RIP, Candy Licker
February 9, 2011 10:11 AM   Subscribe

"The "chitlin' circuit" sounds like something that's gone, and with good reason. After all, the name itself derives from the "soul food" of chitterlings (fried pig intestines) that was a staple at early performances. But from CC Blues Club on Thomas Street to the Cannon Center downtown, thousands of Memphis music fans flock to hear stars like Marvin Sease and Bobby Rush sing what's too risqué for radio play, and to watch dancers shake what's too big for TV. That's both the beauty of the chitlin' circuit and the reason for its survival. While its roots run back to racial segregation, it thrives today because performers give audiences what they can't get through mainstream media. It's called "grown folks music," and it's all in the name of the blues."
Soul-blues singer Marvin Sease has died at age 64. Here's a comprehensive playlist of his (sexually-explicit/NSFW) songs on YouTube, including the one that never received any radio airplay but whose title the former gospel singer took as his professional nickname: Candy Licker

The (explicit) lyrics to Candy Licker.

His MySpace account has 9 songs posted (all contained on the YouTube channel) in case anyone runs into restriction difficulties.
posted by zarq (15 comments total) 10 users marked this as a favorite


 
I first partially heard Candy Licker when I was nine years old, over a relative's house. Children were swiftly kicked outside and told to stay there for several hours.

Now I understand.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:19 AM on February 9, 2011


In a similar vein, Deep Sea Diver, by bluesman Charlie Jordan.
posted by StickyCarpet at 10:28 AM on February 9, 2011


huh? Deep Sea Diver
posted by StickyCarpet at 10:29 AM on February 9, 2011


({¡})
posted by nickyskye at 10:33 AM on February 9, 2011 [12 favorites]


Robert Johnson's Terraplane Blues has always been a fave in the sexual innuendo category.

Um, where's your starter?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:35 AM on February 9, 2011


Never before have I (almost) blushed at the site of simple ASCII art, but you did just that, nickyskye.

My thoughts: "Goodness, can they show that on the internet? Goodness!


Oh right, this is the internet, it's nothing new. Never mind.

Tee-hee!"
posted by filthy light thief at 10:42 AM on February 9, 2011 [3 favorites]


And, thanks for this post. Another world of music I would not know if, if not for MeFites.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:44 AM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]


nickyskye: "({¡})"

This made me laugh very hard. Thanks for it. :)
posted by zarq at 10:58 AM on February 9, 2011


filthy light thief: "And, thanks for this post. Another world of music I would not know if, if not for MeFites."

You're very welcome. I'm still kinda shocked I posted Candy Licker to Mefi. ;)
posted by zarq at 10:59 AM on February 9, 2011


Ah Marvin Sease, that brings back memories. My younger brother bought a cassette tape of Do You Need a Licker? at the flea market which he played ad nauseam much to the amusement to he and his friends. Never thought I'd see him on Metafilter. Here's to you Mr. Sease, you dirty dirty beautiful man. Tonight I am sure that there is an angel in the house tonight who needs a licker. Aw candy licker.
posted by ND¢ at 11:02 AM on February 9, 2011


Never received any radio airplay? Au contraire! Lady P's show "The Dusties Storm" on WORT-FM has played Marvin Sease on Saturday mornings for years.

RIP Marvin, but it should be a fun show Saturday.
posted by Floydd at 11:07 AM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]


Because I couldn't get the youtube to work in my country and because the Netherlands keeps that shit real.
posted by ND¢ at 11:10 AM on February 9, 2011


I used to work in a record warehouse years ago, and one of the guys I worked with had a bizarre fascination with Marvin Sease, based not on actually having listened to his music, but just on the album covers and song titles. He had an idea in his head of what the guy must sound like, and he didn't want to shatter that image by listening to the real thing.

People are weird.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 12:50 PM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]


My husband worked at a record store back in the day, and he and a coworker became big fans after cracking open one of his CD's based purely on the cover. They then became fans of talking to each other Marvin Sease-style.

I just told him that Sease died, and after saying "aww", he said he might have died of too much lovin'. I kinda hope that's the case.

.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 3:14 PM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]


Holy shit, I used to run sound for Marvin Sease, Shirley Brown, Bobby Rush, Clarence Carter, Tyrone Davis, etc. all the time a few years back. I think Marvin Sease played my first Chitlin' Circuit show, a Mother's Day concert in the middle of a field behind some guy's gas station off the side of the road in White Hall, Alabama. About 10,000 people showed up on a Sunday afternoon and stood sweating in the early May Alabama sun for six hours. When Marvin Sease sang Candy Licker, he unfurled his tongue like Gene Simmons and flicked the tip; all the women on the front, grotesquely obese to a one, went into paroxysms of vicarious pleasure and flashed their tits, asses, and vaginas at Marvin, often several generations of families together with their shirts half off, skirts hiked up, and thongs at their knees. He, in turn, would jump down on all fours at the front of the stage and swing his head into the crowd like a lion lapping at water. Meanwhile, the band members, mostly young guys, stared into space or made faces at me at the side of the stage in order to avoid the necessity of a post-show administration of eye bleach. I wondered at the time how Marvin could stand it but after we got paid with a huge paper sack of cash I came to understand he was probably doing pretty well for himself.
posted by ferdinand.bardamu at 7:25 PM on February 9, 2011 [3 favorites]


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