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 itβs just the one tune Iβve ever played in my life. Itβs all I know."[1]
His past two albums, Sanctuary and Delta Hardware have both been released on Real World Records.
Blues Up the River
Charlie Musselwhite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blues up the river, rolling down to the gulf
I'm gonna drink muddy water 'til I've had enough
She's gone to Greenville, maybe Natchez, Vicksburg, I don't know
She's gone to Greenville, Natchez, I don't know
I'm going to sit here in Memphis, watch this river flow
Saw your baby, made me think of mine
I had to keep talking, keep myself from crying
Blues up the river, blues up the river, rolling down to the gulf
Blues up the river, rolling down to the gulf
I'm gonna dink muddy water 'til I've had enough
In the song "Blues Up the River" by Charlie Musselwhite, the singer is expressing his deep emotional state through the metaphor of the blues flowing up the river. The repetition of the line emphasizes the overwhelming nature of the blues and suggests that it is an unstoppable force that is irresistibly drawing him in. The river symbolizes the journey of life, with the blues being a constant presence, rolling down towards the gulf, representing a final destination or ultimate release.
The singer mentions drinking muddy water until he's had enough. This can be interpreted as a way of finding solace or seeking temporary relief from the blues. Muddy water is often associated with hardship and struggle, implying that the singer is immersed in a difficult situation. By drinking the muddy water, he acknowledges his pain and seeks to drown it out until he reaches a limit where he can't bear it any longer.
The mention of specific places like Greenville, Natchez, and Vicksburg represents the singer's uncertainty about the whereabouts of someone they care about. It may suggest that they feel disconnected or lost in their relationship, not knowing where their loved one has gone. While this person has moved on, the singer remains in Memphis, watching the river flow. This can be seen as a metaphorical representation of their stagnant emotional state, as they are unable to move forward and are left feeling left behind.
The singer also mentions seeing someone's baby, which reminds them of their own child. This evokes a sense of longing and nostalgia, as they are reminded of what they have lost or are separated from. To cope with the overwhelming emotions, the singer keeps talking to distract themselves from the pain, stopping themselves from crying. This highlights the struggle of suppressing emotions and putting on a strong front in the face of hardship.
Overall, "Blues Up the River" delves into themes of deep emotional turmoil, longing, and the struggle to cope with loss and hardship. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the singer's state of mind as they navigate through the relentless waves of the blues flowing up the river.
Line by Line Meaning
Blues up the river, blues up the river, rolling down to the gulf
The feeling of sadness and melancholy is overwhelming me as I witness the flow of the river, carrying my troubles towards the vast unknown of the gulf.
I'm gonna drink muddy water 'til I've had enough
In order to temporarily numb my pain and alleviate the weight of my sorrows, I will indulge in consuming muddy water until I reach a point of contentment.
She's gone to Greenville, maybe Natchez, Vicksburg, I don't know
The woman I loved has left and ventured to places like Greenville, possibly Natchez and Vicksburg, leaving me uncertain about her whereabouts.
I'm going to sit here in Memphis, watch this river flow
While staying immobile in Memphis, I will observe the continuous movement of the river, symbolizing the passage of time and the uncertainty of life.
Saw your baby, saw your baby, made me think of mine
Upon witnessing an infant, it evoked memories of my own child, prompting a bittersweet reflection on the joys and sorrows of parenthood.
I had to keep talking, keep myself from crying
To prevent myself from succumbing to sadness, I had to engage in constant conversation, using spoken words as a shield against the tears that threatened to overcome me.
Lyrics Β© Spirit Music Group
Written by: Charles Musselwhite
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AndalusianIrish
A living legend.
@peterferrydriver
I can listen to Charlie playing guitar all night.
@sanjayjani8099
It was never about flash with folks like Charlie. Itβs all from the soul.
@carypasseroff3331
BLAST OFF!
@glyn6170
I saw Charlie at The Cambridge Folk Festival c1990 on the 2nd stage. He had the whole tent rocking. At the end he threw his harmonica into the crowd, I stuck my hand up through the raised hands, timed it perfectly and as it hit my palm I closed my fingers around it. Like shelling peas, not even the best slip fielders in the world could have done that.
@harry-buckle-books
I saw that...My Sonet records company distributed Alligator in the UK so we worked my times with the always excellent Charlie.
@mitchdringman5452
Have a 1940's Kay Archtop guitar signed by Charlie Musselwhite, I would love to find him playing at a venue some where.
@miguellucianolangoni9602
Blues Master!
@troymcgee5649
Pure honeyed soul.
@wmpopper
Blues Master.