The Snake (Al Wilson song)

"The Snake"
Single by Al Wilson
B-side	Willoughby Brook
Released	1968
Genre	Soul
Length	3:27
Label	Bell
Writer(s)	Oscar Brown
Producer(s)	Johnny Rivers, Marc Gordon
Al Wilson singles chronology
"Medley: I Won't Last a Day Without You/Let Me Be the One" 1974 "The Snake" (1974) "La La Peace Song" (1974)

"The Snake" is a song and single by American singer Al Wilson, written by Oscar Brown in 1963.^{[1] [2]}

Although released in 1968 in America, due the exposure of the song on the UK northern soul scene, it entered the UK chart in August 1975, reaching number 41 in September.^[3] The success of "The Snake" on the northern soul nightclub circuit has led to it being ranked 4 of 500 top northern soul singles and for it to appear on over 30 pop and northern soul compilation albums.^[4][5][6] The song was re-released in 1989 as a b-side to a re-release of Just Don't Want To Be Lonely by The Main Ingredient.^[1] Wilson's recording of "The Snake" was also featured in a Lambrini advert in the UK.^[7]

Other artists to release versions of the song include The Liverpool Five (1966), Johnny Rivers (1966, live recording on album ...And I Know You Wanna Dance), Kevin 'King' Lear (1969), Dodgy (1994) and The Harley Farquart Express.

References