“A Hundred Pounds of Clay” is a song written by Kay Rogers, Luther Dixon, and Bob Elgin[1] and performed by Gene McDaniels. The song was produced by Snuff Garrett.[2] Earl Palmer played drums on the song.[3] The song appeared on McDaniels’ 1961 album 100 Lbs. Of Clay![4]
Chart performance
The song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart and No. 11 on the R&B chart in 1961.[5] The song peaked at No.3 in New Zealand [6]
Other versions
- Craig Douglas‘s cover version went to #9 on the UK Singles Chart in 1961.[7]
- Dalida released a French version of the song in 1961 entitled “Avec Une Poignée De Terre”.[8]
- Arthur Alexander released a version on his 1962 debut album for Dot Records You Better Move On.
- The Impressions released a version on their 1967 album, The Fabulous Impressions.[9]
- Dickie Goodman sampled the song in his 1973 novelty song, “The Touchables In Brooklyn“.[10]
- Gary Lucas released a version on his 1998 album, Busy Being Born.[11]
- The Belmonts released a version on their 2009 album, The Belmonts Anthology Vol. 1 Featuring A Hundred Pounds of Clay.[12]
- Dee Dee Sharp released a version on her It’s Mashed Potato Time album, changing the lyrics to “two hundred pounds” and dedicating the song to Chubby Checker.
- Enrique Guzman released a version in México, named “Cien kilos de barro” in 1962.
Song controversy
In the early 1960s, the BBC banned the song and wouldn’t allow British radio stations to play it.[13] The BBC censors, believing that the song suggested that women were created only to be sexual beings, regarded it as blasphemous.[13]
References
- ^ “Search Results for ‘a hundred pounds of clay’ | SecondHandSongs”. SecondHandSongs.
- ^ Gene McDaniels, “A Hundred Pounds Of Clay” Single Release Retrieved January 1, 2014
- ^ Scherman, Tony, Backbeat: The Earl Palmer Story, foreword by Wynton Marsalis, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C., 1999 p. 175
- ^ Gene McDaniels, 100 Lbs. Of Clay Retrieved January 1, 2014
- ^ Gene McDaniels, “A Hundred Pounds Of Clay” Chart Positions Retrieved January 1, 2014
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20210208152241/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=Lever%20hit%20parades&qyear=1961&qmonth=Jun&qweek=15-Jun-1961#n_view_location
- ^ Craig Douglas, “A Hundred Pounds of Clay” Chart Position Retrieved January 1, 2014
- ^ Dalida, L’ Intégrale Des Années Barclay Retrieved January 1, 2014
- ^ The Impressions The Fabulous Impressions Retrieved January 1, 2014
- ^ Dickie Goodman, The Original Flying Saucers Retrieved January 1, 2014
- ^ Gary Lucas, Busy Being Born Retrieved January 1, 2014
- ^ The Belmonts, The Belmonts Anthology Vol. 1 Featuring A Hundred Pounds of Clay Retrieved January 1, 2014
- ^ a b Simmons, Rick. “The Story Behind: Gene McDaniels, “A Hundred Pounds of Clay”“. www.rebeatmag.com. Retrieved 2024-03-31.