Substitute – Clout
Substitute – Clout (Before Girl’s had Power, they had Clout)
Clout
Thirty three years on, and Clout’s cover of an obscure Righteous Brothers song still remains the highest placed South African song on the British Singles charts. It reached the number 2 spot on 5 August 1978 and stayed there for two weeks, kept off the top spot by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John’s worldwide smash hit ‘You’re The One That I Want.’ We South Africans took our revenge by ensuring Gerry Rafferty’s ‘Baker Street’ kept ‘You’re The One That I Want’ off the top spot of our Springbok Radio Charts. Still Clout did sell over half a million copies in the UK. The song topped the charts in New Zealand, Australia, Germany, France, Belgium and Holland as well as South Africa.
The all girl group fronted by Cindy Alter took the soul with a tinge of country version that the Righteous Brothers did, sped it up slightly and made it rock while still keeping the pop sensibilities of the song.
Disco diva Gloria Gaynor has covered the song as well as there being a German version by Paolo and a French one by Sylvie Vartan. In more recent times Industrial rock group Bhelltower featuring Springbok Nude Girl, Arno Carstens, persuaded Cindy to lay down the vocals for an interesting cover version.
The song is still popular throughout the world, but will always have a special place in the hearts of South Africans.
Where to find it:
20 Greatest Hits – Clouts (1992), Gallo, CDCLOUT 1
Various Artists – The Best of SA Pop Volume 2 (1994) GMP, CDGMPD 40486 (CD)
Lyrics:
Sam
you’ve been waiting much to long
Now it looks like she’s not coming home.
Sam
you’ve been loyal
true and faithful
All this time with being alone.
If I could get that same dedication
I’d give you everything in creation
If she doesn’t come back
Chor: If she doesn’t come back
I’ll be your substitute
Whenever you want me
Don’t you know I’ll be your substitute
Whenever you need me
Sam ev’ry day you waited for her
I’ve been waiting here for you.
Sam
all this time I’ve been lonely
I know what you’ve been going through
I’ll wait until our chances occur
‘Cos you can’t keep relying on her
If she doesn’t come back.
Chor: If she doesn’t come back.
I’ll be your substitute
Whenever you want me
Don’t you know I’ll be your substitute
When ever you need me
Each day by your window you
sit and sigh hoping to see
her face.
Ay
you might as well forget
about her and find someone
to take
her place.
Chor: If she doesn’t come back
I’ll be your substitute
When ever you want me
Don’t you know I’ll be your substitute
When ever you need me
Don’t you know I’ll be your substitute…
(Written by Willie H. Wilson)
Videos:
Clout:
Bhelltower:
Righteous Brothers:
Sylvie Vartan (French Version):
Website:
1001 South African Songs You Must Hear Before You Go Deaf 
“We South Africans”, not “We South African’s”.
Thanks … fixed.