I have no idea who The Webs are. All I know is that this gut-wrenching soul ballad came out in 1968 and that it’s a real heartbreaker.

I’m guessing it first came to light when it was unearthed by Peckham soul boy Dave Godin for Volume 4 of his magnificent Deep Soul Treasures compilations in 2004.

Every artist will tell you that the best art, the best books, films and songs (especially songs) are the ones where the meaning is open to interpretation. And this is a classic example.

Where most listeners will hear a song of romantic heartbreak and loss, others – maybe those with bitter experience of addiction – will hear it in an entirely different context.

It’s got melancholy oozing from every groove, especially from Willie Cooper’s tormented vocal. I’m surprised and delighted to see that more than six million people have played the song on YouTube.

Digging deeper, I find that The Webs were a Texas band formed by lead singer Cooper in Galveston in the early ’60s, and recorded for a variety of labels from 1963-68.

This tune was written by Cooper with Marshall Boxley, who I’m guessing was another member of the quartet. It was sampled, notably, by Cypress Hill on their track Untitled in 2002.

Perhaps that’s why they’ve clocked up more than six million listens. If anyone can tell me more about The Webs, I’d love to hear it.