Our next collection of songs comes courtesy of the ‘Mule’.
“Moscow Mule” is a song by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny. It was released in May 2022 as the second single from his fourth studio album Un Verano Sin Ti (2022) following “Callaita” (2019). The song’s title refers to the cocktail of the same name. The song’s music video was directed by Stillz and shows Bad Bunny as a merman.
“Blue Yodel No. 8, Mule Skinner Blues” is a classic country song written by Jimmie Rodgers. The song was first recorded by Rodgers in 1930 and has been recorded by many artists since then, acquiring the de facto title “Mule Skinner Blues” after Rodgers named it “Blue Yodel #8”. Bill Monroe performed the song for his November 1939 debut on the Grand Ole Opry. The performance can be found on the MCA compilation Music of Bill Monroe From 1936-1994 (1994). The song was Monroe’s first solo studio recording. Recorded in October 1940, for RCA Victor, the song became a hit and one of Monroe’s signature tunes.
“Mule Train” is a song written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath, Ramblin’ Tommy Scott and Fred Glickman. It is a cowboy song, with the singer filling the role of an Old West wagon driver, spurring on his team of mules pulling a delivery wagon. As he goes about his work, the driver mentions the various mail-order goods he is delivering to far-flung customers. “Mule Train” was originally recorded by Ellis “Buz” Butler Jr. in 1947. Butler was the original writer of the song along with Fred Glickman. Frankie Laine and the Muleskinners’ version was recorded in October 1949, and released by Mercury Records. This version first reached the Billboard in November 1949 and lasted 13 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 1. Laine’s version featured a bellowed vocal delivery (like that of a real driver shouting to be heard) and studio-created gimmicks such as whipcracking sound effects.
“Three Mules” is a song by Al Stewart taken from his 1995 album ‘Between The Wars’ The “Three Mules” refers to the National Government that held power in the UK from 1931 until 1940, and specifically to the individual governments of Prime Ministers Ramsay MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain. The National Government was a coalition of most of the major political parties of the time. These three mules did little to prepare Britain for war and downplayed the threat Hitler posed to peace.
“We want Muffin, Muffin the Mule” is the theme tune to Muffin the Mule a puppet character in a British 1946-1955 television programme for children. The puppet had been made in 1933 for Hogart Puppets. The original TV programmes featuring the animal character himself were presented by Annette Mills, and broadcast live by the BBC from their studios at Alexandra Palace from Autumn 1946 to Winter 1952. Mills and the puppet continued with programmes that were broadcast until 1955, when Mills died. A separate series of 15-minute episodes, Muffin the Mule, was broadcast from 1952, along with his signature tune, called “We want Muffin”. Muffin became a television star, and a wide range of spin-off merchandise was made using the Muffin character, including books, records, games and toys.
“Whoa Mule” is a song by The Black Crowes. This raga-flavored hymn was recorded outdoors. Frontman Chris Robinson pointed out to Rolling Stone magazine, “You can hear the birds.”Chris Robinson (from The Black Crowes Bootleg Project): “It’s hand-in-hand with the roots part of our goals on ‘Warpaint‘ (2008). It sums up a lot of different kinds of music. There’s an Appalachian part to it, and a certain English aesthetic, which, of course, makes it very Southern in the way a lot of European folk music came into America and manifested itself. The idea of the lyric is ‘We’re dirty but we’re dreaming.’ It’s definitely one of the most optimistic songs we’ve ever written.”
