A Hundred Pounds of Clay is a unique, quasi-spiritual Pop/Soul song by American singer, songwriter, and producer Gene McDaniels. Released in 1961, it was his breakthrough and most successful singing hit. The lyrics tell a simple yet profound, biblical-inspired story of God creating woman from "a hundred pounds of clay" to bring love and meaning to man's life. With McDaniels' strong, smooth vocals and the backing of The Johnny Mann Singers, the song quickly climbed both the Pop and R&B charts. (S

On this day, April 8, 1961 — Gene McDaniels' smooth and soulful "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" was riding high on the U.S. charts, eventually reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #11 on the R&B chart. But across the Atlantic, the BBC had a very different reaction. The British broadcaster banned the song from their airwaves, claiming its reference to a woman being created from "a hundred pounds of clay" was blasphemous. Controversy aside, there’s no denying the charm and power of this tune. With