Massius Ray

Annotation — Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs

The R&B novelty song "Massius Ray" (VAL # 016) - a play on "Cassius Clay" - later known as Muhammad Ali - who tried and failed to obtain conscientious objector status in 1967 (refusing to turn up for induction), and subsequently convicted, famously saying "I ain't got no quarrel with them Vietcong" - this was seen as both a religious and Civil Rights message.1 The narrator criticised Ali, because "the men will eat sleep, and even fight better when they know their hero, the great Massius Ray, is with them in Vietnam". Thus, the song took a patriotic perspective. The artist Thurman Valentine (T. Valentine) was born in 1932 in Helena, Arkansas, USA, and moved to Chicago, Illinois in the 1950s. Sources1law.cornell.edu↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Notes

Label/cat from Justin's own copy (ownership sheet: Val 016 / US / 7", bought 2024-10 for $50). Discogs profile states he recorded 'Massius Ray' on his own label. AllMusic lists 'Massius Ray' as a T. Valentine song (styles: Comedy, Novelty). Discogs has a Valentine 45 'Hello Lucille Are You A Lesbian / Betty Sue' (r7999931) - same B-side title. Val Records 016-A, 45 RPM, black label with silver print; "Massius Ray" (T. Valentine), Fairshake Pub., time 2:30; credited to T. Valentine and Company. [From the record sleeve and labels]

About the artist

Thurmon Valentine (born 16 December 1932, West Helena, Arkansas; died 7 June 2024) was a blues singer who served three years in the US Army from 1951, then recorded in Chicago in the 1960s for Bea & Baby and his own Val Records (also founding gospel label Cora); best known for "Hello Lucille ... Are You a Lesbian?" [Source: Discogs]

Themes

Muhammad Ali · Draft · Conscientious Objector · Satire · Novelty · Civil Rights

In collections

Civil Rights Songs · Draft Songs · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]