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Lyr Add/Origins: Conversation With a Mule^^^
DigiTrad:
CONVERSATION WITH A MULE
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Lyr Add/Origins: Conversation With a Mule^^^ DigiTrad: CONVERSATION WITH A MULE |
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Subject: Lyr Add: CONVERSATION WITH A MULE (Arthur Smith)^^ From: Gene Graham Date: 05 Jun 97 - 08:13 PM CONVERSATION WITH A MULE Recorded by Arthur Smith (Spoken:) Old mule, you're the son of a donkey And I'm in the image of God Yet, here we work, hitched together Toilin' and tillin' the sod I wonder if you work for me Or I work for you, old mule At times I think it's a partnership Between a mule and a doggone fool. When plowin', we go the same distance But I work harder than you You skim the ground on four good legs And I hobble along on two So, mule, mathematically speakin' You're four legs 'gainst my two I do twice the work per leg I do twice as much as you. Now soon we'll be makin' the corn crop That crop'll be split three ways A third for you, a third for me And a third for the landlords' pay You take your third and eat it You're gettin the best and How! I split my third amongst the wife and eight kids The banker, six hens and a cow. And right here mule, I might mention You only plow the ground I shock the corn and husk it While you're hee-hawin' around All Fall and part of the Winter Old mule, you know it's true I break my back with a cotton sack Tryin' to pay off the mortgage on you. The only time I'm your better Is when election comes A man can vote and a mule cannot But that don't worry you none Because you're a wise old donkey You know what to worry about You knew politics wouldn't help you none And I'm just findin it out. So, mule, confidentially speaking Would you change places with me Would you take up all my worries And still contented be Would you swap places, I'm askin' 'Course, you know we couldn't But would you, if you could, now tell the truth You're doggone right, you wouldn't. CHORDS for all verses: [G] Old mule, you're the son of a donkey [A] And I'm in the image of God [D7] Yet, here we work, hitched together Toilin' and tillin' the [G] sod [G] I wonder if you work for me [A] Or I work for you, old mule [D7] At times I think it's a partnership Between a mule and a doggone [G] fool. Source: Country Music Hall of Fame - 200 years of American Heritage in Song.
This song was added to the Digital Tradition in 2000. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: Conversation With a Mule? From: GUEST,Presto Date: 04 Oct 01 - 07:32 AM Well over a year ago (it may be two...) I sent in the lyrics to "Conversation With a Mule", and I see that the song has not yet appeared in the Digitrad database. 'sup? -PP |
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Subject: RE: Conversation With a Mule? From: Allan C. Date: 04 Oct 01 - 07:46 AM Well, my friend, I just did a search on all threads containing the word, "conversation" and did not find one with the title of which you speak. I can only presume that the song was posted within a thread someplace. Those are EXTREMELY difficult to find by our volunteers who extract hundreds of songs from the forum each year. In order to insure that a lyric gets noticed, it is a good idea to post a new thread with the LYRIC ADD: prefix. At the moment, the Supersearch isn't functioning and so I can't locate the lyrics in question to have a look. It sounds like it would be a fun song. Thanks for posting it, but please consider reposting it as mentioned above. |
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Subject: RE: Conversation With a Mule? From: Allan C. Date: 04 Oct 01 - 08:19 AM My apologies. I just located the thread which you did, indeed, post as a LYRIC ADD here. (I am not sure why it didn't show up in my previous search.) You posted that a LONG time ago! Because of the volunteer nature of the keepers of the DT, there is most certainly a backlog of songs, etc. to be posted. Other than that, I have no idea how this might have been missed. Perhaps an occasional refreshing of the thread might help to bring it to their notice. |
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Subject: RE: Conversation With a Mule? From: MMario Date: 04 Oct 01 - 09:09 AM I am not sure, but I think '97 may have been before the "harvesting" team got into action. I know they have mentioned there being a backlog of threads that may never have been searched. |
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Subject: RE: Conversation With a Mule? From: Crazy Eddie Date: 04 Oct 01 - 09:23 AM Good song Graham, Thanx |
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Subject: RE: Conversation With a Mule? From: Jack the Sailor Date: 04 Oct 01 - 10:33 AM Hey folks, is there anywhere on the web or otherwise where I might get a listen to that one?? |
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Subject: RE: Conversation With a Mule? From: Jack the Sailor Date: 04 Oct 01 - 01:02 PM Crazie Eddie, Are you a Larry Niven fan? |
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Subject: RE: Conversation With a Mule? From: Jack the Sailor Date: 04 Oct 01 - 01:51 PM Midi File of conversation with a mule http://www.lanset.com/eieio/cowboy/Conversation%20with%20A%20Mule.mid |
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Subject: RE: Conversation With a Mule? From: JohnInKansas Date: 04 Oct 01 - 05:26 PM The song is done by Arthur Smith on a CD collection, The World's Greates Bluegrass Bands, CMH Records, Inc., CD-5907. My index shows that I got it at Borders in August, 2000, and it was quite cheap, about $9.00 (US). There is a companion The World's Greatest Bluegrass Bands Vol II, CMH Records, Inc., CD-5908. You might find them seperately, or packaged as a set. Each CD has 32 selections that seem fairly representative of early bluegrass performance. Musically, the CDs are typical of "very old re-mastered" music, but quite listenable. John |
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Subject: RE: LYR ADD: CONVERSATION WITH A MULE From: JohnInKansas Date: 04 Oct 01 - 05:34 PM The tune also appears on the CD collection The World's Greatest Bluegrass Bands, CMH Records, Inc., CD-5907. Additional information posted here: Discography John |
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Subject: RE: Conversation With a Mule? From: GUEST,Don Date: 05 Oct 01 - 09:12 AM This thread caught my attention. I am not at all familiar with versions by Arthur Smith or anyone else, but I have it on an old 45 by Andy Griffith. The flip side (I don't know which was considered the "A" side) of that disc is the best version of "Silhouettes" ("Took a walk past your house, late last night. All the shades were pulled and drawn, way down tight. From within the dim light cast, two silhouettes on the shade ...") that I have ever heard. |
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Subject: Tune Add: CONVERSATION WITH A MULE From: Lin in Kansas Date: 06 Oct 01 - 06:06 PM And here's the midi (link posted by Jack the Sailor in this thread. Lin
MIDI file: MULE1.MID Timebase: 240 Text: MIDI conversion by MIDISCAN, MUSITEK, Ojai, California
0118 0 63 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 63 085 0118 0 63 000
0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 63 085 0118 0 63 000 0002 1 64 085
0118 0 64 000 0002 1 60 085 0118 0 60 000 0002 1 67 085 0238 0 67 000
0002 1 67 085 0718 0 67 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085
0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000
0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 60 085 0358 0 60 000 0002 1 64 085
0718 0 64 000 0002 1 67 085 0238 0 67 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000
0002 1 63 085 0118 0 63 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 63 085
0118 0 63 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 63 085 0118 0 63 000
0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 60 085 0118 0 60 000 0002 1 67 085
0238 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085 0718 0 67 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000
0002 1 62 085 0118 0 62 000 0002 1 62 085 0118 0 62 000 0002 1 62 085
0118 0 62 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 63 085 0118 0 63 000
0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 63 085 0118 0 63 000 0002 1 62 085
0718 0 62 000 0002 1 67 085 0238 0 67 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000
0002 1 63 085 0118 0 63 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 63 085
0118 0 63 000 0002 1 64 085 0238 0 64 000 0002 1 60 085 0238 0 60 000
0002 1 67 085 0238 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085 0478 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085
0118 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000
0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085
0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000
0002 1 71 085 0118 0 71 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 68 085
0718 0 68 000 0002 1 68 085 0238 0 68 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000
0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085
0118 0 69 000 0002 1 65 085 0118 0 65 000 0002 1 65 085 0118 0 65 000
0002 1 65 085 0118 0 65 000 0002 1 65 085 0118 0 65 000 0002 1 67 085
0118 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085 0238 0 67 000 0002 1 64 085 0598 0 64 000
0002 1 62 085 0118 0 62 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 66 085
0118 0 66 000 0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000 0002 1 69 085 0238 0 69 000
0002 1 71 085 0238 0 71 000 0002 1 67 085 0718 0 67 000 0962 1 67 085
0238 0 67 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 62 085 0118 0 62 000
0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 62 085 0118 0 62 000 0002 1 64 085
0118 0 64 000 0002 1 62 085 0118 0 62 000 0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000
0002 1 60 085 0118 0 60 000 0002 1 67 085 0238 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085
0718 0 67 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000
0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085
0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 71 085 0118 0 71 000
0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 67 085 0718 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085
0118 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000
0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085 0118 0 69 000 0002 1 69 085
0118 0 69 000 0002 1 65 085 0118 0 65 000 0002 1 65 085 0118 0 65 000
0002 1 65 085 0118 0 65 000 0002 1 66 085 0118 0 66 000 0002 1 67 085
0118 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000
0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000 0002 1 64 085 0238 0 64 000 0002 1 64 085
0118 0 64 000 0002 1 65 085 0118 0 65 000 0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000
0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085
0118 0 67 000 0002 1 67 085 0118 0 67 000 0002 1 65 085 0118 0 65 000
0002 1 64 085 0118 0 64 000 0002 1 62 085 0118 0 62 000 0002 1 60 085
0718 0 60 000 This program is worth the effort of learning
it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get
instructions on how to use it
HREF="http://www1.tpgi.com.au/users/afostes/miditext.html">click
here ABC format: X:1
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Subject: RE: LYR ADD: CONVERSATION WITH A MULE From: GUEST,Gene Date: 07 Oct 01 - 01:54 AM Play MP3 of Conversation With A Mule; at - * CLICK TO: YESTERYEAR JUKEBOX *
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Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Conversation With a Mule^^^ From: Joe Offer Date: 11 Aug 08 - 03:04 PM I don't know that I want to pay thirty bucks plus shipping for it, but I think I found the publication where this song/recitation first appeared. It's in a songbook called MAC AND BOB'S NEWEST AND GREATEST COLLECTION OF SONGS, by Lester McFarland and Robert Gardner, published by Bob Miller, Inc., in 1935. The book includes 30 songs written by "Bob Miller and others." The final page is verse by Bob Miller, titled "Conversation with A Mule." I also found a recording of the song by Pete Seeger - half-sung, half-recited, in the Bear Family collection titled Songs for Political Action. Anybody have a date for the recording of this song by Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith? I'm guessing the Seeger recording is earlier, but the notes on Songs for Political Action are unclear about the date. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Conversation With a Mule^^^ From: Joe Offer Date: 11 Aug 08 - 03:36 PM Mac and Bob (Robert Gardner and Lester McFarland) were heard on WLS from 1931 to 1950. Take a look at this item from a Chicago radio history Website: "Mac and Bob," our sweet harmony singers, are Lester McFarland and Robert Gardner, originally of Gray, Kentucky, and Oliver Springs, Tennessee, respectively. Sixteen years ago the two boys met each other while they were studying music in the "Kentucky School for the Blind." Mac was an artist on the piano, cornet, trombone, guitar and mandolin, consequently he became a music teacher, while Bob made his livelihood as a piano tuner, having a perfect ear for pitch and tone. About 10 years ago they teamed up as a harmony duo and their singing soon attracted the attention of phonograph record companies. To date, they have recorded at least 200 songs with sales totaling over a million. While Mac and Bob are both blind, the boys do not capitalize upon their misfortune, choosing to gain the favor of their audiences solely through the merits of their entertainment. When Mac and Bob learn a new song, the notes and words are read to them and they punch them out on a sheet using the "point system." -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Conversation With a Mule^^^ From: Stewie Date: 11 Aug 08 - 07:34 PM Joe, neither the Meade nor Russell discographies have any entries for Arthur 'Guitar Boogie' Smith, indicating that recordings made under his name were post-1942. Russell has a 4-song entry of 1938 recordings by Smith's Carolina Crackerjacks who were led by the said 'Guitar Boogie' Smith, but none of these was 'Mule'. The only mention of 'Conversations with a mule' in either discography is Russell's listing of a recording by Arty Hall & His Radio Rubes for ARC on 11 August 1937. It was issued as ARC 7-12-54 and evidently was solo spoken piece by Hall. If Mac and Bob recorded the song/recitation, it was post-1942. --Stewie. |
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Subject: ADD Version: Conversation With a Mule From: Joe Offer Date: 12 Aug 08 - 01:49 AM Thanks, Stewie. I was hoping somebody would check those discographies. Here's the Pete Seeger version, which is quite a bit different; Conversation With a Mule (Bob Miller, 1935) I saw a farmer and his mule a-plowin' Over on the mountain side The farmer was a-mumblin' and a-grumblin' As he plowed those furrows deep and wide Well, as he went along a-plowin' He was swearin' and a-snortin' all the way. I overheard his conversation with his mule This is what I heard him say: Old mule, you're the son of a jackass And I'm the image of God Yet here we work hitched together A-toilin' and a-tillin' the sod. I wonder if you work for me Or I work for you, old mule. At times I think it's a partnership Between a mule and a doggone fool. When plowing we go the same distance But I work harder than you. You skim the ground on four good legs And I hobble along on two. So, mule, mathematically speaking Your four legs against my two. I do just twice the work, the work per leg And twice as much as you. Well, soon we'll be making the corn crop That crop'll be split three ways. A third for you, and a third for me And a third for the landlord's pay. You take your third and you eat it all You're getting the best, and how. I split my third amongst eight kids A banker, six hens, and a cow. So, Mule, confidentially speaking Would you change places with me? Would you take up all of my worries And still contented be? Would you swap places, I'm asking? Of course you know we couldn't. Would you if you could? Now tell the truth You know right well you wouldn't! This ends the story 'bout the mule and the farmer Who were plowing the mountain side. You can form your own conclusion for a moral Of the farmer's conversation with his mule. from the CD book for the Bear Family collection, Songs for Political Action ...doesn't really seem like a political action song, but that's OK with me. It's a pretty good coup, to be able to put out a previously-unreleased Pete Seeger recording. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Conversation With a Mule^^^ From: Jim Dixon Date: 19 Aug 08 - 06:04 AM The Online 78rpm Discographical Project lists 3 recordings of CONVERSATION WITH A MULE: Artie Hall's Radio Rubes, Melotone 7-12-54, 1937. The Roaming Philosopher, Musicraft 566. No date, but it looks like it would have been in the late 1940s. Arthur Smith, MGM 10791. No date, but it looks like 1950. "How Can I Keep from Singing," David King Dunaway's biography of Pete Seeger, says his CONVERSATION WITH A MULE was released in 1949. |
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