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.
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Charlie Musselwhite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Begging for help
There's a man that walks past him
And he's drowning in wealth
Who doesn't understand
How disappointment destroys the soul
Every look of shame
What has he done to deserve this
What have I done to deserve this
It's easy to remember
But it's easier to forget
Life has a way of getting in our way
I don't want to go my way
If you're not going my way
So I guess that means
I'll be going your way
I will lead or follow
Beg steal or borrow
Just for one more day
We can't end this way
The opening lines of "We Can’t End This Way" by Charlie Musselwhite & Ben Harper describe the reality of societal imbalance where a beggar is frowned upon by a wealthy man who could effortlessly lift someone off the streets. The song speaks on the consequences of overlooking another human being's pain and struggle while indulging in privileges of life. The lyrics convey that ignoring the suffering of others may seem forgettable to the one responsible, but it can never be forgotten by someone who has to endure it. The lines “Every look of shame Is a wound that will never heal” capture the dehumanizing effect of neglect and suppression experienced by the oppressed that ultimately results in everlasting trauma. The lyrics of the song signify that life indeed has a way of placing obstacles in our path, but it's important to acknowledge and appreciate the problems of others.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a man on the corner
At the street corner, there's a man in need of assistance.
Begging for help
He's requesting for aid, but nobody seems to pay attention.
There's a man that walks past him
Another man moves on without helping the person in need.
And he's drowning in wealth
The individual who chooses not to help is wealthy yet remains indifferent to the suffering of others.
Who doesn't understand
The person who doesn't offer help has overlooked the fact that depriving someone of support harms their spirit.
How disappointment destroys the soul
Disappointment due to a lack of assistance and support damages an individual's emotional wellbeing.
Every look of shame
The expression of shame in someone's eyes indicates that they are experiencing emotional pain and are not at ease.
Is a wound that will never heal
The pain inflicted by the expression of shame lingers and causes prolonged emotional suffering.
What has he done to deserve this
The man in need has done nothing to earn this struggle.
What have I done to deserve this
The person observing and choosing not to help holds responsibility and questions his conduct.
It's easy to remember
Remembering times of selfishness and apathy is simple.
But it's easier to forget
It's more comfortable to forget how these past conduct affected others.
Life has a way of getting in our way
Obstacles and personal struggles arise that hinder us from helping others.
I don't want to go my way
I'm not content with only pursuing my objectives.
If you're not going my way
If you do not share my objectives.
So I guess that means
Assuming this statement holds.
I'll be going your way
I'll change my course and follow you instead.
I will lead or follow
I'm willing to change my approach based on the situation.
Beg steal or borrow
I'll use any means necessary to assist and support others.
Just for one more day
For just one more day, let us aim to help one another and make the world a kinder place.
We can't end this way
We can't end humanity like this, with indifference and apathy towards those in need.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BENJAMIN CHASE HARPER, CHARLES MUSSELWHITE, JASON MOZERSKY, JESSE INGALLS, JORDAN RICHARDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lindamarceline
An old soul with young eyes, a vintage heart, and a beautiful mind.
@alexandrkitayenko327
Прилипает, невозможно оторваться !!!!!
@supedersen
Best singing from Charlie, I have ever heard (with melodic swing vibrato). And the band is the best !!
@ricklundy3439
Just listened to Ace of Harps,,now this, no sleep for me, wow,,,,,
@szymonb4815
@@ricklundy3439
Inne że
@JL-bu8bz
Charlie is a live legend and kirk is fantastic too
@madogblue
Thanks for sharing the full set. Charlie still has it, and the band is smokin!
@supedersen
Got to say it: Top bass and drummer !!
@MariliaCoutinho
Wow! I didn't know Layla had such a powerful voice! Great seeing them perform together. Great band, great recording (thanks!), and Charlie is pure awesomeness.
@don.richard8823
Charlie still sounds great and the band ! 😎