My younger brother responded to my blog yesterday by writing: “Quite well done, sir! I love the thought-provoking quality of Larry Gatlin’s work. Also, Gatlin, himself, says the greatest lyrics are penned by Kris Kristofferson. Consider the words of “Sunday Morning Coming Down” or “Me And Bobby McGee.” Like Gatlin, you can hear it, feel it, and see it.”
The very mention of the two songs written by Kristofferson was like dropping a quarter in the jukebox. Immediately the words and sound of both songs were alternately rolling around inside my head. Both songs took me back in time.
Both songs made their way to the top of the charts in 1970. Coincidentally, that was the same year I finally got my feet on the ground and began a career track in child welfare that saw me through the test of time. Of course, none of that has anything to do with either song, but sometimes the mention of a year can trigger a memory.
After allowing “Sunday Morning Coming Down” and “Me and Bobby McGee” to roll around in my head for a little while, another song from long ago surfaced from out of nowhere. It, too, chronicles a story.
I don’t even remember who recorded the song or exactly the year it was released. It had to be around 1961. That was the year I got a part-time after-school job. I saved my money to purchase a record player, and one of the single 45-rpm records I bought was a song entitled “Patches”.
The thing that surprised me is the accuracy with which the jukebox inside my head pulled up the lyrics to the song. I was able to script the first two stanzas from memory. It so doing, I was reminded that it was a very sad song.
Do you remember the song? The lyrics are these:
“Down by the river that flows by the coal yards
Stands wooden houses with shutters torn down
There lives a girl everybody calls Patches
Patches my darling of Old Shanty town
We plan to marry when June brought the summer
I couldn’t wait to make Patches my bride
Now I don’t see how that ever can happen
My folks say no, and my heart breaks inside…”
As the lyrics came from inside my head to the computer screen, I could picture the river and the industrial coal yard and run-down houses. When it comes to real estate, nothing is as important as location, location, location. Of course, waterfront property brings a premium unless of course, it is on the wrong sides of the tracks, next to a coal yard, and in a neighborhood scattered with dilapidated houses.
Obviously, the song is the story of a young man whose parents felt the girl of his dreams wasn’t good enough for him. He yielded to their wishes rather than following his heart.
He later overhears someone mentioning to his dad a girl named Patches whose lifeless body was found floating in the river. Whether she drowned accidentally, or through purposeful intent wasn’t specifically addressed, except that no one would choose to swim in a river next to a coal yard.
The other stanzas of the song that I couldn’t remember share more of the story. Actually what is now clear to me came as a total surprise. I never fully processed the ending of the song. Perhaps the innocence of childhood closed my ears to the implication that the song was referencing suicide.
“Patches oh what can I do I swear I’ll always love you But a girl from that place Would just bring me disgrace
So my folks won’t let me love you Each night I cry as I think of that shanty And pretty Patches there watchin’ the door
She doesn’t know that I can’t come to see her Patches must think that I love her no more
I hear a neighbor tellin’ my father He says a girl name of Patches was found Floating face down in that dirty old river That flows by the coal yards in Old Shanty Town
I swear I’ll always love you It may not be right but I’ll join you tonight Patches I’m coming to you.”
It is indeed a very sad song.
All My Best! Don
Carpe Diem 