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.
Wind It Up
Clarence Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see you talk to him,
It tears me up
It tears me up
And start my eyes to cryin'
Oh, oh, I can't stop cryin'
I see him kiss your lips,
It tears me up
It tears me up
I feel like I'm dyin'
Oh, oh, I must be dyin'
It's a cold, cold world I'm livin' in
I turn my back and there you are with my best friend
Oh sometimes we pass on the street darlin'
And you looked at me and you can say, "I'm sorry, my sweet"
Maybe just saying I'm sorry would be enough
But then you'd look back at him, with your perfect smile,
And that'd make me feel kind of rough.
Oh darlin It tears me up
I see you smile at him,
You'll never tire of him
It tears me up.
It tears me up.
But there ain't nothin I can do now
Baby can't you see I'm still in love with you
Oh, can't you see I'm still in love with you, baby
Still waitin for something that I cannot have
Oh, baby, nothin' tears me up so bad,
Can't you see that I'm still in love with you baby
Oh, that tears me up so bad now baby
The lyrics to Clarence Carter’s song “Wind It Up” express a story of heartbreak and unrequited love. The singer sees the woman he loves walking, talking, and being affectionate with another man, and these actions tear him apart emotionally to the point where he cannot stop crying. Despite his heartache, he cannot help but be in love with her and is still waiting for her even though he is aware that she is with his best friend. The chorus, “It tears me up, I feel like I’m dying,” reinforces the overwhelming pain that the singer feels due to the situation.
The second verse highlights the difficult reality the singer is living through, as he describes the world as being cold and uncaring. He says that even when he turns his back, he sees the woman he loves with his best friend, indicating that he can’t escape his emotions or the situation that is causing him so much pain. The woman’s apology would seem to be enough at first, but then she turns back to the other man, causing the singer to feel even worse. Throughout the song, the repetition of “It tears me up” emphasizes the extent of his emotional turmoil and the pain he feels.
Overall, “Wind It Up” is a poignant portrayal of love, heartbreak, and pain. The lyrics capture the devastating aftermath of a failed relationship, a situation that many listeners can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I see you walk with him,
I observe you walking with him, in close proximity.
I see you talk to him,
I observe you talking to him, in conversation.
It tears me up
This sight causes me significant emotional pain and distress.
It tears me up
This sight causes me significant emotional pain and distress.
And start my eyes to cryin'
As a result of this emotional pain and distress, tears start to flow from my eyes.
Oh, oh, I can't stop cryin'
I cannot stop the flow of tears from my eyes, indicating the depth of my emotional pain.
I see him kiss your lips,
I observe him kissing you on the lips.
And squeeze your fingertips,
I observe him squeezing your fingertips affectionately.
It tears me up
This sight causes me significant emotional pain and distress.
It tears me up
This sight causes me significant emotional pain and distress.
I feel like I'm dyin'
The emotional pain is so intense that it feels like I am dying inside.
Oh, oh, I must be dyin'
This emotional distress is causing me such intense pain that I feel like I am dying inside.
It's a cold, cold world I'm livin' in
The world around me feels cold, unwelcoming, and unforgiving.
I turn my back and there you are with my best friend
Even when I try to turn away, you are still with my best friend, causing me further emotional pain.
Oh sometimes we pass on the street darlin'
Sometimes we cross paths when walking on the street.
And you looked at me and you can say, "I'm sorry, my sweet"
You have the ability to acknowledge my pain and apologize for it.
Maybe just saying I'm sorry would be enough
Perhaps a simple apology would be sufficient to alleviate my pain.
But then you'd look back at him, with your perfect smile,
However, you then immediately turn back to my best friend, with a smile that appears to be perfect and content.
And that'd make me feel kind of rough.
This action and sight would further increase my pain and cause me to feel even worse.
Oh darlin It tears me up
This entire situation is causing me overwhelming emotional distress and pain.
I see you smile at him,
I observe you smiling at him, indicating your happiness and contentment.
You'll never tire of him
It seems like you will never grow tired of his companionship and affection.
It tears me up.
This sight and knowledge causes me significant emotional pain and distress.
It tears me up.
This sight and knowledge causes me significant emotional pain and distress.
But there ain't nothin I can do now
Despite my pain and distress, there is nothing I can do to change the situation.
Baby can't you see I'm still in love with you
I am still deeply in love with you, despite your actions that cause me pain and distress.
Oh, can't you see I'm still in love with you, baby
I need you to understand that my feelings for you have not changed, even if I am hurt by your actions.
Still waitin for something that I cannot have
I am still waiting for something that is not within my grasp, which is causing me pain.
Oh, baby, nothin' tears me up so bad,
The pain and distress that I feel is almost unbearable, and it is caused by this unattainable goal.
Can't you see that I'm still in love with you baby
I need you to understand the depth of my love for you, despite the pain that I am experiencing.
Oh, that tears me up so bad now baby
The pain and distress that I am feeling is so intense that it is almost too much to bear.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SPOONER OLDHAM, DAN PENN
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