Dickey Lee recorded "Patches" in a studio built by Jack Clement in Beaumont, Texas. Clement had come across the song written by Mann and Kolber while he was working for Chet Atkins at RCA, and he and Bill Hall produced the song for Lee. The song was initially released in the fall of 1961, however, the song was met with resistance from radio stations who refused to play the song as it dealt with teen suicide, and it failed to enter any chart for four months.
The recording of "Patches" by Dickey Lee occurred in a studio constructed by Jack Clement in Beaumont, Texas. Clement had encountered the song written by Mann and Kolber while working at RCA with Chet Atkins, and he along with Bill Hall produced it for Lee. The song was initially released in 1961 but faced opposition from radio stations who were unwilling to broadcast it due to its themes of teenage struggle, and it remained off the charts for four months.