Thursday, September 17, 2009

Otis Clay's Deep Soul

Otis Clay - "She's About a Mover" b/w "You Don't Miss Your Water" is a wicked 45 on Atlantic's Cotillion subsidiary. This is seriously DEEP soul from Mississippi-born Clay, recorded at Muscle Shoals under Rick Hall's production. The 45 SOUNDS awesome thanks to tight production and a crack band, with Otis Clay's unique readings of these 2 classic songs. "She's About a Mover" was the Sir Douglas Quintet's "Nugget", and a good, rollicking R&B-styled song. Otis Clay and the Muscle Shoals band honestly take it to the next level and put the song in the correct context. It's great.


"You Don't Miss Your Water" is maybe my second favorite Soul song ever after "Dark End of the Street." Currently it's the one I feel the most, as, sadly, I'm sure many folks my age do. Your pretty standard story of having a good thing going with someone, leaving it for whatever bullshit reasons, and then later on when the superficial good times clear out, you find yourself missing the original, pure good thing you had. But of course it's too late, you had your shot, and forces of the universe have closed that door in your face. "You don't miss your water 'til your well runs dry" is a fairly well-known saying, and William Bell wrote an honest, touching soul ballad to PERFECTLY express his own realization that he missed his water. Otis Redding did a moving version of the song, and many have since covered it. This is my second favorite version, with the original Bell take on Stax being my favorite. This is a unique reading of the song, more conversational and laid-back in vocal tone (as maybe was Clay's general style), but still quite powerful. Download and listen below and find a copy, it's worth it.



http://www.mediafire.com/?dnwzzymtanq



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