But nothing I try seems to do
That's why I wrote this letter to you
Now Abby, I don't wanna take up too much of your time
But I need you to help me save this romance of mine
You see, Abby, your column has touched many hearts
Help me save this romance from falling apart
Abby, please help me, Abby
And I'm signing, desperate
I won't sign my name
The song “Dear Abby” by Clarence Carter is a plea for help from a man who has been misunderstood by his girlfriend. He writes to Abby, the advice columnist, to ask for her help in saving his relationship. The man’s girlfriend read Abby’s column frequently and has assumed the worst after seeing him talking to an old girlfriend. The man tries to explain that nothing inappropriate was happening, but his girlfriend refuses to see him or talk to him on the phone. The man believes that Abby’s column has touched many hearts and that she may be able to help him save his relationship.
The song portrays a sense of desperation and an urgent need for assistance. The man has tried everything that he can think of, but nothing has worked, and he has turned to Abby as a last resort. He is afraid of losing the only girl he has ever really loved, and he hopes that Abby can help him save his romance from falling apart. The lyrics are emotional and heartfelt, reflecting the man’s pain and the urgency of the situation.
Overall, the song “Dear Abby” is a moving plea for help in saving a relationship. It highlights the importance of communication and understanding in any relationship, as well as the value of seeking outside support when needed. It also showcases the power of music to tell stories and convey emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear Abby, I'm writing this letter in regards
I am writing to you as your column has touched many people's hearts, hoping you can lend me a hand in my situation with my girlfriend.
To my girl who reads your column all the time
My girlfriend is a dedicated reader of your column and seeks your advice frequently.
And I hope that by printing this letter
I believe that by sending this letter to you, it might change her perception of me and our relationship.
Maybe it might change her mind
I am hoping that your intervention could make her reconsider her decision and give me another chance.
You see, Abby, she saw me talkin'
My girlfriend has seen me talking to another girl recently, leading her to believe that I was trying to rekindle an old flame.
To an old girlfriend the other day
I was talking to an old friend who also happens to be a girl.
And she thought we were trying
My girlfriend believed that I was trying to pursue a romantic relationship with the other girl.
To startup an old flame again
She suspected that I was trying to revive an old romance with the other girl.
Now she won't see me
My girlfriend has refused to meet or talk to me
Or talk to me on the phone
She has even stopped taking my calls.
Because she thought we really
She strongly believed that I was interested in the other girl.
Had something going on
She thought that there was an existing romantic relationship between the other girl and me.
You see, Abby, your column has touched many hearts
Your column has helped many people in their personal or romantic issues.
Help me save this romance from falling apart
I need your guidance to save my relationship from ending.
She's the only girl I'd really, really loved
My girlfriend is the only girl that I truly love and want to be with forever.
That's what I was trying to explain
I was simply trying to justify to her that I'm committed to our relationship and that she is the only one for me.
Now Abby, I done tried everything
I tried every possible way to resolve this conflict, but without any success.
But nothing I try seems to do
All my attempts to reach out to her or explain myself have failed so far.
That's why I wrote this letter to you
I'm hoping that reaching out to you would shed some light on how to get my relationship back on track.
Now Abby, I don't wanna take up too much of your time
I understand you are busy and I don't want to inconvenience you with my problems.
But I need you to help me save this romance of mine
However, I would really appreciate it if you could offer some advice on how to resolve my current situation and revive my relationship.
And I'm signing, desperate
I'm writing to you as a desperate man, hoping that you can help me find a solution to my issue.
I won't sign my name
I prefer to remain anonymous and not reveal my identity in this letter.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CLARENCE GEORGE CARTER, CURTIS WILKINS, GEORGE HENRY JACKSON
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