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Dickey Lee
About Patches
"Patches" is a song written by Barry Mann and Larry Kolber and performed by Dickey Lee. It reached #6 on the U. S. pop chart and #10 on the U. S. R&B chart in 1962. It was featured on his 1962 album The Tale of Patches. The song tells the story of teenage lovers of different social classes whose parents forbid their love. The girl drowns herself in the "dirty old river." The singer concludes: "It may not be right, but I'll join you tonight/ Patches I'm coming to you." Because of the teen suicide theme, the song was banned by a number of radio stations. However, it sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The song was produced by Bill Hall and Jack Clement. The song ranked #74 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1962.more »
- Year:
- 2013
- 2:56
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I was born and raised down in AlabamaOn a farm way back up in the woodsI was so ragged that folks used to call me PatchesPapa used to tease me about it'Cause deep down inside he was hurt'Cause he'd done all he couldMy papa was a great old manI can see him with a shovel in his hands, seeEducation he never hadHe did wonders when the times got badThe little money from the crops he raisedBarely paid the bills we madeFor, life had kick him down to the groundWhen he tried to get upLife would kick him back downOne day Papa called me to his dyin' bedPut his hands on my shouldersAnd in his tears he saidHe said, PatchesI'm dependin' on you, sonTo pull the family throughMy son, it's all left up to youTwo days later Papa passed away, andI became a man that daySo I told Mama I was gonna quit school, butShe said that was Daddy's strictest ruleSo every mornin' 'fore I went to schoolI fed the chickens and I chopped wood tooSometimes I felt that I couldn't go onI wanted to leave, just run away from homeBut I would remember what my daddy saidWith tears in his eyes on his dyin' bedHe said, PatchesI'm dependin' on you, sonI tried to do my bestIt's up to you to do the restThen one day a strong rain cameAnd washed all the crops awayAnd at the age of 13 I thoughtI was carryin' the weight of theWhole world on my shouldersAnd you know, Mama knewWhat I was goin' through, 'causeEvery day I had to work the fields'Cause that's the only way we got our mealsYou see, I was the oldest of the familyAnd everybody else depended on meEvery night I heard my Mama prayLord, give him the strength to make another daySo years have passed and all the kids are grownThe angels took Mama to a brand new homeLord knows, people, I shedded tearsBut my daddy's voice kept me through the yearsSing,Patches, I'm dependin' on you, sonTo pull the family throughMy son, it's all left up to youOh, I can still hear Papa's voice sayin'Patches, I'm dependin' on you, sonI've tried to do my bestIt's up to you to do the restI can still hear Papa, what he saidPatches, I'm dependin' on you, sonTo pull the family throughMy son, it's all left up to you
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Dickey Lee
Royden Dickey Lipscomb (born 21 September 1936, Memphis, Tennessee), known professionally as Dickey Lee (sometimes misspelled Dickie Lee or Dicky Lee), is an American pop/country singer and songwriter, best known for the 1960s teenage tragedy songs "Patches" and "Laurie (Strange Things Happen)." more »
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Sheet Music PDF Playlist
Written by: Barry Mann, Larry Kolber
Lyrics © DYAD Music Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Music Genre"Patches" by Dickey Lee falls into the genre of teenage tragedy songs, also known as "death discs," which were very popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. |
Song ReleaseThe song was released on May 21, 1962, by the record company Smash Records. |
Lyrics and Themeknown for its tragic theme, the song tells a heartbreaking story of a teenage boy who is devastated by the death of his love, Patches, who commits suicide after their parents forbid them from being together due to class differences. |
Chart Success"Patches" is the biggest hit of Dickey Lee's career. The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the summer of 1962. |
Banned from RadioSome radio stations banned the song due to its sensitive tragic theme about a girl committing suicide. |
Cover VersionsOver the years, various artists have covered the song, including Clarence Carter whose version reached number two on the U.S. R&B Singles chart in 1970. |
SongwritersNot only performed by Dickey Lee but the song was also co-written by him alongside with Steve Duffy. |
InspirationThe song is said to have been inspired by the Shakespearean tragedy, "Romeo and Juliet." |
AwardClarence Carter's version of the song won a Grammy for the Best R&B Song in 1970. |
ReputationDespite the controversies and ban from radio stations, the song "Patches" is still remembered as a classic in its genre and continues to be played on oldies radio stations. |
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