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.
My Road Lies In Darkness
Charlie Musselwhite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My road lies in darkness, just as far as I can see
I ain't got nobody in this world to care for me
I ain't gonna tell nobody what this highway has done to me
I ain't gonna tell nobody what this highway has done to me
You wanna find out, mama, you can take a trip with me
It's a long, long road, it don't seem to have no end
Just keep on travelin', see what's waitin' 'round the bend
Gettin' out of town
can often symbolize leaving behind a certain place or situation that no longer serves you. In the context of these lyrics, "my road lies in darkness" could represent the singer feeling lost and uncertain about the future. The darkness serves as a metaphor for their current state of despair and not being able to see beyond their present circumstances.
The repetition of the line "just as far as I can see" emphasizes the feeling of being stuck and unable to see a way out. It suggests a sense of hopelessness and the overwhelming nature of the challenges the singer is facing. Additionally, the line "I ain't got nobody in this world to care for me" reveals a profound sense of loneliness and isolation. The singer feels abandoned and lacks the support or love that would provide some solace during their difficult journey.
The next stanza conveys a sense of secrecy and reluctance to openly speak about the hardships the singer has experienced on this road. They state, "I ain't gonna tell nobody what this highway has done to me." This could suggest a personal struggle or pain that the singer wishes to keep hidden, possibly due to shame or fear of judgment. Inviting someone to "take a trip with me" could be seen as a challenge to truly understand the depths of their suffering and share in their burdens.
The line "It's a long, long road, it don't seem to have no end" reflects the arduous nature of the journey the singer is on. It indicates a feeling of endlessness and weariness, suggesting that there is no relief in sight. Despite the challenges, the singer resigns themselves to "just keep on travelin'" and to see what awaits them "'round the bend." This could represent a determination to keep moving forward, even in the face of uncertainty, with the hope that something better might be waiting for them just beyond their current struggles.
Overall, "My Road Lies in Darkness" captures the essence of a difficult and lonely journey. It conveys the singer's sense of being lost in the darkness, their longing for someone to care for them, their reluctance to share their pain with others, and their resilience to continue moving forward regardless of the challenges they face. The song speaks to the universal human experience of grappling with hardship and the search for hope in the midst of darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
My road lies in darkness, just as far as I can see
I am traveling a difficult path with no clear direction ahead
I ain't got nobody in this world to care for me
I have no one who loves or supports me
I ain't gonna tell nobody what this highway has done to me
I will not disclose the negative impact this journey has had on my life
You wanna find out, mama, you can take a trip with me
If you want to understand the consequences, you can accompany me on this journey
It's a long, long road, it don't seem to have no end
The path I'm on feels never-ending and filled with hardships
Just keep on travelin', see what's waitin' 'round the bend
I must continue moving forward to discover what lies ahead
Gettin' out of town
Leaving this place behind
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: Charles Musselwhite
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kevindevine6780
Definitely classic blues!!!
@kevindevine6780
He will be headlining the Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth,MN this year!!
@nealmarston9015
Thank You
@ericgunn1177
What's will all of the echo on the vocals
@stevedoney6816
Stock blues, lovely playing. Not keen on the production of the voice recording, uderstand its historical significance but not its emotional coolth.
@stevedoney6816
understand