Cilla Black - Abyssinian Secret

In 1968 Cilla Black unexpectedly recorded an amazing track written by Earl Okin. quite unlike any of her other material. It was called "Abyssinian Secret" and it's long been a guilty pleasure of mine.

When I decided to try creating a video for the track I searched around the internet for some appropriate footage - Arab bazaars, snake charmers, belly dancers etc.

Quite by chance I stumbled across this clip from, I think, a South American TV show. I was astounded to find that the footage didn't need ANY editing whatsoever. The choreography synched perfectly to the track. God! - who would ever have thought you could belly dance to a Cilla Black song!!! All credit to the production skills of George Martin who obviously got the musical arrangement spot on.

Camp? Yes, Cheesey? Yes, but a real classic piece of acid trip, opium den inspired, 60's pop, in it's own right. It was hidden away as an EP track and, I think, is still available on a compilation CD called "The Abbey Road Decade"

I've actually had some really positive feedback to this vid from the composer, Earl Okin, who loved the video - and that's a real buzz... Thanks Earl!

Forget "You're My World" and "Anyone Who Had A Heart" - this was Cilla when the Sixties were REALLY swinging...

Enjoy :)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• cilla
• black
• abyssinian
• secret
• psychedelic
• belly
• dance
• arabesque
• liverpool
• merseybeat
• 60s
• pop
• LSD

[1maktrab]

i had this one in a compilation (i think it was from the re-issue record company Edsel) with an LP title that said something about Mersybeat - was Cilla Black born in Liverpool ? -- It is so many years now, i had bought that record back in the '80s and now i have no idea in who's hands it might be---other songs from that lp were a version of Cat Steven's "the first cut is the deepest" by the Koobas,"everything's alright" by The Mojos and that's all i can recall !

[gav002]

@1maktrab Hi Maktab, yes Cilla is from Liverpool. She worked in the cloakroom at the Cavern Club in Liverpool where The Beatles played their early gigs and they wrote several songs for her at the start of her career

[MrRuss1967]

This and "Trees and Lonliness" are sublime Cilla Black interpetations of songs they DON'T write anymore! Great in mono OR stereo! Inspired video! Has Cilla seen this?

[gav002]

No idea if Cilla's seen it, would love to know what she thought of it though!!

[walrus1a]

My Mum, Simone Avadis co-wrote this track with Earl Okin. They were only teenagers at the time!

[gav002]

Wow, what a thrill to hear from you. Hope your Mum would approve of the video. Thanks, Gav

[Spats47]

Hi!

This is a song that I wrote to the lyrics of Simone Avadis and has nothing to do with Psychedelia at all.

I've always liked this arrangement, however! It was issued on an EP called 'Time For Cilla' together with another of our songs 'Trees & Loneliness', just as EPs were being phased out.

I wonder who made this video? More importantly, why wasn't I invited!!!?

I think that I'd rather like to meet these two ladies! ;-)

Earl Okin.

[expoonation]

Haha, very nicely done!

George Martin.. amazing guy, helped to define course of music in the 60's. With his work/help(just letting them do whatever they wanted) with the Beatles and countless others. :)

[geoffdoor]

@gav002 oh fucking hell who hasn't heard this story you fucking dick head

[TheFreshPeddler]

id like to add them to my harem. especially the one on the left, she looks (o)(o) smart. interesting song too, fits the video well

[TheFreshPeddler]

@Noonooooo -no kidding , what gave it away the english lyrics? lol the video fits well. it doesnt need to be true arabic music, it is inspired by arabic music and has a semblance of it. i wouldnt be able to think of a better video to use for it, could you?

[jackamo23]

This is a truly astonishing Cilla track, so tripped out, reminds me of the same feeling I got when I first heard the Sandy Shaw cover of Led Zep's Your Time Is Gonna Come on her 1968/69 Reviewing The Situation album, tracks like this make you completely re-assess an artist. The way the film and the music totally synchronizes is a joy to behold reminds me of the skiers/tubular bells composition!

[genesisisok]

This was on an EP called "Time"

[rjslade]

I was just surfin' for Cilla Black and came across this intriguing video. Thanks for posting! Rather enchanting song. Gets inside you.

[rjslade]

I was just surfin' for Cilla Black and came across this intriguing video. Thanks for posting!

[MILLSTREETMED]

very nice job here. Wish these girls had a little more belly as where belly dancing comes from proper. These tight tv type stomachs are ok but not the same as a little tummy doing that dance. the way woman is meant to be.