What am I missing? MySQL syntax error - mysql

Question

I am having this error:
#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near ''tablename'(
'id'MEDIUMINT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
'content'TEXT NOT NULL,
'd' at line 1
From this statement:
CREATE TABLE 'tablename'(
'id'MEDIUMINT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
'content'TEXT NOT NULL,
'date_added' DATETIME NOT NULL,
'user' VARCHAR (16) NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY ('id'),
UNIQUE ('id')
); ENGINE=MyISAM;
Why?

Answer 1

You need the backtick instead of the single quote ('). The backtick is this character:
`
Better yet - don't bother with either:
CREATE TABLE tablename (
id MEDIUMINT ...
Important: also see the comments below from tadman; they round out this answer nicely by explaining the backticks and pointing out another syntax issue.

Answer 2

You are using incorrect notation.
In your create table statement, you are using the single quote ( ').
You can't use that here for table names and column names.
Alternatives would be the tick mark (`). Or just completely remove all notation altogether.
Here is your code, fully functional:
CREATE TABLE tablename (
`id` MEDIUMINT NOT NULL,
`content`TEXT NOT NULL,
`date_added` DATETIME NOT NULL,
`user` VARCHAR (16) NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`id`),
UNIQUE (`id`)
);

Answer 3

You are missing a space between the columnname and the type of the first two columns. Also, you have a ; to many at the end
CREATE TABLE 'tablename'(
'id' MEDIUMINT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
'content' TEXT NOT NULL,
'date_added' DATETIME NOT NULL,
'user' VARCHAR (16) NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY ('id'),
UNIQUE ('id')
) ENGINE=MyISAM;