Ahab the Arab
Ray Stevens
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Let me tell you about Ahab the Arab The sheik of the burning sand He had emeralds and rubies just drippin' off 'a him And a ring on every finger of his hand He wore a big ol' turban wrapped around his head And a scimitar by his side And, every evenin', about midnight He'd jump on his camel named Clyde, and ride [Spoken] Silently through the night to the sultan's tent where he would secretly meet up with Fatima of the Seven Veils, swingingest grade "A" number one US choice dancer in the sultan's whole harem, 'cause, heh, him and her had a thing goin', you know, and they'd been carryin' on for some time now behind the sultan's back and you could hear him talk to his camel as he rode out across the dunes, his voice would cut through the still night desert air and he'd say (imitate Arabic speech and finish with "Sold! American) which is Arabic for, "Stop, Clyde!" and Clyde'd say, (imitate camel sound), which is camel for, "What the heck did he say anyway?" Well, he brought that camel to a screechin' halt (verbal screeching sound) In the rear of Fatima's tent Jumped off Clyde, snuck around the corner And into the tent he went. There he saw Fatima layin' on a zebra skin rug With [Spoken in falsetto and possibly with female backups] "Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes and a bone in her nose ho, ho." [Spoken] There she was, friends, lyin' there in all her radiant beauty, eating on a raisin, grape, apricot, pomegranate, bowl of chittlin's, two bananas, three Hershey bars, sipping on a RC co-cola listenin' to her transistor, watchin' the Grand Ole Opry on the tube, readin' a Mad magazine while she sung, "Does your chewing gum lose it's flavor?" Yeah, Ahab walked up to her and he say, (imitate Arabic speech), which is Arabic for "Let's twist again like we did last summer, baby.!!" Ha, ha, ha!! You know what I mean! Whew! She looked up at him from off the rug, give him one of the sly looks, She said (suggestive giggles, then outright laughter) "Crazy, crazy, crazy baby!" ('round and around and around and around, and around and around and around) Yeah, and that's the story 'bout Ahab the Arab The sheik of the burnin' sand Ahab the Arab, the swingin' sheik of the burnin' sand
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Written by: RAY STEVENS
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song Creation"Ahab the Arab" is a novelty song written and recorded by Ray Stevens in 1962. Stevens wrote the song himself, making it one of his earliest self-authored hits.
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Chart PerformanceAlthough it did not top the charts, "Ahab the Arab" did well. It reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Cultural BackgroundThe song tells a comedic, exaggerated story of a Bedouin tribesman and his trusty camel, Clyde.
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ControversyDue to its use of ethnic stereotypes, "Ahab the Arab" has faced criticism. Its portrayal of Arab culture has been described as offensive and in bad taste.
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Live PerformancesDespite the controversy, "Ahab the Arab" remains one of Ray Stevens' most popular songs. He often includes it in his live performances, alongside other hits like "The Streak" and "Everything Is Beautiful."
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Revised VersionIn response to the controversy and changing cultural attitudes towards racial humor, Stevens released a revised version of the song in 2012. This version removed many of the ethnic stereotypes and adjusted the lyrics to be less offensive.
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Album Placement"Ahab the Arab" can be found on Ray Stevens' debut album "1,837 Seconds of Humor", released in 1962.
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Style ClassificationThe song is often categorized as comedy or novelty music. This genre is characterized by its humor and often absurd scenarios or lyrics.
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Video RepresentationThe official video for "Ahab the Arab" features Stevens in comedic Arab costume, further adding to the novelty feel of the song.
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Later ReferencesThe name of Ahab's camel, Clyde, was later used in another of Stevens' songs, "Gitarzan," as the name of a gorilla. This reference is one way that Stevens has built continuity across his discography.
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Citation
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"Ahab the Arab Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 16 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/33525868/Ray+Stevens/Ahab+the+Arab>.
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