"Scratches" - Marsh Family parody of Clarence Carter's "Patches" (about Trump's Reflecting Pool)

"Patches" with its soaring vocals and soulful energy, and its sad and empathetic storyline about a farmboy from Alabama being given a mission by his dying father, has always been a favourite for us. Sung by the late Clarence Carter - who sadly died just last month, aged 90 - it was written by lead singer of "Chairmen of the Board" General Johnson along with Ron Dunbar in 1970, before Carter turned it in to a blues hit.

We are using it for a much more mundane topic than the affliction of southern rural poverty on a family, which is to reflect on Trump's disastrous ($14m and counting) renovation attempts of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, which will now not be complete in time for the anniversary celebrations. The story has travelled around the world and prompted lots of hilarious online memes and commentaries, being such an accessible and colourful microcosm of his presidency and its impact. The song pretty much speaks for itself, but in case you need any background on the events:

- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yzpjd1njpo
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/23/donald-trump-reflecting-pool-metaphor
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/06/26/trump-says-more-reflecting-pool-arrests-coming-these-people-are-sick/

We ummed and aahhed about trying accents, replicating the voiceover parts of the track, and attempting some light dance moves. But it was too hot to faff around, so we just fudged whatever seemed to amuse us. Apologies to Americans, esp. in the South.

___________________________

Order our new album "Hollow Chapters" (came out 27 March):
DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/hollowchapters
PHYSICAL: CDs or LPs: https://themarshfamily.bandcamp.com/album/hollow-chapters

___________________________

Support us here:
- PayPal to leave us a tip jar: https://paypal.me/marshfamilysongs
- Patreon for ongoing support & bonuses: https://www.patreon.com/marshfamilysongs

Find our other channels here: https://linktr.ee/marshfamilysongs

Follow us here:
- https://www.marshfamilysongs.com
- https://www.facebook.com/MarshFamilySongs/
- https://www.instagram.com/marshfamilysongs/
- https://twitter.com/MarshSongs
- https://www.threads.net/@marshfamilysongs
- https://www.tiktok.com/@marshfamilysongs
- https://bsky.app/profile/marshfamilysongs.bsky.social
- https://open.spotify.com/artist/6AYmbCwi92V29y69lkRkRa

___________________________

LYRICS

There’s a pond in the states with a lot of water
That’s alarming way more folk than it should
It’s unattractive, provoking some ugly clashes
Donald wasn’t pleased about it
‘Cause deep down inside he was hurt
‘Cause he’d done all he could

Why, Donald had a great old plan!
He was reelin’ from his blunder with Iran, see
Renovation would make him glad
No-bid funder for some friends he had
A lot of money for the job, he raised
Sturdy paint was underlaid

Oh, pipes were sticking up from the ground
When they filled the pool up
‘Twas the talk of the town
One day, Donald thought the pool would knock ‘em dead
But his plans unfolded
And with tears he said, he said

Scratches
Needed mendin’ on his pond
The pool had been abused
By vandals, oh, it wrecked the news

Some days later paint was peelin’ ‘way, and
It became a swamp you’d say
Oh, Trump told MAGA it was a terrorist coup, but
He said that without the slightest proof
Now every visitor can ridicule
His metaphorical reflecting pool

The guy who said that he’s drainin’ the swamp
You wouldn’t believe, it’s now awash with scum
Oh my, did you ever see a duck so dead?
We see how he lies on his concrete bed

He said: Patches
Kept extending on his pond
He tried to make arrests
He mobilised the NPS

Every day they found the surface green!
So they tried to kinda bleach it clean, you see
There was a foulness all around DC
But this specific one was down to algae

Every night you heard ol’ Donald pray
Lord, give me strength to find someone to blame

But weeks have passed and he can bitch and moan
History gonna show it as a big self-own
The pool’s fecal, but the moral’s clear:
No one cleans up like a racketeer!

Leavin’ patches
Of contamination
Trump nevers turn things blue!
I wonder who expects him to?!

Batshit!
Just a neverendin’ scum
A noxious sludge egressed
Who failed his own Narcissus test!



___________________________

THANKS SO MUCH TO PATREONS (HOWLERS below):

Jeremy Sedgley,
John Hanger,
Stephen Shuttleworth,
Sacramento Scott,
Christian Schranz,
Peter Green,
Richard Boutbee,
LisaMarie Fitzpatrick,
Ed Rocheck,
Wolfgang Tampier,
Dan McColm,
Douglas Lind,
David Ryan,
Simon Haslam,
Lew,
Mike Smith,
Andy Riches,
Cliff Hope,
Carol Leff,
Geeta & Karen (Alyssa Sangeeta Jacobson Memorial),
David Patrao,
Grandad