Ray Stevens and Clyde

Nearly 20 years ago I had read somewhere that when Ray was a kid he had one of those plastic kick balls and on the surface of the toy was an illustration of a camel. It's generally stated that the camel on that kick ball was like "an omen" given how popular the camel would become in Ray's career years later. What we do know is that the camel has long since become one of Ray's logos and it's name, Clyde, harkens back to Ray's 1962 hit, "Ahab the Arab". Clyde the Camel was one of the 'stars' in that 1962 hit...a popular figure made popular via Ray's camel impressions. I've never actually heard a camel make noises...I don't think they roar or growl...but ever since I discovered the songs of Ray Stevens and heard "Ahab the Arab" I always think of Ray's camel noise whenever I see a camel on television, on a cigarette pack, or in a cartoon. In the Joe Camel craze quite a few years ago the only thing I could think of was Clyde the Camel. Clyde, for those unaware, carried Ahab throughout the Arabian desert in his quest to rescue Fatima from the Sultan's harem. The name of 'Clyde' was lifted from Clyde McPhatter, one of the various R&B singers whom Ray was influenced by.

As far as the song goes it's a clever and silly song wrapped into one. Some argue that it's a novelty song but I say it's a comedy song. What's the difference one may be asking? Well, the difference is a novelty song captures a trend or a fad that's taking place and uses humor, whether it's sophisticated or low-brow. A novelty song is also a generic phrase applied to something "unusual or off-beat" but if you break it down and examine the differences you'll more than likely realize that a comedy song and a novelty song are two different things. A comedy song is a song that's comical without any connection to a trend or a fad. "Ahab the Arab" is a comedy song whereas "The Streak" is a novelty song.

Throughout Ahab, Ray does a trio of voices. Ray voices Ahab, Clyde, and Fatima. The song plays out like a comical version of Sheik of Araby. In the 1995 music video of the song there's pieces of the video shot in black and white, which in my mind, make it perfectly clear that the Sheik of Araby was an inspiration for the song back in 1962.

The Clyde name was later used for an independent record label...and then he became a mascot for Ray's movie studio where he makes his music videos. Clyde Records and Clyde Pictures respectively. Ahab wasn't given the shaft, though. Ray eventually named his music publishing company after him...for quite a few years Ray's songs were published under the 'Ahab Music Company' name. Ray, of course, owned the publishing company. In the mid 1970's the company's name was changed to the more serious-sounding 'Ray Stevens Music'. After Clyde's introduction in 1962 he was a big enough star that Ray incorporated the camel into a holiday recording, "Santa Claus Is Watching You". In the original recording of that song Rudolph becomes unavailable and can't make the flight and so Clyde takes his place to lead the pack of reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Bruce, and Marvin. In the completely re-written song in 1985 Clyde doesn't figure in the action but is among the several pulling the sleigh: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Bruce, Marvin, Leon, Cledus, George, Slick, Dooright, Clyde, Ace, Blackie, Queenie, Prince, Spot, and Rover. I know I'm probably missing a few!

Ray currently records for his own label, Clyde Records. The material is available on-line...mostly at Ray's web-site or at Amazon. Sometimes Curb Records will distribute material to wider outlets as was the case with the Box Set collection several years ago and Ray Stevens Sings Sinatra...Say What???. The latter CD I hadn't seen it in shopping stores in spite of it showing Curb Records as it's current distributor. Clyde Records is the label that's written on the copy I have but Amazon lists Curb as the label. So, going by that, Curb Records continues to help Ray get his music to the masses as the saying goes. In case anyone has any questions I'll try and come up with possible questions and I'll supply the answers.

Q: How many times has Ray recorded "Ahab the Arab"?

A: There have been just three versions of the song recorded through the years. The first version arrived in 1962. Interestingly, the recording was longer than Mercury Records was hoping for and they informed Ray that they were going to edit the final verse and make it more radio-friendly. Nowadays this is referred to as a "radio edit" where a song is edited several seconds or several minutes...usually instrumental solos. According to Ray he at first balked and felt his song would be ruined if they removed any part of it. Mercury went ahead and released the edited version and it became a hit. There are some compilation projects that feature the full-length version of the song which included the Sultan returning to the tent and finding Ahab and Fatima together. And so 1962 marked the first recording of the song. He re-recorded it in 1969...and I'll go on to say that the 1969 re-recording is much more widely known than the 1962 original. The 1969 version originally appeared on the Gitarzan album that Ray recorded for Monument Records. The third version came along in 1995. Ray re-recorded the song when he made the official music video, which originally appeared on his Get Serious movie that year. The movie was direct-to-home video and not shown in theatres.

Q: What does Ahab say when he's quietly strolling through the sands atop Clyde the Camel in the 1969 version?

A: It's mostly gibberish and doesn't sound as authentic as the 1962 version attempted to sound. In the 1969 version Ray has fun with the so-called Arabic language Ahab is belting out. It uses a once-popular phrase, "Sold American", which was heard a lot on Lucky Strike commercials with the auctioneers talking a mile a minute. I often feel that is who Ray is spoofing in the 1969 version or else he wouldn't end Ahab's shouting with that phrase.

http://www.tobaccovideos.com/videos.php?brand=Lucky+Strike

At that web-site you'll be able to see various Lucky Strike TV commercials. I don't smoke but I've known of the cigarette brand as a major sponsor for Jack Benny. The company sponsored Jack's radio and TV programs in the 1940's and 1950's. "The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny" was it's official title. When I heard one of the Lucky Strike commercials on the radio show and heard the auctioneer end with "sold American" I thought of the 1969 version of Ahab the Arab. Once you're at that web-site click on the video "Be Happy Go Lucky Strike Today". It's a 43 second commercial and it opens up the auctioneer's voice.

Q: Is Ahab the Arab politically correct?

A: This will depend on each individual person. Whether it is or isn't it should be left up to an individual listener to make the decision. Having said that I also feel that whatever conclusion a listener comes to then that's their own decision and it shouldn't be considered the opinion of everyone. As is the case with a vast majority of people who cry political incorrectness they want to push their views and their perspectives onto everyone. I don't see this song as politically incorrect but yet those who find the song offensive I bet will say I'm a racist or say I'm a bigot or say I have no feelings for Arabs since I happen to find the song comical and silly. The politically correct advocates are extremists, pretty much, who want to push their agenda onto others.

Q: How does Ray have a Multi-Platinum single, Everything Is Beautiful, but yet it's only referred to as a Gold record?

A: For years the music industry never certified albums or singles. Once the RIAA began to recognize singles that sold a million copies it became even more competitive. A Gold record was the phrase that was given to every single that sold a million copies or more. There was no such thing as a Platinum record. Along the way someone had the idea to create the Platinum award for sales of two million copies or more. Then the sales requirements were lowered in the 1980's, I think, and Gold meant half a million in sales and Platinum meant a million in sales. Double, Triple, Quadruple Platinum would then be awarded for everything 2 million and higher in sales. So, when historians and Ray himself refer to "Everything Is Beautiful", a single that sold over 3 million copies, as a Gold record, they're using the 1970 sales standards and perhaps Ray has never applied for a triple-platinum certification and so it's technically still considered a Gold record.

Q: Why is there often a polarizing effect when it comes to comedy songs?

A: The simple answer to that is everyone's sense of humor is different. As I touched upon with the politically correct commentary, each individual has their own sense of humor. Along with this they also have their opinions of what should be spoofed and what shouldn't. When you get into the nuts and bolts of why comedy songs often have a polarizing effect it's simply because what's funny to one group of people may not be funny to another group and you have a divided reaction. Also, there are some people who absolutely have no sense of humor. I feel that some, in the politically correct crowd especially, are over analytical. They analyze things to a fault. They dissect words and interpret them completely different from what the writer/author intended...and given that the politically correct crowd are offended they want to see some changes. They don't care about the majority of people who aren't offended...all the politically correct crowd care about is that they were offended. I should refer to that crowd as the special interest crowd...but it isn't as alliterative and prone to tongue twisting as "the politically correct crowd" phrase is.

Q: When did Ray change the name of his publishing company from Ahab Music to Ray Stevens Music?

A: By process of elimination I looked on the back of his 1976 album, Just For the Record, and seen that the songs were all published by Ahab Music. I then looked on the back of his 1977 album, Feel the Music, and seen that those songs were published by Ray Stevens Music. So, 1977 was the year of the name change.

Q: What is R.O.C. Coca-Cola?

A: In the 1962 original recording Ray was using a delivery heavily inspired by Brother Dave Gardner and during the narrative Ray mentions that Fatima was sipping an R.O.C. Coca-Cola when Ahab encountered her in the tent. This was a reference to the cultures of the south where the whites drank Coca-Cola and the blacks were only allowed RC Cola but a lot of them pronounced it "R.O.C Cola". In the song Ray combines both beverages as "R.O.C Coca-Cola". Younger people who hear the original today perhaps won't know what Ray's referring to and probably think it's just a goofy made-up beverage without realizing the cross-culture reference.