Born in Trinidad, Curtis arrived in England at the age of fifteen and later found employment as an interior decorator. He entered boxing and won most of his fights as a professional boxer. His mother was a popular singer in Trinidad and Curtis claims that this contributed to his ear for music.
Between 1966 and 1967 Curtis joined The Ramong Sound. He joined the group after hearing from his uncle that Ramong, Raymond Morrison, the lead singer of the group, was looking for backing singers. Curtis initially had very limited singing experience, only singing with his uncle when he came around the house with the guitar. After losing their original lead singer, the band took on board Arthur Brown temporarily, and went through a few name changes before they became The Foundations and emerged in January 1967 with Curtis as their lead singer. The Foundations would go on to have worldwide hits with "Baby Now That I've Found You" and "Build Me Up Buttercup". Curtis is the lead voice on their hits "Baby Now That I've Found You", "Back on My Feet Again", and "Any Old Time (You're Lonely and Sad)".
After having found success with The Foundations, two hit singles and releasing two albums, some problems started with their songwriter producer Tony Macaulay as well within the group. Curtis felt that after their hit a couple of The Foundations members were taking things a little too easy thinking that they did not need to work so hard now that they had scored a hit.[citation needed] After being disillusioned with the band, he along with another member, Mike Elliott, left The Foundations in 1968 just after recording a version of "It's All Right", a song that they had been playing live for some time. He stuck around long enough to help the band audition a replacement, Colin Young. Curtis went on to pursue a solo career in the United States. This was probably helped along by the encouragement of his friend Sammy Davis, Jr.
After some well-received club appearances and hanging out with artists such as Wilson Pickett, and staying with The Cowsills, he did not receive enough work and decided to return to England in the early 1970s. He did some work with Donnie Elbert and Johnny Johnson and the Bandwagon and later reformed a version of The Foundations.
Over the years, Curtis has fronted various line-ups of The Foundations, as well as appearing on his own as a solo artist. He has recorded and released records on various record labels, including EMI, Opium, Pye Records, RCA Records, Riverdale, and others. In 1977 Clem Curtis and The Foundations nearly got into the Eurovision final with "Where Were You When I Needed Your Love", a John Macleod and Dave Meyers composition.[5] They came third in the heats, and were picked as a favourite to win, but an electricians' strike ruined their chances, and "Rock Bottom" by Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran was the winner.
In the late 1980s, Curtis joined the line-up of "The Corporation", also referred to as "the Traveling Wrinklies", which was a parody of sorts of the popular Traveling Wilburys. The Traveling Wrinklies were composed of Curtis, Mike Pender, Brian Poole, Tony Crane, and Reg Presley, former lead singer of The Troggs. They released a single "Ain't Nothing But A House Party" on the Corporation label in 1988.
In the late 1980s, Curtis teamed up with original Foundations guitarist Alan Warner to re-cut the original Foundations hits.
Curtis has appeared on stage as the Lion in The Wiz at the Lyric Hammersmith, and gave a successful gospel stage performance in Amen Corner at The Lyric in Shaftesbury Avenue. He has also appeared on TV chat shows, the British reality television series Airport, and had a bit part in the ITV series The Bill.
In 2004 Curtis toured the UK as part of a soul package tour with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds. At the end of a show he was invited back on stage by Jimmy James who said "I don't like him and he don't like me but that's all right. Here's Clem Curtis." They then did "Love Train" together.
Curtis recorded and performed until close to his death; he was regularly seen as part of the "soul explosion" night with former Flirtations singer Earnestine Pearce and Jimmy James at resorts such as Butlins and Warner Leisure Hotels in the United Kingdom. He also appeared on cruises such as the cruise ship "Azura", which docked in Southampton.
He acquired the unofficial title of "The Godfather of English Soul".
He died on 27 March 2017 at the age of 76.
I've Never Found a Girl
Clem Curtis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's like burnin' fire, oh, set off in my bones
I got to say it, ain't no lonely days (lonely days)
Ain't no lonely nights (lonely nights)
Every little thing that she does, you know the girl's alright
(You know the girl's alright)
Cause I ain't never, never, found me a girl,
Love me like you do
Ain't no man, ain't no man, go a little woman like me
She's everything
She's every poor boys dream, you're every poor boys dream
More than you're every rich mans friend
But I'm gonna give you all my money honey
Cause she's always there
Cause I ain't never, never found me a girl
Love me like you do, to love me like you do (baby)
(I ain't never, never, found me a girl)
???
(Never, never, found me a girl)
To love me like you do
Love me like you do, I ain't ever
(You do)
(You do)
(You do)
In Clem Curtis's song, "I've Never Found A Girl", the singer is expressing his love for his girl and how no one has ever loved him the way she does. The opening lines, "Ain't no love, baby, like my baby's love. It's like burnin' fire, oh, set off in my bones," indicate that the love he shares with his girl is intense and passionate. He believes that there are no lonely days or nights when she's around.
As the song progresses, he reaffirms his love for her by stating that no man could ever appreciate her more than him, and she's "every poor boy's dream." Even though he acknowledges that she's "every rich man's friend," he's willing to give her all his money. This could be interpreted as a selfless expression of love, where he values her company and presence more than material possessions.
The final lines of the song repeat the chorus, emphasizing once again that the singer has never found anyone who loves him as much as his girl does. This song is a classic soul number that celebrates the joy and happiness of being in a passionate and loving relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't no love, baby, like my baby's love
There is no love in the world comparable to the love that my baby provides.
It's like burnin' fire, oh, set off in my bones
The love my baby gives me is so strong and passionate that it feels like a flame inside my bones.
I got to say it, ain't no lonely days (lonely days)
Being with my baby means I'm never lonely, even on the bleakest of days.
Ain't no lonely nights (lonely nights)
With my baby by my side, I never experience the crushing solitude of a lonely night.
Every little thing that she does, you know the girl's alright
My baby is perfect in every little thing she does, which only adds to my love and appreciation for her.
(You know the girl's alright)
There is no doubt in my mind that my baby is the right one for me.
Cause I ain't never, never, found me a girl,
Throughout my entire life, I have never encountered a girl quite like my baby.
Love me like you do, to love me like you do
My baby's love is unmatched by anyone else, and I am forever grateful for it.
Ain't no man, ain't no man, go a little woman like me
No other man will ever be as lucky as I am to have a woman like my baby.
She's every poor boys dream, you're every poor boys dream
My baby is the dream girl for every boy, regardless of wealth or status.
More than you're every rich mans friend
My baby is worth more than any rich man's friendship, because she gives me the kind of love and companionship that money can't buy.
But I'm gonna give you all my money honey
I am willing to give my baby all my worldly possessions, because her love is worth more than any material possession I could possess.
Cause she's always there
My baby is always there for me, through thick and thin, which only makes me love and appreciate her more.
(I ain't never, never, found me a girl)
Even after all this time, I still haven't found another girl who compares to my baby.
???
This line is difficult to interpret, as it is unclear and doesn't make a lot of sense.
(Never, never, found me a girl)
No matter where I go or what I do, I know that I will never find another girl like my baby.
To love me like you do
My baby's love is so special, and I am so lucky to have found someone who loves me as much as she does.
Love me like you do, I ain't ever
My baby's love is so strong that I know I will never experience a love quite like it for the rest of my life.
(You do)
My baby's love is all I need, and I am forever grateful for it.
(You do)
My baby's love is everything to me, and I will cherish it forever.
(You do)
My baby's love is worth more than anything in the world, and I will always be thankful for it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALVERTIS ISBELL, BOOKER T. JR. JONES, EDDIE FLOYD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind