The Ikettes – Camel Walk

By , September 24, 2017 11:02 am

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The Ikettes (at least the set that went on to become the Mirettes)

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Listen/Download – The Ikettes – Camel Walk MP3

Greetings all.

Today we return to that very deep, often very dark, and generally inscrutable corner of the universe occupied by Ike Turner and his various and sundry works.

Thanks in large part to the ugly side of his life/personality, Ike has been denied his rightful position among the true greats of R&B and soul from the 50s through the 70s.

Working as a songwriter, bandleader and guitarist. Turner laid down a mountain of amazing music under his own name, in partnership with the mighty Tina, and as you’ll see today, the Ikettes.

The ‘mystery’ of the Ikettes has bugged me for as long as I’ve been listening to/collecting soul music. The names of the singers that passed through their ranks over the years is legendary (and sometimes, possibly apocryphal), yet I have never seen anyone nail down which singers were in the Ikettes at what time, and what recordings they appeared on.

As a result, though their work is generally excellent, backing Ike and Tina, or as in today’s selection, stepping out on their own, it is very difficult to assign credit where credit is due.

Today’s selection, ‘The Camel Walk’ was released in 1964, and is credited to Ike Turner, who is almost certainly the producer of the record as well.

‘The Camel Walk’ was – as anyone that has witnessed live footage of James Brown can testify – a dance, with the earliest reference to it on record going back to the late 50s. By the time the soul era was in full swing there were a number of ‘Camel Walk’ records, by artists like LaBrenda Ben and the Beljeans, Benny Gordon and the Soul Brothers and on the boogaloo side of things, the Latinaires.

The Ikettes iteration is a fast moving dance floor burner with some funky drums (way up in the mix) piano and guitar.

The lyrics aren’t much to speak of, but this is a dance craze 45 and you don’t dip into this end of the crates looking for verbal profundity.

It is a groover, and it seems to be escalating in price of late, so go grab yourself one before you can’t, if you know what I mean.

Also, make sure to follow Funky16Corners on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Keep the faith

Larry

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One Response to “The Ikettes – Camel Walk”

  1. at carpenter says:

    You think that’s a Ike playing the guitar he sounds pretty good whoever it is

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