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.
Blood Side Out
Charlie Musselwhite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And whiskey soaked lips
Don't know how to get to you
But I know how to get my kicks
Out in the cold and damp
Out on the streets just like a tramp
There's a siren in the distance
And its screaming my name
I can't win
I'm down again
Something illegal is on my mind
But it ain't murder
Took all I can take I ain't broke I might break
Don't go no further
These streets they're littered with faces the same
And all these strangers have no names
Blood side out
I'm going in
I'm down again
Got a wine soaked heart
And whiskey soaked lips
The country may be in your bones
But the city's in your hips
There's a siren in the distance
Screaming my name
Blood side out
Will it ever end
I'm down again
The lyrics of Charlie Musselwhite's song "Blood Side Out" depict the struggle and desperation of a person who is trapped in a cycle of self-destruction and uncertainty. The imagery of a "wine soaked heart" and "whiskey soaked lips" suggests that the person is drowning their sorrows in alcohol, using it as a coping mechanism for their inner pain. Despite knowing that this behavior is not healthy, they find solace and temporary relief in this destructive lifestyle.
The lyrics also convey a sense of aimlessness and confusion, as the person admits to not knowing how to reach out and connect with others. Instead, they have become adept at finding pleasure in indulging in their own personal vices, addictive behaviors that give them a temporary escape from their problems. The mention of being out in the "cold and damp" and the comparison to a "tramp" further emphasizes the feeling of isolation and detachment from society.
The line "Something illegal is on my mind, but it ain't murder" suggests that the person is contemplating engaging in risky or illicit behaviors, perhaps to fill the void they feel in their life. This notion is reinforced by the mention of being on the streets surrounded by anonymous faces and strangers with no names, creating an atmosphere of detachment and unpredictability. Despite acknowledging the potential consequences, they are willing to take the risk.
The repetition of the phrase "I'm down again" throughout the song portrays a sense of hopelessness and resignation. It implies that despite their efforts to find temporary relief or escape, they consistently find themselves back in the same dark place. The mention of the country being in their bones and the city being in their hips further highlights the conflict between their desire for stability and connection (represented by the country) and their inclination towards the chaos and allure of the city.
Overall, the lyrics of "Blood Side Out" paint a bleak portrait of an individual caught in a continuous cycle of self-destructive behavior and longing for connection. They illustrate the internal struggle and the cyclical nature of addiction and the hardships that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Got a wine soaked heart
My heart is filled with sorrow and pain
And whiskey soaked lips
My words are fueled by the bitterness of alcohol
Don't know how to get to you
I am lost and clueless on how to reach your heart
But I know how to get my kicks
But I can find temporary excitement and pleasure elsewhere
Out in the cold and damp
I find myself in a desolate and miserable environment
Out on the streets just like a tramp
Like a homeless wanderer, I roam the streets aimlessly
There's a siren in the distance
I hear the sound of danger approaching
And its screaming my name
It seems like the chaos and turmoil of my life is calling me
Blood side out
My true emotions and struggles are on display
I can't win
I feel defeated and unable to succeed
I'm down again
Once again, I find myself in a state of despair
Something illegal is on my mind
I contemplate engaging in illicit activities
But it ain't murder
But it is not the act of taking a life
Took all I can take, I ain't broke, I might break
I have reached my limit, I am exhausted and on the verge of breaking
Don't go no further
I must not push myself any closer to the edge
These streets they're littered with faces the same
These streets are filled with people who share my struggles
And all these strangers have no names
The people around me are anonymous and distant
Blood side out
Once again, I wear my emotions openly
I'm going in
I am willingly immersing myself in the chaos and uncertainty
I'm down again
I find myself in a state of despair once more
Got a wine soaked heart
My heart is still burdened with sorrow and pain
And whiskey soaked lips
My words continue to be fueled by bitterness and regret
The country may be in your bones
The roots of your upbringing are deeply ingrained
But the city's in your hips
But the allure and excitement of urban life deeply entice you
There's a siren in the distance
Once again, I hear the sound of danger approaching
Screaming my name
It seems like the chaos and turmoil continue to follow me
Blood side out
My true emotions and struggles persistently surface
Will it ever end
Will this cycle of despair and pain ever come to a halt?
I'm down again
Once again, I find myself in a state of despair
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BENJAMIN CHASE HARPER, CHARLES MUSSELWHITE, JASON MOZERSKY, JESSE INGALLS, JORDAN RICHARDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind