CLARENCE CARTER – Patches (1970)

“Patches” (sometimes known as “Patches (I’m Depending On You)”) is a country soul song written by General Johnson and Ron Dunbar and best known as the 1970 hit version by Clarence Carter. It won the 1971 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song.

The song was written by General Johnson, the lead singer of Chairmen of the Board, with Ron Dunbar, who worked in A&R and record production at the Invictus record label, owned and overseen by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, formerly of Motown. Dunbar was often credited with co-writing hit songs at Invictus with “Edyth Wayne”, a pseudonym used by Holland-Dozier-Holland during the time when they were in legal dispute with Motown and its music publishing arm Jobete to which they had been contracted.

The song tells a story about how a boy born and raised in poverty in Alabama “on a farm way back up in the woods,” took over responsibility for his family from his dying father. After his father dies, he has to endure extra labor as the oldest son of the family, by farming and going to school. However, a rainstorm washes the crops away and he has to work extra hard in the fields. Years later, his mother dies and the other members of his family move away, leaving him as the man of the farm. This story, which featured spoken recitations, ends unresolved. “Patches” was included on Chairmen of the Board’s first album, The Chairmen of the Board (later reissued as Give Me Just a Little More Time), and was the B-side of the group’s July 1970 single, “Everything’s Tuesday”, their third chart hit.

I was born and raised down in Alabama On a farm way back up in the woods I was so ragged that folks used to call me Patches Papa used to tease me about it ‘Cause deep down inside he was hurt ‘Cause he’d done all he could

My papa was a great old man I can see him with a shovel in his hands, see Education he never had He did wonders when the times got bad The little money from the crops he raised Barely paid the bills we made

For, life had kick him down to the ground When he tried to get up Life would kick him back down One day Papa called me to his dyin’ bed Put his hands on my shoulders And in his tears he said

He said, Patches I’m dependin’ on you, son To pull the family through My son, it’s all left up to you

Two days later Papa passed away, and I became a man that day So I told Mama I was gonna quit school, but She said that was Daddy’s strictest rule

So every mornin’ ‘fore I went to school I fed the chickens and I chopped wood too Sometimes I felt that I couldn’t go on I wanted to leave, just run away from home But I would remember what my daddy said With tears in his eyes on his dyin’ bed

He said, Patches I’m dependin’ on you, son I tried to do my best It’s up to you to do the rest

Then one day a strong rain came And washed all the crops away And at the age of 13 I thought I was carryin’ the weight of the Whole world on my shoulders And you know, Mama knew What I was goin’ through, ’cause

Every day I had to work the fields ‘Cause that’s the only way we got our meals You see, I was the oldest of the family And everybody else depended on me Every night I heard my Mama pray Lord, give him the strength to make another day

So years have passed and all the kids are grown The angels took Mama to a brand new home Lord knows, people, I shedded tears But my daddy’s voice kept me through the years

Saying Patches, I’m dependin’ on you, son To pull the family through My son, it’s all left up to you

Oh, I can still hear Papa’s voice sayin’ Patches, I’m dependin’ on you, son I’ve tried to do my best It’s up to you to do the rest

I can still hear Papa, what he said Patches, I’m dependin’ on you, son To pull the family through My son, it’s all left up to you