Clarence Carter – Slip Away

Some more cool R&B that is right up my alley. I love Carter’s voice in this one. I heard this one in the 1980s on 96.3 in Nashville. It was an oldies channel where I heard many of the 1960s hits for the first time. 

I love the arrangement of this song because it gives Carter space to phrase like a storyteller and to breathe. His voice in this is great. He doesn’t scream or plead, he simply tells you the story. This song went on to become one of Clarence Carter’s signature songs, and for good reason. It’s timeless, and a record that still sounds perfect on a crackling AM radio or a hifi stereo. 

The song was recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and produced by the great Rick Hall. The guitar player on this cut was Duane Allman in one of his first sessions. This was the B-side to a song called Funky Fever. The single was flipped over, and this song was played the most. 

Slip Away was written by William Armstrong, Marcus Daniel, and Wilbur Terrell. The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard 100 and #12 in Canada in 1968. The single’s B-side, “Funky Fever”, reached #49 on the U.S. R&B chart and #88 on the Billboard 100 chart.

Slip Away was featured on his 1968 album This Is Clarence Carter. The album peaked at #200 on the Billboard Album Charts in 1968. Clarence Carter will be 90 years young next month. 

Here is an older Carter performing this song in 2010.

Slip Away

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all. View all posts by Badfinger (Max)