PARCHMAN FARM
“Parchman Farm” or “Parchman Farm Blues” is a blues song first recorded by American Delta blues musician Bukka White in 1940. It is an autobiographical piece, in which White sings of his experience at the infamous Mississippi State Penitentiary, known as Parchman Farm. Jazz pianist-vocalist Mose Allison adapted it for his own “Parchman Farm” and “New Parchman”, which are among his most popular songs. Numerous artists have recorded their own renditions, usually based on Allison’s songs. A variety of artists have recorded Allison’s “Parchman Farm”, including Blue Cheer (as “Parchment Farm”), Cactus, and many others. (More from Wikipedia)
The band’s first album, Cactus was one of the best hard rock albums of 1970. The album opens with a fierce version of the Mose Allison song “Parchman Farm” (about the notorious Mississippi State Penitentiary of that name) – and not long after Blue Cheer recorded that classic blues song (misnamed “Parchment Farm”) on their debut 1968 album, Vincebus Eruptum – plus the Willie Dixon song “You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover” that was made famous by Bo Diddley. But Cactus’s own songs rock just as hard, like “Let Me Swim”, “Oleo” and “Feel So Good”.
(April 2014)
