After spending time with the Lloyd Price orchestra, he recorded extensively for Blue Note, and performed or collaborated with Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, and John Zorn.
His music evolved to incorporate elements of modal and free jazz, without ever losing the basic, earthy groove that he brought to it from the beginning.
He wrote some classics and will be remembered fondly both by musicians and fans. His stellar work included "Funky Mama" and Along Came John. During the late 60s John recorded some very adventurous music for the Blue Note label with artists such as Harold Alexander and George Coleman on lps such as Understanding and Accent on the Blues. Of particular note on the early sessions recorded for Blue Note both under his own name and also with George Braith, Don Wilkerson and Lou Donaldson was the superlative empathy he developed with guitarist Grant Green and drummer Ben Dixon - an organ trio whose work in the soul jazz genre remains unsurpassed to this day.
Since the resurgence in interest in music from this period Blue Note has unearthed many sessions that lay in the vaults. LPs such as Blue John which was actually penciled for release, but never was, and two fantastic (and forward looking) albums Boogaloo and Memphis New York Spirit saw the light of day and showed the world more of this exceptional artist's work.
He continued recording until the late 1990s and his lps (listed below) are well worth finding. In these later years he developed a loyal following in both Japan and Europe - which he toured to great acclaim. He also played live in the US and abroad to great acclaim with several dates having been recorded by collectors. Most recently George Braith issued Eagle Eye Blues on his own label.
Ain't That Peculiar
John Patton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stay away too long and I can't do without you
Every chance you get you seem to hurt me more and more
But each hurt makes my love stronger than before
I know flowers go through rain
But how can love go through pain
Ain't that peculiar
Ain't that peculiar baby
Peculiar as can be
You tell me lies that should be obvious to me
I've been so much in love with you baby til I don't want to see
That things you do and say are designed to make me blue
It's a doggone shame my love for you makes all
Your lies seem true
But if the truth makes love last longer
Why do lies make my love stronger
Ain't that peculiar
Peculiar as can be
Ain't that peculiar baby
A peculiar-arity
I cried so much just like a child that's lost its home
Maybe baby you think these tears I cry are tears of joy
A child can cry so much until you do everything they say
But unlike a child my tears don't help me to get my way
I know love can last through years
But how can love last through tears
Now ain't that peculiar baby
A peculiar-arity
Ain't it peculiar baby
Peculiar as can be
Said I don't understand it baby
It's so strange sometimes
The lyrics to John Patton's song "Ain't That Peculiar" speak of a complicated love story that is filled with lies, pain, and tears, yet the singer's love for their partner continues to remain strong. Despite being hurt by their partner repeatedly, the singer cannot seem to let go of their love for them. The lyrics express confusion as to why love can endure pain and lies, but not tears. The lyrics also demonstrate the singer's desperation to hold onto their love, even when it seems to be hurting them.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Ain't that peculiar," which serves as a refrain for the various strange and confusing aspects of the singer's love story. The use of the word "peculiar" adds a tone of lightheartedness to the song, almost as if the singer is expressing a sense of disbelief or amusement at the absurdity of their situation.
Overall, the lyrics to "Ain't That Peculiar" offer a raw and emotional portrayal of a complicated love story that is relatable to many people who have experienced the pain and confusion of a tumultuous relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Honey you do me wrong but still I'm crazy about you
Even though you treat me badly, I still love you deeply
Stay away too long and I can't do without you
When you're gone for too long, I feel incomplete without you
Every chance you get you seem to hurt me more and more
You constantly hurt me, and seem to take every opportunity to make it worse
But each hurt makes my love stronger than before
Each time you hurt me, my love for you grows stronger
I know flowers go through rain
I understand that tough times are a part of any relationship
But how can love go through pain
But I don't understand how our love can survive so much pain
Ain't that peculiar
Isn't it strange
A peculiar-arity
A unique and unusual quality
Ain't that peculiar baby
Isn't it strange, my love
Peculiar as can be
As strange and unusual as possible
You tell me lies that should be obvious to me
You lie to me even though your lies should be easy for me to see through
I've been so much in love with you baby til I don't want to see
My love for you is so strong that I sometimes ignore the truth about you
That things you do and say are designed to make me blue
You purposely do things and say things to make me sad
It's a doggone shame my love for you makes all
It's a tragedy that my love for you blinds me to the truth
Your lies seem true
I believe your lies even though they are not true
But if the truth makes love last longer
But if honesty is what makes love last
Why do lies make my love stronger
Then why do your lies make my love for you even stronger?
I cried so much just like a child that's lost its home
I cry so much for you, like a child who has lost their home
Maybe baby you think these tears I cry are tears of joy
Perhaps you think that my tears are tears of happiness
A child can cry so much until you do everything they say
A child can cry so much that their parents give in to their demands
But unlike a child my tears don't help me to get my way
But my tears for you don't make you change your ways or do what I want
I know love can last through years
I understand that love can endure for a long time
But how can love last through tears
But I don't understand how love can survive so much crying and sadness
Now ain't that peculiar baby
Now isn't that strange, my love
A peculiar-arity
A unique and unusual quality
Ain't it peculiar baby
Isn't it strange, my love
Peculiar as can be
As strange and unusual as possible
Said I don't understand it baby
I admit that I don't understand it, my love
It's so strange sometimes
It's so unusual and perplexing at times
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson, William Robinson Jr., Robert Rogers, Marvin Tarplin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind