Patton was born in Hinds County, Mississippi, near the town of Edwards, and lived most of his life in Sunflower County in the Mississippi Delta. Some sources say he was born May 1, 1891, but there is some debate about this, and the years 1887 and 1894 have also been suggested.
Patton's parentage and race have been the subject of debate. Although born to Bill and Annie Patton, locally he was regarded as having been fathered by former slave Henderson Chatmon, many of whose other children also became popular Delta musicians both as solo acts and as members of groups such as the Mississippi Sheiks. Biographer John Fahey describes Patton as having "light skin and Caucasian features." Though Patton was considered African-American, because of his light complexion there have been rumors that he was Mexican, or possibly a full-blood Cherokee, a theory endorsed by Howlin' Wolf. In actuality, Patton was a mix of white, black, and Cherokee (one of his grandmothers was a full-blooded Cherokee). Patton himself sang in "Down the Dirt Road Blues" of having gone to "the Nation" and "the Territo'"โmeaning the Cherokee Nation portion of the Indian Territory (which became part of the state of Oklahoma in 1907), where a number of Black Indians tried unsuccessfully to claim a place on the tribal rolls and thereby obtain land.
In 1900, his family moved 100 miles (160 km) north to the legendary 10,000-acre (40 km2) Dockery Plantation sawmill and cotton farm near Ruleville, Mississippi. It was here that both John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf fell under the Patton spell as well as Willie Brown, Tommy Johnson, and Fiddlin' Joe Martin. It was also here that Robert Johnson played and was given his first guitar. At Dockery, Charley fell under the tutelage of Henry Sloan, who had a new, unusual style of playing music which today would be considered very early blues. Charley followed Henry Sloan around, and, by the time he was about 19, had become an accomplished performer and songwriter in his own right, having already composed "Pony Blues," a seminal song of the era.
Robert Palmer describes Patton as a "jack-of all-trades bluesman" who played "deep blues, white hillbilly songs, nineteenth-century ballads, and other varieties of black and white country dance music with equal facility". He was extremely popular across the Southern United States and also performed annually in Chicago, Illinois and, in 1934, New York City. In contrast to the itinerant wandering of most blues musicians of his time, Patton played scheduled engagements at plantations and taverns. Long before Jimi Hendrix impressed audiences with flashy guitar playing, Patton gained notoriety for his showmanship, often playing with the guitar down on his knees, behind his head, or behind his back. Although Patton was a small man at about 5 foot 5,[8] his gravelly voice was rumored to have been loud enough to carry 500 yards without amplification. Patton's gritty bellowing was a major influence on the singing style of his young friend Chester Burnett, who went on to gain fame in Chicago as Howlin' Wolf.
Patton settled in Holly Ridge, Mississippi with his common-law wife and recording partner Bertha Lee in 1933. He died on the Heathman-Dedham plantation near Indianola on April 28, 1934 and is buried in Holly Ridge (both towns are located in Sunflower County). Patton's death certificate states that he died of a mitral valve disorder. Bertha Lee is not mentioned on the certificate, the only informant listed being one Willie Calvin. His death was not reported in the newspapers. A memorial headstone was erected on Patton's grave (the location of which was identified by the cemetery caretaker C. Howard who claimed to have been present at the burial) paid for by musician John Fogerty through the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund in July, 1990. The spelling of Patton's name was dictated by Jim O'Neal, who also composed the Patton epitaph.
Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues: The Worlds of Charley Patton (2001) is a boxed set collecting Patton's recorded works. It also featured recordings by many of his friends and associates. The set won three Grammy Awards in 2003 for Best Historical Album, Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, and Best Album Notes. Another collection of Patton recordings, released under Catfish Records, is titled The Definitive Charley Patton.
Charley Patton's song "Pony Blues" (1929) was included by the National Recording Preservation Board in the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2006. The board selects songs in an annual basis that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
In 2013 Jack White's Third Man Records teamed up with Document Records to reissue The Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order of Charley Patton, Blind Willie McTell and The Mississippi Sheiks.
The Mississippi Blues Trail placed its first historic marker on Charley Patton's grave in Holly Ridge, Mississippi, in recognition of his legendary status as a bluesman and his importance in the development of the blues in Mississippi. It placed another historic marker at the site where the Peavine Railroad intersects with Highway 446 in Boyle, Mississippi, designating it as a second site related to Patton on the Mississippi Blues Trail. The marker commemorates the original lyrics of Patton's "Peavine Blues" that describe the railway branch of Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad, which ran south from Dockery Plantation to Boyle. The marker emphasizes that a common theme of blues songs was riding on the railroad which was seen as a metaphor for travel and escape.
Tributes
"Blind Owl" Alan Wilson & Canned Heat covered Patton songs "Pony Blues", "Shake It and Break It" and "Yellow Bee".
Bob Dylan dedicated his song "High Water (For Charley Patton)", on his 2001 album "Love and Theft", to Patton.
The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band internationally touring American country blues recording/touring artists, fronted by Kentucky Colonel, The Reverend Peyton, produced a tribute recording to Charley Patton: Peyton on Patton, which was released July 19, 2011. The album entered the Billboard Blues Album chart at #7.
French singer-songwriter Francis Cabrel refers to Charley Patton in the song "Cent Ans de Plus" on his 1999 album Hors-Saison.
Indie rock band Gomez recorded a song on their 2006 release How We Operate, entitled "Charley Patton Songs".
There is a picture of Charley Patton in the recording studio used for The White Stripes' album Icky Thump. It can be seen in the background of the short demo video on their website
Jule Brown recorded an updated arrangement of Patton's "Green River Blues", on their 2006 release Smoke and Mirrors.
Robert Crumb narrated Patton's life in a comic book.
The 1980s NYC Punk/Blues band Hi Sheriffs of Blue (which included visual artists Mark Dagley, George Condo and Elliott Sharp) was named after the Patton song "High Sheriff Blues".
Discography
Gennett Records, Richmond, Indiana, 1929
"Pony Blues"
"Mississippi Boweavil Blues"
"Screamin' And Hollerin' The Blues"
"Down The Dirt Road Blues"
"Banty Rooster Blues"
"Pea Vine Blues"
"It Won't Be Long"
"Tom Rushen Blues"
"A Spoonful Blues"
"Shake It And Break It (But Don't Let It Fall Mama)"
"Prayer Of Death Part 1 & 2"
"Lord I'm Discouraged"
"I'm Goin' Home"
Paramount Records, Grafton, Wisconsin, 1929
"Going To Move To Alabama"
"Elder Greene Blues"
"Circle Round The Moon"
"Devil Sent The Rain Blues"
"Mean Black Cat Blues"
"Frankie And Albert"
"Some These Days I'll Be Gone"
"Green River Blues"
"Hammer Blues"
"Magnolia Blues"
"When Your Way Gets Dark"
"Heart Like Railroad Steel"
"Some Happy Day"
"You're Gonna Need Somebody When You Die"
"Jim Lee Blues Part 1"
"Jim Lee Blues Part 2"
"High Water Everywhere Part 1"
"High Water Everywhere Part 2"
"Jesus Is A Dying-Bed Maker"
"I Shall Not Be Moved"
"Rattlesnake Blues"
"Running Wild Blues"
"Joe Kirby"
"Mean Black Moan"
"Farrell Blues"
"Come Back Corrina"
"Tell Me Man Blues"
"Be True Be True Blues"
Paramount Records, Grafton, Wisconsin, 1930
"Dry Well Blues"
"Some Summer Day"
"Moon Going Down"
"Bird Nest Bound"
Vocalion Records, New York City, New York, 1934
"Jersey Bull Blues"
"High Sheriff Blues"
"Stone Pony Blues"
"34 Blues"
"Love My Stuff"
"Revenue Man Blues"
"Oh Death"
"Troubled 'Bout My Mother"
"Poor Me"
"Hang It On The Wall"
"Yellow Bee"
"Mind Reader Blues"
Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues
Charley Patton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jackson on a high hill, mama, Natchez just below
I ever get back home, I won't be back no more
Oh, my mama's gettin' old, her head is turnin' gray
My mama's getting old, her head is turnin' gray
Don't you know it'll break her heart
Know, my livin' this-a way?
Ever woke up in the mornin', jinx all around your bed?
Children, I know how it is, baby
Turned my face to the wall and I didn't have a word to say
No use a-hollerin', no use a-screamin' and cryin'
No use a-hollerin', no use a-screamin' and cryin'
For you know you got a home, mama, long as I got mine
Hey, Lord have mercy on my wicked soul
Oh, Lord have mercy on my wicked soul
You know I wouldn't mistreat you
I wouldn't mistreat you, baby, for my weight in gold
Oh, goin' away, baby, don't you wanna go?
I'm goin' away, mama, don't you wanna go?
I know you wanna go, baby
Take God to tell when I'll be back here anymore
Charley Patton's song "Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues" speaks to the loneliness and isolation of being away from home. The opening lyrics reveal that Jackson, a town on a high hill, is just above Natchez. It's not clear whether the singer is in Natchez looking up at Jackson or vice versa, but either way, the distance between the two serves as a metaphor for the sense of longing and distance the singer feels from home. The repeated phrase "I won't be back no more" emphasizes this feeling of finality and alienation.
The second stanza focuses on the singer's mother, who is getting old and whose head is turning gray. The singer worries that his or her actions, living away from home, will only serve to break her heart. The third stanza shifts the focus to the singer's own experience, describing waking up with a sense of jinx or bad luck surrounding them. The singer turns their face to the wall and doesn't speak, suggesting a sense of hopelessness and resignation.
The final stanza starts with the refrain "no use a-hollerin', no use a-screamin' and cryin'" and then moves into a plea for mercy on the singer's wicked soul. The final lines reveal that the singer is going away, but it's not clear when or if they'll return.
Line by Line Meaning
Jackson on a high hill, mama, Natchez just below
From the high hill in Jackson, Natchez is visible below; a reminder of where I come from
I ever get back home, I won't be back no more
If I return home, it will be for good and I won't leave again
Oh, my mama's gettin' old, her head is turnin' gray
My mother is aging and it worries me deeply
Don't you know it'll break her heart
Know, my livin' this-a way?
My lifestyle is causing pain to my mother and it weighs heavy on my conscience
Ever woke up in the mornin', jinx all around your bed?
Have you ever had a feeling of bad luck as soon as you wake up in the morning?
Turned my face to the wall and I didn't have a word to say
I was so distraught that I couldn't even speak
No use a-hollerin', no use a-screamin' and cryin'
There's no point in screaming and crying, it won't change anything
For you know you got a home, mama, long as I got mine
As long as we both have homes, we'll always have a connection
Hey, Lord have mercy on my wicked soul
I'm asking for redemption for my wrongs and mistakes
You know I wouldn't mistreat you
I wouldn't mistreat you, baby, for my weight in gold
I would never intentionally hurt you or cause you pain
Oh, goin' away, baby, don't you wanna go?
I'm leaving, do you want to come with me?
I know you wanna go, baby
Take God to tell when I'll be back here anymore
I know you want to leave with me, but I don't know when or if we'll ever return
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLEY PATTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@slint69
Jackson on a high hill, mama, Natchez just below
Jackson on a high hill, mama, Natchez just below
--- (So did the Lord dear mama) ---
I ever get back home I won't be back no more
Oh, my mama get old, her head is turnin' gray
My mama's getting old, head is turnin' gray
Don't you know it'll break her heart know my livin' this-a way
Ever woke up in the mornin', jinx all around your bed
Ever woke up in the mornin', jinx all around your bed
--- (Children, I know how it is, baby) ---
Turned my face to the wall and I didn't have a word to say
No use a-hollerin', no use a-screamin' and cryin'
No use a-hollerin', no use a-screamin' and cryin'
For you know you got a home, mama, long as I got mine
Hey, Lord have mercy on my wicked soul
Oh, Lord have mercy on my wicked soul
--- (You know I wouldn't mistreat you) ---
I wouldn't mistreat you, baby, for my weight in gold
Oh, go away baby, don't you wanna go
I'm goin' away pretty mama, don't you wanna go
--- (I know you wanna go, baby) ---
Take God to tell when I'll be back here anymore
@Pentagonshark666
Patton made the finest blues music what ever made.not one of the finest,the finest ever.he's music was very important in american history.hands down,my man.
@kaecake9575
I always come back to hear the hollerin of a genius
@thecelticpiper
THE GREAT GRANDFATHER OF ROCK AND ROLL AND ORIGINAL BLUES LEGEND..
@normanleach9587
When Bob Dylan was asked which artist's collected works would you want to salvage if marooned on a deserted island, he replied...Charlie Patton. Yeah, that voice... the ease of his intentional obscurity, and the picking...and of course, the lingering enigma of the man...
@gerardineacollarddeeni7762
True Blues...๐ฅ๐ฎ
@deloreswilson1798
So hauntingly eerie.Creepy.But provocative. Deep like....death.
@aaronamccoy
i could listen to this cat forever.
@kaecake9575
Charlie Patton is a genius. Thank you for posting:)
@MyParvathy
Un ancรชtre du blues ! relier au cosmic !!! 100 ans d'avance ...
@mathieuschuler366
Some people are saying this is creepy, but i think its cool we can see his face move for once!