Clarence Washington — Beat It Till It’s Tender (1976)

DJ Diddles

Clarence Washington

DJ Diddles

funk, soul

[Intro — Bass & Guitar Lock Into Groove]

[Clarence — spoken]

Now listen...

Everybody thinks they know how to fry chicken.

But you can't just throw that bird in some grease.

No, no, no...

First...

You gotta...

BEAT IT.

[Band HIT]

[Background Singers]

(TILL IT'S TENDER!)

[Clarence]

I SAID BEAT IT!

(TILL IT'S TENDER!)

Hit me!

[Verse 1]

Got that chicken laid out on the board
Been waitin' all week, can't wait no more
Little salt, little pepper, little seasoned flour
Clarence been hungry for about an hour!

But before that bird gets anywhere near
That cast-iron skillet with the hot grease there
There's one little secret Mama taught this man—

[Clarence]

GET THAT MALLET IN YOUR HAND!

[CHORUS]

BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER!
(Beat it! Beat it!)

BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER!
(Don't you quit!)

Work that chicken!
Make it right!

BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER ALL NIGHT!

[Clarence]

Not ALL night!

You'll ruin the damn chicken!

[Verse 2]

Lay it down flat, don't hit too wild
Firm little rhythm with a whole lotta style
Thigh over here, breast over there—

[Background Singer]

(Clarence, that's a lotta meat!)

[Clarence]

Woman, we feeding SIX PEOPLE!

Now—

Flour that thing!
Season that skin!
Get that grease hot—

THEN DROP IT IN!

[SIZZLE]

[Clarence]

OOOOOOOOH!

That's what Clarence been waiting on!

[Breakdown — Drums Begin Building]

[Clarence]

Drummer...

Give me that beat.

[DRUMS]

That's too gentle.

BEAT IT HARDER!

[Drums intensify]

[Background Singers]

(HARDER! HARDER!)

[Clarence]

I SAID HARDER!

[Drums intensify again]

BEAT IT!

(TILL IT'S TENDER!)

BEAT IT!

(TILL IT'S TENDER!)

[Clarence breathing heavily]

Huh!

HAAH!

Keep goin'!

Don't stop now!

[Background Singers]

(BEAT IT!)

[Clarence]

I'm beatin' it!

(BEAT IT!)

I'm beatin' it!

(HARDER!)

GOOD GOD!

[Drums become frantic]

[Clarence — gasping]

Hold on...

Clarence need a second.

[Band stops]

[Heavy breathing]

[Background Singer]

You finished?

[Clarence]

Finished?!

Woman...

I ain't even heated the grease yet!

[Band EXPLODES]

[FINAL CHORUS]

BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER!
(GET THAT CHICKEN RIGHT!)

BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER!
(FRY THAT THING TONIGHT!)

Season it!

(SEASON IT!)

Flour it!

(FLOUR IT!)

Drop it in that grease and let it—

SIZZLE!

[Clarence]

GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY!

Somebody bring me a biscuit!

[Outro — Funk Vamp]

[Background Singer]

Clarence... why you sweating so much?

[Clarence, exhausted]

You ever tenderized...

fourteen pieces of chicken...

in a velvet jumpsuit?

Didn't think so.

Hit me.

[Final horn stab]

2565/7500

[Intro — Bass & Guitar Lock Into Groove] [Clarence — spoken] Now listen... Everybody thinks they know how to fry chicken. But you can't just throw that bird in some grease. No, no, no... First... You gotta... BEAT IT. [Band HIT] [Background Singers] (TILL IT'S TENDER!) [Clarence] I SAID BEAT IT! (TILL IT'S TENDER!) Hit me! [Verse 1] Got that chicken laid out on the board Been waitin' all week, can't wait no more Little salt, little pepper, little seasoned flour Clarence been hungry for about an hour! But before that bird gets anywhere near That cast-iron skillet with the hot grease there There's one little secret Mama taught this man— [Clarence] GET THAT MALLET IN YOUR HAND! [CHORUS] BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER! (Beat it! Beat it!) BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER! (Don't you quit!) Work that chicken! Make it right! BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER ALL NIGHT! [Clarence] Not ALL night! You'll ruin the damn chicken! [Verse 2] Lay it down flat, don't hit too wild Firm little rhythm with a whole lotta style Thigh over here, breast over there— [Background Singer] (Clarence, that's a lotta meat!) [Clarence] Woman, we feeding SIX PEOPLE! Now— Flour that thing! Season that skin! Get that grease hot— THEN DROP IT IN! [SIZZLE] [Clarence] OOOOOOOOH! That's what Clarence been waiting on! [Breakdown — Drums Begin Building] [Clarence] Drummer... Give me that beat. [DRUMS] That's too gentle. BEAT IT HARDER! [Drums intensify] [Background Singers] (HARDER! HARDER!) [Clarence] I SAID HARDER! [Drums intensify again] BEAT IT! (TILL IT'S TENDER!) BEAT IT! (TILL IT'S TENDER!) [Clarence breathing heavily] Huh! HAAH! Keep goin'! Don't stop now! [Background Singers] (BEAT IT!) [Clarence] I'm beatin' it! (BEAT IT!) I'm beatin' it! (HARDER!) GOOD GOD! [Drums become frantic] [Clarence — gasping] Hold on... Hold on... Clarence need a second. [Band stops] [Heavy breathing] [Background Singer] You finished? [Clarence] Finished?! Woman... I ain't even heated the grease yet! [Band EXPLODES] [FINAL CHORUS] BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER! (GET THAT CHICKEN RIGHT!) BEAT IT TILL IT'S TENDER! (FRY THAT THING TONIGHT!) Season it! (SEASON IT!) Flour it! (FLOUR IT!) Drop it in that grease and let it— SIZZLE! [Clarence] GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY! Somebody bring me a biscuit! [Outro — Funk Vamp] [Background Singer] Clarence... why you sweating so much? [Clarence, exhausted] You ever tenderized... fourteen pieces of chicken... in a velvet jumpsuit? Didn't think so. Hit me. [Final horn stab]

0/500