His family considered it normal to play music, with his father playing guitar and harmonica, his mother playing piano, and a relative who was a one-man band. At the age of three, Musselwhite moved to Memphis, Tennessee. When he was a teenager, Memphis experienced the period when rockabilly, western swing, electric blues, and some forms of African American music were combining to give birth to rock and roll. The period featured legendary figures such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash, as well as minor legends such as Gus Cannon, Furry Lewis, Will Shade, Royal Bell, Memphis Willie B., Johnny Burnette, Red Roby, Abe McNeal, and Slim Rhodes. Musselwhite supported himself by digging ditches, laying concrete and running moonshine in a 1950 Lincoln. This environment was Musselwhite's school for music as well as life, and he acquired the nickname "Memphis Charlie."[citation needed]
In true bluesman fashion, Musselwhite then took off in search of the rumored "big-paying factory jobs" up the "Hillbilly Highway", legendary Highway 61 to Chicago, where he continued his education on the South Side, making the acquaintance of even more legends including Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson, Buddy Guy, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and Big Walter Horton. Musselwhite immersed himself completely in the musical life, living in the basement of, and occasionally working at Jazz Record Mart (the record store operated by Delmark Records founder Bob Koester) with Big Joe Williams and working as a driver for an exterminator, which allowed him to observe what was happening around the city's clubs and bars. He spent his time hanging out at the Jazz Record Mart at the corner of State and Grand and the nearby bar, Mr. Joe's, with the city's blues musicians, and sitting in with Big Joe Williams and others in the clubs, playing for tips. There he forged a lifelong friendship with John Lee Hooker; though Hooker lived in Detroit, Michigan, the two often visiting each other, and Hooker serving as best man at Musselwhite's wedding. Gradually Musselwhite became well known around town.
In time, Musselwhite led his own blues band, and, after Elektra Records' success with Paul Butterfield, he released the classic[citation needed] Stand Back! album in 1966 on Vanguard Records (as "Charley Musselwhite"), to immediate and great success. He took advantage of the clout this album gave him to move to San Francisco, where, instead of being one of many competing blues acts, he held court as the king of the blues in the exploding countercultural music scene, an exotic and gritty figure to the flower children. Musselwhite even convinced Hooker to move out to California.
Since then, Musselwhite has released over 20 albums, as well as guesting on albums by many other musicians, such as Bonnie Raitt's Longing in Their Hearts and The Blind Boys of Alabama's Spirit of the Century, both winners of Grammy awards. He also appeared on Tom Waits' Mule Variations and INXS' Suicide Blonde. He himself has won 14 W. C. Handy awards and six Grammy nominations, as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Monterey Blues Festival and the San Javier Jazz Festival in San Javier, Spain, and the Mississippi Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts.
In 1979, Musselwhite recorded The Harmonica According to Charlie Musselwhite in London for Kicking Mule Records, intended to go with an instructional book; the album itself became so popular that it has been released on CD.
Unfortunately, Musselwhite, as with many of his peers, fell victim to alcoholism; by his own admission[citation needed], he had never been on stage sober until after he stopped drinking entirely in 1987.
In 1990 Musselwhite signed with Alligator Records, a step led to a resurgence of his career.
Over the years, Musselwhite has branched out in style. His 1999 recording, Continental Drifter, is accompanied by Quarteto Patria, from Cuba's Santiago region, the Cuban music analog of the Mississippi Delta. Because of the political differences between Cuba and the United States, the album was recorded in Bergen, Norway, with Musselwhite's wife ironing out all the details.
Musselwhite believes the key to his musical success was finding a style where he could express himself. He has said, "I only know one tune, and I play it faster or slower, or I change the key, but it’s just the one tune I’ve ever played in my life. It’s all I know."[1]
His past two albums, Sanctuary and Delta Hardware have both been released on Real World Records.
All That Matters Now
Charlie Musselwhite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a long hard night
Been a hard year
Its been a hard life
But we're together
And that's all that matters now
Well the time has come
Maybe I was born to be aloe
But we're together
And that's all that matters now
Been thrown by the wind
Drowned in the rain
I Walked through some things
You don't want me to explain
But we're together
And that's all that matters now
I can't get well
There's no cure for life
Let me down easy
At least tonight
We're together
And that's all that matters now
The lyrics of Charlie's song "What's the Matter Now" convey a sense of resilience and survival through tough times. The opening lines describe the hardships faced throughout the day and night, emphasizing that it has been a difficult year and life overall. Despite these challenges, the lyrics highlight the importance of being together, implying that having a supportive partner or loved ones is what truly matters in the face of adversity.
The second verse suggests that the singer may have always felt a sense of loneliness or isolation, as if they were destined to be alone. However, the repetition of the idea that being together is all that matters suggests that finding companionship and connection has given them a new perspective on life.
The following lines describe facing various struggles such as being thrown by the wind, drowned in the rain, and going through experiences that are too complex or painful to explain. Despite these hardships, the unity and togetherness they have found with their loved ones is emphasized once again as the most important aspect.
The final lines express a sense of resignation and acceptance. The singer acknowledges that they cannot fully overcome or "get well" from the troubles and challenges of life. However, they hope for at least a moment of ease and comfort, knowing that they are together with their loved ones.
Overall, the lyrics of "What's the Matter Now" convey a message of finding solace in the presence of loved ones amidst the various hardships and complexities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a long hard day
Today has been full of challenges and difficulties
And a long hard night
The night has been just as challenging and exhausting
Been a hard year
This whole year has been difficult
Its been a hard life
Life in general has been tough
But we're together
However, despite everything, we are united
And that's all that matters now
Being together is the most important thing in this moment
Well the time has come
The moment has arrived
And the time has gone
But it has also passed
Maybe I was born to be aloe
Perhaps I was destined to be alone
But we're together
Still, we are together
And that's all that matters now
And that is the most important thing at this moment
Been thrown by the wind
Life has tossed me around
Drowned in the rain
I have felt overwhelmed and lost in difficult times
I Walked through some things
I have experienced challenging situations
You don't want me to explain
However, it's better if I don't go into detail about them
But we're together
Nevertheless, we are still together
And that's all that matters now
And that is what truly counts at this moment
I can't get well
I cannot recover
There's no cure for life
There is no solution for the challenges life presents
Let me down easy
Please, be gentle with me
At least tonight
At least for tonight
We're together
We are still together
And that's all that matters now
And that is the most important thing right now
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Benjamin Harper, Charles Musselwhite, Jason Mozersky, Jesse Ingalls, Jordan Richardson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lucigaïah
" It’s been a long hard day
And a long hard night
Been a hard year
It’s been a hard life
But we’re together
And that’s all that matters now
Well, the time has come
And the time has gone
Maybe I was born to be alone
But we’re together
And that’s all that matters now
Been thrown by the wind
Drowned in the rain
I walked through some things
You don’t want me to explain
But we’re together
And that’s all that matters now
I can’t get well
There’s no cure for life
Let me down easy
At least tonight
Now we’re together
And that’s all that matters now "
Ileen Ann
I see beauty in music.
I hear truth in words.
I feel kindness in sadness.
Guess we all keep moving on.
Been following you for years, Ben. You moved me this far... it's no surprise you moved me again.
Blessings,
Keep doing what you do. You're doing it right.
Eric Joa
For me this is the best music there is... As Charlie said, 'it's not just a bunch of chords thrown together for kid's to dance to. It's real and comes from the heart. Music with substance. And I'm glad to be a part of it. "
נבו בן חיים
הנה ככה כן ככה ה הרבה ר כהה ההךצץםךץץץםךךץץץ ץ׳לו ן בברכהm X uc
Garth Webber
Absolute kindness. Absolute listening. Absolute art.
Lucigaïah
" It’s been a long hard day
And a long hard night
Been a hard year
It’s been a hard life
But we’re together
And that’s all that matters now
Well, the time has come
And the time has gone
Maybe I was born to be alone
But we’re together
And that’s all that matters now
Been thrown by the wind
Drowned in the rain
I walked through some things
You don’t want me to explain
But we’re together
And that’s all that matters now
I can’t get well
There’s no cure for life
Let me down easy
At least tonight
Now we’re together
And that’s all that matters now "
The Lone Outlaw
Lucigaïah A bit in accurate but still thanks for posting this.
greenfairytina
This song just stopped me completely, I just silently stared and didn't dare move until it was done. This is heavy weighed music...my ears and soul thank you.
Donald Callum
Very nice. Ben & Charlie is a great combo.
Regan Dreher
Ben, you, Charlie and the boys are sooo locked in tight, that you take the moment and you own it. LOVE IT!!!
Thederekw14
wow. could sound so old and tired, but instead sounds so new, so eternal, so pure.
Bryan Craven
This new CD is amazing...so much better than your last two releases...the boys of Relentless7 have really brought some soul back out from you...