THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
446-Al Wilson-The Snake.
1968-It did not chart until reissued in 1975, when reaching Number 41.
Best Bit-At 2.37. The song which helped elect an American President.
‘The Snake’ was originally written and performed by Oscar Brown Jr. (1926-2005) in 1963, he also recorded the first version. In 1966 the American singer/songwriter Johnny Rivers released a version, but the song didn’t become a hit until covered by Al Wilson (1939-2008) in 1968, when peaking at Number 27 on the American Billboard Hot 100, his version was produced by Rivers on ‘Soul City Records,’ the record label owned by Rivers. In the UK the track has become a cult classic among fans of ‘Northern Soul’ music, (see also best songs 969) being one of the most popular songs of that genre. The songs lyrics are inspired by ‘Aesop’s Fable’ of ‘The Farmer And The Viper.’ It tells of a kind woman who finds a frozen snake and nurses it back to health.The snake repays her by biting her with deadly poisonous venom, when she asks why, the snake tells her that she knew he was a snake before she took him in.
During the 2016 United States Presidential election campaign Republican candidate Donald Trump read out the lyrics of ‘The Snake’ at several campaign rallies to illustrate his position on the Syrian refugee crisis, claiming that the decision to allow people claiming refugee status to enter the United States would ‘Come back to bite us,’ as happened to the woman who took in the snake in the song. The daughters of the late songwriter Oscar Brown Jr. have asked Trump to stop using their fathers song saying ‘He’s perversely using The Snake to demonise immigrants,’ and that Brown ‘Never had anything against immigrants.’
Al Wilson was born Allen LaMar Wilson on June 19th, 1939, in Meridian, Mississippi, United States, he died on April 21st, 2008 from kidney failure, at the age of 68. In 1966 Al Wilson signed with the music producer, songwriter, and manager Marc Gordon, (1935-2010) (see also best songs 97) who introduced him to Johnny Rivers, who signed Wilson to his ‘Soul City’ record label, which led to the recording of ‘The Snake.’ The discography of Al Wilson includes five studio Albums released between 1968-1979, and 22 singles released between 1967-1979, there are also two official compilation Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, four of his singles have reached the top 40, with ‘Show and Tell’ from 1973 reaching Number 1, while ‘The Snake’ peaked at Number 27. In the UK, Al Wilson’s has never had a top 40 hit, but ‘The Snake’ which initially failed to chart in 1968, did reach Number 41 when re-issued in 1975. In the UK he is best remembered for ‘The Snake,’ which is a staple of over 30 Northern Soul various artists compilations, and in a survey of the most popular ‘Northern Soul’ songs of all time it came in at Number 4 (see also best songs 97.)’The Snake’ was the third single released by Al Wilson, from August 1968, and would later appear on his debut studio Album ‘Searching for the Dolphins,’ from November 1968, in total nine tracks from the Album were issued as singles between 1968-1971.
‘The Snake’ was written by Oscar Brown Jr. with the production being by Johnny Rivers, and Marc Gordon. Johnny Rivers was born John Henry Ramistella, on November 7th, 1942, in New York City, United States, he has recorded in the genres of ‘Rock and Roll, ‘Blue-eyed Soul,’ ‘Blues Rock,’ and ‘Country Rock,’ it was the American Disc Jockey Alan Freed (1921-1965) (see also best songs 338) who advised him to change his name to ‘Johnny Rivers,’ referencing the ‘Mississippi River’ that flows through ‘Baton Rouge.’ Johnny Rivers had formed his first band the ‘Spades’ while he was a student at Baton Rouge High School in the mid 1950’s. Alan Freed was very influential in the early career of Johnny Rivers, getting him a recording contract with the ‘Gone’ record label, where he released three commercially unsuccessful singles. The discography of Johnny Rivers includes 31 studio Albums released between 1965-2009, and 49 singles released between 1957-2010, there are also 16 official compilation Albums, and five live Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 he has had 17 top 40 hits, with ‘Poor Side of Town’ reaching the Number 1 position in 1966, he has never had a chart entry in the UK. On June 12th, 2009, Johnny Rivers was inducted into the ‘Louisiana Music Hall of Fame,’ based in Baton Rouge, that organisation seeks to honour and preserve the state’s music culture and heritage, and in 2019, he announced his farewell tour. His last live performance was in July 2023, at the ‘Commerce Casino,’ near Los Angeles.
‘Oh shut up silly woman said the reptile with a grin, now you knew darn well I was a snake before you brought me in.’