MULESKINNER BLUES

Blue Yodel #8, written and recorded by Jimmie Rodgers in 1930, is the original version of what would be known as Muleskinner Blues. Muleskinner Blues saw many reinterpretations from then until now, but the version I've become most familiar with is The Fendermen's version from 1960. About 8 years ago I bought a '50s/'60s hits compilation record for a dollar from a thrift store. The record featured some obvious selections of 'Hop' styled chart-toppers of the era, but The Fendermen's Muleskinner Blues seemed to stick out like a sore thumb. Clearly the subject of the lyrics was derived from something I was not culturally familiar with, and possibly The Fendermen felt the same way, but they sang with such confidence to a point where they seem to lose control and the song's spirit takes over (note: near-insane laughter/yodeling adopted from Joe Gibson's 1959 version.)

An interesting quality of the particular version I own is the tracks tempo and grooves on the record are perfectly in sync, where if the needle skips forward or backward a loop is created. Sometimes the loop will find a rapid fire bass jangle and high pitched guitar flicker, or the loop may find a perpetually perfect, "he heee he he he heee- he heee he he he heee-". It's intriguing to the point were I've actually stood over the record for nearly a half hour manually guiding the needle from groove to groove, creating a 45 minute long version of Muleskinner Blues. I create a different version everytime I try it, and I'm always left smiling in my self-induced hypnosis. I like to think that I've contributed to the long line of reinterpretations of Muleskinner Blues, but it's possible the song has been creating new versions of us over the past 80 years!

By the way- If you don't like your job, then put the buck-buck-bucket down...