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.
Willie and Laura Mae Jones
Clarence Carter Lyrics
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Willie & laura mae jones
Were our neighbours a long time back
They lived right down the road from us
In a shack just like our shack
we worked in the fields together
And we learned to count on each other
You dont have the time to think about another mans colour
The cotton was high and the corn was growing fine
But that was another place and another time
The cotton was high and the corn was growing fine, yes it was
But that was another place and another time
Sit out on the front porch
In the evening when the sun went down
Willie would play and the kids would sing
And everybody would mess around
Daddyd bring out his guitar
And play on through the night
Every now and then ol willie would grin and say
Hey, you play all right
Made me feel so good
i remember willie would hitch the mules up
when sandy rolled around
We all would stop by willies house and say
Do yall need anything from town?
Hed say no, but why dont yall stop on the way back home?
And Ill get laura mae, yeah, to cook up some corn bone
And you know thats good
The cotton was high and the corn was growing fine, yes it was
But that was another place and another time
The cotton was high and the corn was growing fine, yes it was
But that was another place and another time
Oh, the years rolled past the land
And took back what theyd given
We all knew we had to move
If i was gonna make a living
So we all moved off
And went about our separate ways
It sure was hard to say goodbye
To willie and laura mae (jones y'all),
The cotton was high and the corn was growing fine, yes it was
But that was another place and another time
The cotton was high and the corn was growing fine, yes it was
But that was another place and another time
the years roll passed our door and we heard from them no more
til i saw willie down town the other day
i said y'all stop by tonight, we can sit down and eat a bite
we'd love to see your children and laura mae
he shook real stoic
and spoke with his eyes so kind
he said this was another place and another time
The cotton was high and the corn was growing fine, yes it was
But that was another place and another time
The song "Willie and Laura Mae Jones" by Clarence Carter (written by Tony Joe White) tells the tale of two neighbors who lived in shacks just down the road from each other. The singer reminisces about the time when he, Willie, and Laura Mae worked together in the fields and learned to depend on each other. The color of people's skin never mattered in their world because they were all too busy working. They would hang out on the front porch, play music, and sing together, bringing laughter and joy to the neighborhood. The chorus talks about how the cotton was high, and the corn grew fine, but that was in another place and another time. The years went by, people moved away, and everyone went their separate ways, but the memories of Willie and Laura Mae Jones are still very clear.
The song speaks to a time in America's history when race relations were tense, and segregation was still in effect in many parts of the country. Despite this, the people of the neighborhood portrayed in the song found a way to coexist, building community through their shared experiences and love of music. The singer looks back on those times with nostalgia, reminiscing about the good times had with Willie and Laura Mae. The song's message is about the power of kindness, friendship, and community, as well as the importance of preserving memories from times gone by.
Line by Line Meaning
Willie & laura mae jones
Were our neighbours a long time back
Clarence Carter is reminiscing about his old neighbors, Willie and Laura Mae Jones, who lived near him for a long time
They lived right down the road from us
In a shack just like our shack
Willie and Laura Mae Jones lived in a similar shack to Clarence Carter and his family and were Willie's close neighbors
we worked in the fields together
And we learned to count on each other
When you live off the land
You dont have the time to think about another mans colour
All of them worked together in the fields, they depended on each other, and being farmers, they did not have the time for petty things such as prejudice and color
The cotton was high and the corn was growing fine
But that was another place and another time
The cotton was high and the corn was growing fine, yes it was
But that was another place and another time
Clarence says that back then, the crops were growing well and the people didn't care about racism but now it is a different time and place where things have changed.
Sit out on the front porch
In the evening when the sun went down
Willie would play and the kids would sing
And everybody would mess around
Daddyd bring out his guitar
And play on through the night
Every now and then ol willie would grin and say
Hey, you play all right
Made me feel so good
Willie was such a jolly and music-loving person. Every evening, they'd hang out on the porch, sing, and play the guitar. Carter remembers feeling good around them.
i remember willie would hitch the mules up
when sandy rolled around
We all would stop by willies house and say
Do yall need anything from town?
Hed say no, but why dont yall stop on the way back home?
And Ill get laura mae, yeah, to cook up some corn bone
And you know thats good
During storms or other difficult times, Willie would always help others. He would encourage anyone visiting from town to come back and eat some good homemade corn bone made by his wife Laura Mae.
Oh, the years rolled past the land
And took back what theyd given
We all knew we had to move
If i was gonna make a living
With time, things change, and people might need to move to survive or pursue better opportunities in life.
So we all moved off
And went about our separate ways
It sure was hard to say goodbye
To willie and laura mae (jones y'all),
Clarence and his family, along with their other neighbors, all moved away from each other over time, and he remembers the difficulty of saying goodbye to Willie and Laura Mae Jones.
the years roll passed our door and we heard from them no more
til i saw willie down town the other day
i said y'all stop by tonight, we can sit down and eat a bite
we'd love to see your children and laura mae
he shook real stoic
and spoke with his eyes so kind
he said this was another place and another time
Years later, Clarence saw Willie in town and invited them over, but Willie declined, saying that it was a different time and a different place now.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tony Joe White
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