Mule Skinner Blues
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| "Blue Yodel #8" / "Mule Skinner Blues" |
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| From Bill Monroe's version, 1946 | ||
| Song originally by Jimmie Rodgers | ||
| Published | 1930 | |
| Recorded | July 11, 1930[1] | |
| Genre | Country Bluegrass Blues Rockabilly |
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| Length | 2-5 minutes | |
| Label | RCA/Victor | |
| Writer(s) | Jimmie Rodgers, George Vaughn | |
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| Cover of the Fendermen's version, 1960 | ||
"Blue Yodel #8" (a.k.a. "Mule Skinner Blues", "Muleskinner Blues", and "Muleskinner's Blues") is a classic country song, co-written by Jimmie Rodgers and George Vaughn in 1930, and recorded first by Rodgers. It has been recorded by many artists since then, acquiring the de facto title "Mule Skinner Blues" after Rodgers named it "Blue Yodel #8" (one of his Blue Yodels).
The song tells the tale of a down-on-his-luck mule skinner, approaching "the Captain", looking for work. He boasts of his skills: "I can pop my 'nitials on a mule's behind" and hopes for "a dollar and a half a day".
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[edit] Versions
[edit] 1930s
- Rodgers's recording in the early 1930s was a hit.
- It later became one of bluegrass creator Bill Monroe's signature songs, when he recorded it in 1939, singing all of Rodgers' lyrics and throwing in a half-dozen traditional blues lyrics at the end.
[edit] 1940s
- Woody Guthrie recorded the song in 1944 for Asch Recordings. A 1998 Guthrie album is named Muleskinner Blues - Asch Recordings, Vol. 2 and features his version.
[edit] 1950s
- Odetta - Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956)
- Lonnie Donegan - Lonnie Donegan Live, 1957 [1]
[edit] 1960s
- The Fendermen - Mule Skinner Blues (1960)
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- This Madison, Wisconsin-based duo reached #5 on the Billboard charts with their version, featuring truncated lyrics and a strong electrified instrumentation.
[edit] 1970s
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- This 1970 recording of the song reached #3 on the U.S. country charts, and earned Parton a Grammy nomination.
- Jerry Garcia played "Muleskinner Blues" with Old and in the Way and the Wildwood Boys, around 1973[2].
[edit] 1980s
- The Cramps - Stay Sick (1989)
[edit] External Links
- Lyrics (from several versions)
- Essay: "Muleskinner Blues", by 18thcandidate, on Everything2.com
- A version of the song is playing in the background of this website
[edit] References
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