(Alternate titles: Boll Weevil; Boll Weevil Song; I'm Looking for a Home)
The "Masked Marvel" was a pseudonym for Charley Patton (1891-1934). Patton was born near Edwards, Mississippi and spent most of his first thirty years associated with Dockery Plantation near Cleveland, Mississippi. Up to 2000 people lived as tenant farmers on Dockery. Because of its size, Dockery became an important stopping place for traveling blues musicians. Patton was one of those musicians and he traveled throughout the Delta. His music was a major influence on many other bluesmen in the area including Son House, Robert Johnson, and Willie Brown. Patton was primarily known as a guitarist, but he also played banjo (see YZ 2016). Patton died of heart trouble when he was only 42 years old, cutting his recording career unfortunately short. However, what he did record was very influential and he has been extensively anthologized in the years since. As a sales ploy, anyone who could correctly identify the "Masked Marvel" mystery artist on the recording "Mississippi Boll Weevil Blues" was awarded a free record (John Tottenham, notes to Black Swan 22).
The boll weevil is a small insect that has destroyed many a harvest, particularly cotton. The "Boll Weevil Song," in all its variations, is a particularly popular American folksong. Numerous recordings were made during the folksong revival of the 1950s and 1960s, including one very well-known recording by folk singer and actor Burl Ives.
FOR ADDITIONAL RECORDINGS OF PATTON see:
The Founder of the Delta Blues (YZ 1020c); King of the Delta Blues (YZ 2001c), Charlie Patton, 1929-1932 (OJL 1a); Charlie Patton, Vol. 2, 1929-1934 (OJL 7a); The Voice of the Delta (Black Swan 22c); and the collections The Voice of the Delta: The Complete Paramounts (Black Sawn 21/22c); The Story of the Blues (COL 30008a); Roots 'n Blues (COL 47911c); Legends of the Blues (COL 46215c); The Slide Guitar (COL 46218c); Blues Masters, Vol. 8 (RH 71130c); The Music Never Stopped (SH 6014c); Mississippi Blues, 1927-1936 (YZ 1001a); Mississippi Moaners, 1929-1942 (YZ 1009c); Roots of Rock (YZ 1063c); Roots of Robert Johnson (YZ 1073c); and Before the Blues, Vol. 2 (YZ 2016c). For additional information on Patton see John Fahey, Charley Patton, (London: Studio Vista, 1970) and The King of the Delta Blues: The Life and Music of Charlie Patton by Stephen Calt and Gayle Wardlow (available from Shanachie Entertainment, PO Box 208, Newton, NJ 07860)
OTHER RECORDED VERSIONS include:
Traditional American Folk: as Boll Weevil: Buster Ezell (FLY 250a); Vera Hall (LC LBC 14a); Lead Belly (SFW CD 40068c, FW 7533c, RND 1097c, BIO 144c); The Poplin Family (Melodeon 7331a); Oscar Woods (FLY 260a). The Library of Congress has seven ballads on the boll weevil on The Ballad Hunters, Vol. 5/6 (LC AFSL51a).
Folksong revival: as Boll Weevil: The Blue Flame String Band (FF 275a); Bill Bonyun (SFW CD 7542c); Oscar Brand (Clearvue 5601a); Guy Carawan (SFW CD 3544c); Erik Darling (ELK 154a); Ramblin' Jack Elliott (PRS 13065a); Fred Gerlach (FW 3529c); Woody Guthrie (SFW CD 40007c, RND 1041c); Sam Hinton (FW 7548c); Cisco Houston (FW 2346c); Burl Ives (MCA 98a); Spider John Koerner (RDH 44c); Tony Kraber and Earl Robinson (MER 20008a); Hermes Nye (FW 2128c); Odetta (VG 9137a); Carl Sandburg (Lyrichord 66a); Pete Seeger (FW 2323c, FW 2513c); Brother John Sellers (VG 79036c); The Weavers (VG 73116c, Omega 3021/2c); Josh White (MCA 4170a); Hally Wood (Tannehill 101a); and a related topical World War II adaptation Looking for a Home: Pete Seeger (SF 40021c).
Post revival: as Boll Weevil: Mike Cross (SGH 1011c); Dave Moore (RDH 06c).
Country/String Band: as Boll Weevil: Ray Alden (MMC 9009d); Homer and Jethro (GS 1428a, KNG 583b); Fred Cockerham, Tommy Jarrell, and Oscar Jenkins (CTY 741a); Tex Ritter (CAP 95036a); The Troxell Brothers (MMC 9025c).
Bluegrass: as Boll Weevil: Benny Martin (GS 1415a); The Nashville Bluegrass Band (SGH 3843c).
Blues: as Boweevil: Pink Anderson (FW 3588c); as Boll Weevil: James Cage and Willie Thomas (AH 372c); Jaybird Coleman (DOC 5140c); Mance Lipscomb (REP 6404a); Little Walter (DEL 648a); Blind Willie McTell (BIO 144c, ELK 301a).
Rhythm and Blues: as The Boll Weevil Song: Brook Benton (KNG 1340a, Curb 77741c, RH 71497c).
Jazz: as Boweavil: Bessie Smith (COL 47091c).
Rock: as Boll Weevil: Eddie Cochran (LIB 3320a, LIB 7172a, EMI 7802402c); Jimmy Page (Thunderbolt 007a); Rabbit (Island 9328a); Sid Sevidge (Upstart 022c); The Shocking Blue (Piccadilly 3400a).
