Marcus Daniel, Carter's sideman since 1962, had previously co-written - with Carter and Wilbur Terrell - "Tell Daddy" which, after becoming Carter's inaugural R&B hit at the start of 1967, would - as "Tell Mama" - be recorded by Etta James that summer to become an R&B Top Ten R&B hit and Top 40 crossover. Daniel would nevertheless recall that in 1967 he had been feeling uneasy about his musical career:(Marcus Miller 2008 quote:)"I got down on my knees and asked God to allow me to do better" - as a songwriter and musician - "and stay with the band, and within twenty minutes I sat up in bed with both the melody and the lyrics of 'Slip Away' in my mind."
Commenting on the arguable incongruity of a divinely inspired song being focused on infidelity, Marcus Daniel would state: "I wrote about what I knew":"back then...I was a bad womanizer, which...shames to this day": in 1988 Daniel would leave his musical career behind, serving as pastor of the Piney Groves Missionary Baptist Church in Mathews, Alabama until his 10 May 2021 passing.
Clarence Carter would in 2009 have a somewhat contrasting recollection of the song's genesis: "My bass player had written some lyrics...and he and I sat down and really put 'Slip Away' together."
Slip Away
Clarence Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For just a few moments
What would I give
Just to have you near
Tell me you will try
To slip away somehow
Oh, I need you, darling
Can you slip away
Slip away
Slip away
Oh, I need you so
Love, oh, love
How sweet it is
When you steal it, darling
Let me tell you somethin' now how sweet it is
Now I know it's wrong
The things I ask you to do
But please believe me, darling
I don't mean to hurt you
But could you just slip away
Without him knowing you're gone
Then we could meet somewhere
Somewhere where we're both are not known
And guess can you slip away
Slip away
Slip away
I need you so
Oh, can you slip away, baby
I'd like to see you right now, darling
Can you slip away now, baby
'Cause I got to, I got to see you
I feel a deep burning inside
The song Slip Away by Clarence Carter is a plea from a man to his lover to sneak away and spend time together. He yearns for her company and is willing to risk going against societal norms for just a few moments with her. The lyrics convey a sense of urgency and desperation, as the singer implores the woman to slip away from wherever she is and come to him. He acknowledges that what he is asking is not right, but his desire for her is so profound that he cannot help but ask.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of forbidden love. The man knows that what he is asking is frowned upon and could potentially hurt both him and his lover if caught. However, his desire for her outweighs the risk of getting caught. The song ends on a passionate plea for the woman to slip away and be with him, as he feels a deep burning inside that can only be quelled by her presence.
Overall, the lyrics of Slip Away are a heartfelt and emotional plea from a man blinded by his love for a woman. The desperation in his voice and the urgency in his words paint a vivid picture of a man yearning for just a few moments of happiness with the one he loves.
Line by Line Meaning
What would I give
I would sacrifice a lot
For just a few moments
Just for a short duration of time
Just to have you near
To be close to you physically
Tell me you will try
Please try to do this for me
To slip away somehow
To leave without being noticed
Oh, I need you, darling
I desire to be with you
I want to see you right now
I yearn to meet you immediately
Can you slip away
Do you have the ability to leave unnoticed
Slip away
Disappear calmly
Slip away
Disappear without anyone noticing
Oh, I need you so
I crave to be around you
Love, oh, love
Affection between two people
How sweet it is
How wonderful it feels
When you steal it, darling
When you take it away from someone else
Let me tell you somethin' now how sweet it is
I want to convey how amazing it feels
Now I know it's wrong
I realize it's not the right thing to do
The things I ask you to do
The favors I request from you
But please believe me, darling
I am honest about my feelings
I don't mean to hurt you
I don't intend to harm you
But could you just slip away
Would you be able to leave unnoticed
Without him knowing you're gone
Without attracting attention of the other person
Then we could meet somewhere
Then we could rendezvous somewhere
Somewhere where we're both are not known
Somewhere nobody recognizes us
And guess can you slip away
I hope you can leave unnoticed
Slip away
Disappear quietly
Slip away
Vanish without being detected
Slip away
Fade out gently
I need you so
I require your presence terribly
Oh, can you slip away, baby
Oh, can you leave quietly, baby
I'd like to see you right now, darling
I really want to meet you, my love
Cause I got to, I got to see you
I have to meet you
I feel a deep burning inside
I feel a strong passion deep within me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARL PUTTNAM, MICHAEL LAWRENCE DUNPHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@adaweston9660
I am in my 80's and I still remember this kind of music. It's wonderful.
@grantsmythe8625
Yes it is. Brings back good memories.
@MsCatslady
I wish all these songs were back again. Love them Remember dancing to them. in different places. Can remember all of them. Those were the days.
@user-bd4qy5lq2h
I'm in my 70s and I'm right next to you 😅
@mic982
Well, I should hope so, how could (or would) anyone forget it? It's wonderful that you still have your memories, I'm only 70s and I hope I keep mine as long as you!
@jessiecrawford6836
@@user-bd4qy5lq2hyvoaq
@TheCrwnjwl
My mom and dad would dance to this all the time!..He would come home,say,hi punkin, how is daddy's little girl. Grab my mom by the arm and they would dance to this song.. I was 6yrs old.... Miss you both, love you, always
@lumberjack297
Wow bro. You almost got ME teary eyed -. RIP to your folks
@snook7100
♥️♥️♥️
@stevehardeman7209
You are so lucky to have such a memory