Messing up my mind!

[illings]

It may be the song title, I don't know. I don't know the artist either!
It's a good "beatie" tune & easy to dance to.

A popular song often played at the Ritz, Brighouse....but can't always get there for work commitments.

All I know is "You're messing up my mind, with the things you do."
(backing singers)......"I need your love, I need your love....."

I need your help.....can anyone identify the song & artist please.

Until I've played it a few times, I won't be able to get it out of my head............It's messing up MY mind!!!

[gardens]

You could well be talking about Clarence Carter - Messin with my mind.
It came out on Ichiban 101 current value abot £50
One of my plays and favourites at cleethorpes

[s0ul45]

No doubt about it illings, gardens is absolutely right, it's Clarence Carter alright, but just to add to his post there are other ways to find this track.

It is taken from the Ichiban album entitled 'Messing With My Mind', ICH 1001. It also secured a U.K. release in at least three different formats. A 12" came out on 7th October 1985 on Certain Records with 'Messing With My Mind' weighing in at 4mins 11secs as the 'a' side, and with 'Sweet Feeling' and 'It Ain't What You Do' on the 'b' side. All of the tracks are taken from the L.P. Shortly after a 7" with a picture cover came out (Acert1),but with 'Messing With My Mind' edited to 3mins 37secs, with just 'It Ain't What You Do' on the flip side. Six months later in May 1986 'Messing With My Mind' was released as the 'b' side of the wonderful ballad 'I Was In The Neighbourhood', a slightly extended version.

For TWO great sides that's the one to own but 'Messing With My Mind' is back to 4mins 11secs.
I like Clarence Carter!!

Now start checking those boot fairs. Good hunting.

[francoz2007]

there was also female version of messing with my mind! by Barbara Carr (i think) that was played quite a bit around the mid eighties

[s0ul45]

I'm not sure about Barbara Carr but the first version I heard of 'Messin' With My Mind' was by Otis Clay.

It was written for him by George Jackson and Robert Miller and like Clarence's version is a Muscle Shoals product. Otis Clay recorded it in 1980 and it was released on the Echo label - the same as 'The Only Way Is Up' It appears on the 1985 album 'The Only Way Is Up' from Chicago which initially was released in Japan 1982. The album itself is good but a bit of an amalgam of recordings from various times. 'Special Kind Of Love', a good track, was released in the U.K. on President in 1976, but as the 'b' side of 'The Only Way Is Up' in the States on Echo in 1980?

Anyway, the bottom line is Clarence's version is far superior and I'm a fan of Otis Clay as well.

[illings]

Guys, many many thanks for your replies.

Armed with the song title & the artist, I "Googled" it and found a playclip. It IS Clarence Carter 100% spot on!

What a soulful voice! AND over 4 mins long that's unusual too.
The songs got a real driving beat and I defy anyone to remain in their seats whenever this is played on the dance floor. I can't believe I've not heard of him before now.

I just hope the Ritz stays open long enough (before it's demolished to make way for an apartment block) to "strut my stuff" (and hopefully my 55 year old knees last out!)

Thanks again!

[steve womack]

:)You have heard him before illings his biggest hit was 'Patches' and everyone has heard that, thankfully he also made some others regarding the Ritz staying open or your knees giving in, I wouldn't bet on either lasting too long ;D ;D

[afcgotsoul]

I too Googled it and was amazed to find that Clarence Carter was being released (and recorded ?) in '85 or so.
As Steve said "Patches" is one release that is worthy of amnesia.
"Slip away" is a different matter, though.

[midge]

Good taste there Illings, what a tune ;D

Midge

[illings]

Ok Steve,

Yes I have heard 'Patches' before but I didn't recollect the artist.

As for my knees giving in first, they may be precluded by my bad memory...... In fact, I can't remember how long I've had a bad memory!!

Despite losing some of my physical attributes,I still keep the faith!

[s0ul45]

This man Clarence Carter has been Messing With My Mind for almost forty years and mainly because of the track that Afcgotsoul has pointed out.

As soon as I hear that distinctive guitar introduction along with the opening line, ‘What would I give, for just a few moments’, I’m finished. I don’t really think that any other single track he released in his Atlantic days can stand up to that but ‘The Feeling Is Right’ and ‘It’s All In Your Mind’ are both recommended.

My first encounter with Clarence’s work was via ‘Looking For A Fox’, a fairly ordinary uptempo thing that probably sounded better ‘in the day’. I didn’t buy the follow up ‘Funky Fever’ and only by accident discovered a year later the phenomenal ‘Slip Away’ on the ‘b’ side. Although, regretfully I have never seen Clarence ‘live’ he certainly sounds a character. Despite being blind from childhood Clarence has a degree in music and has written much of his own material, the arrangements being written in braille. He did write ‘Slip Away’ and loved it but if you check the credits it says ‘Armstrong, Terrell and Daniel’. This is because they were three friends of his who at the time were down on their luck. He hoped the song would earn them some money and it certainly did, it was a million seller in the States.

Clarence’s choice of tracks to record was always rather puzzling. I was frustrated in the eighties because he released several albums each of which had a couple of great tracks, but that was all. He could have made one masterpiece instead and probably have achieved greater commercial success as well as more recognition by a younger audience. Did he need to record ‘Id Rather Go Blind’, ‘Light My Fire’ or ‘Harper Valley P.T.A.’? I suppose that brings us to ‘Patches’, which Clarence openly admits was nicked from the Chairmen Of The Board album ‘In Session’. God knows why that was a hit in the U.K. I don’t suppose too many could easily relate to the Alabama lyric: Clarence certainly could, it is the State of his birth, but not that of General Norman Johnson who wrote it.

The problem as Steve has rightly identified is that of consistency. There are two sides to Clarence Carter; on the one hand we have the most soulful voice delivering some poignant lyrics and then we have an almost comical product with a completely unnecessary sexual innuendo, e.g. ‘Back Door Santa’, ‘At The dark End Of The Street’, ‘Strokin’, ‘G Spot’, ‘Let’s Get A Quickie’ ‘Grandpa Can’t Fly His Kite’. Little more than a second rate Marvin Sease.

Nothing particularly notable within his ABC albums although ‘Warning’, also available on a 7”, has its admirers. In the same vein as ‘Messing With My Mind’ from 1986 is the track ‘If You Let Me Take You Home’ from the Dr. C.C. album. One verse in the song hooks me every time.

’36 – 24 – 36, that’s what your figures show.
It’s enough to make a blind man see.
And girl I ought to know.’

P.S. Don't we all have a little envy for a man who marries a woman with a voice like Candi Staton??

[afcgotsoul]

" My first encounter with Clarence’s work was via ‘Looking For A Fox’, a fairly ordinary uptempo thing that probably sounded better ‘in the day’. "

Trust me - it didn't.

There were a few 'fox' things in 68 or so. I remember the Magistrates 'After the fox' on MGM. Only so I could steer clear tho'.

That sort of track together with the other directions that were being taken at that time could all be summed up by "funky music sho' nuff turns me off (y'awll)".
Bye bye melody.....

That's one thing that some of the hip-hop guys have achieved underpinning at times some pretty lethal lyrics - a beautiful hook melody. Like Kanye West - 'All falls down'.