Mandatory Blues Song of the Week: "Shake It and Break It" by Charley Patton
Many people consider Charley Patton the true Father of the Delta Blues. He taught Son House (who later inspired Robert Johnson to play). He taught Howling Wolf (who became one of the largest Blues stars of the 60's). As far as most folks, he was playing music completely free of Ragtime influence before most people knew what was happening. Some folks think he might've been the only one playing music like that, and it all came from him. (I disagree, though -- I think there were unrecorded blues players back in 1880 at the black juke joints, but there's never going to be evidence of this other than a few sideways comments in people's journals).
Charley Patton was noted as the most popular performer in the Delta during the late 1920's. And no wonder -- he was a great PERFORMANCE ARTIST. He danced and hopped around and played the guitar between his knees and behind his head and "made a clown of himself". Howlin' Wolf picked up a lot of these moves, and later Rock and Rollers took them to a whole new level! Charley's music is something to hear. Primal, rough, almost unintelligible, but full of energy and emotion. If you've ever listened to music in another language or to instrumentals, you'll know that lyrics are only part of the package. The real soul of music is how it makes you feel -- and that's what Patton does. He makes you feel.
Charely Patton was noted as being half black, half Native American, and he supposedly looked more Mexican than black. He was tiny, had a firey temper, and lived life wild.
Here is the only existing picture of Charley Patton (used this time as an album cover):
"Shake It and Break It" is perhaps his most *fun* song, but one rarely heard these days:
"Shake It and Break It" (listen to it on YouTube).
(Lyrics borrowed from here.)
"Shake It and Break It"
by Charley Patton
You can shake it you can break it you can hang it on the wall,
Throw it out the window, catch it 'fore it roll.
You can shake it you can break it you can hang it on the wall,
. . it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama, don't let it fall.
Everybody have a jelly roll like mine, I lives in town,
I ain't got no brown, I an' I want it now.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama, don't let it fall.
You can snatch it, you can grab it, you can break it you can twist it,
Any way that I love to get it.
I had my right mind, since I - I blowed this town,
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
Jus' shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
You can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it . . .
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama, don't let it fall.
I ain't got nobody here but me and myself,
I stay blue all the time, aw, when the sun goes down.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
You can shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it fall.
You can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch . . .
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
You can snatch it, you can grab it, you can break it, you can twist it,
And way that I love to get it.
I had my right mind, I be worried sometime,
'Bout a jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
Just shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
You can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
I know I been to town, I - I walked around.
I start leavin' town, I - I fool around.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
Just shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
You can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it . . .
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
Just shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it . . .
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama, don't let it . . .
Charley Patton was noted as the most popular performer in the Delta during the late 1920's. And no wonder -- he was a great PERFORMANCE ARTIST. He danced and hopped around and played the guitar between his knees and behind his head and "made a clown of himself". Howlin' Wolf picked up a lot of these moves, and later Rock and Rollers took them to a whole new level! Charley's music is something to hear. Primal, rough, almost unintelligible, but full of energy and emotion. If you've ever listened to music in another language or to instrumentals, you'll know that lyrics are only part of the package. The real soul of music is how it makes you feel -- and that's what Patton does. He makes you feel.
Charely Patton was noted as being half black, half Native American, and he supposedly looked more Mexican than black. He was tiny, had a firey temper, and lived life wild.
Here is the only existing picture of Charley Patton (used this time as an album cover):
"Shake It and Break It" is perhaps his most *fun* song, but one rarely heard these days:
"Shake It and Break It" (listen to it on YouTube).
(Lyrics borrowed from here.)
"Shake It and Break It"
by Charley Patton
You can shake it you can break it you can hang it on the wall,
Throw it out the window, catch it 'fore it roll.
You can shake it you can break it you can hang it on the wall,
. . it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama, don't let it fall.
Everybody have a jelly roll like mine, I lives in town,
I ain't got no brown, I an' I want it now.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama, don't let it fall.
You can snatch it, you can grab it, you can break it you can twist it,
Any way that I love to get it.
I had my right mind, since I - I blowed this town,
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
Jus' shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
You can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it . . .
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama, don't let it fall.
I ain't got nobody here but me and myself,
I stay blue all the time, aw, when the sun goes down.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
You can shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it fall.
You can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch . . .
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
You can snatch it, you can grab it, you can break it, you can twist it,
And way that I love to get it.
I had my right mind, I be worried sometime,
'Bout a jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
Just shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
You can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
I know I been to town, I - I walked around.
I start leavin' town, I - I fool around.
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
Just shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it falls.
You can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it . . .
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama don't let it fall.
Just shake it, you can break it, you can hang it on the wall,
. . .it out the window, catch it 'fore it . . .
My jelly, my roll, sweet mama, don't let it . . .