Before May of 1957, The only way anyone sang "Muleskinner Blues" Was the way Jimmy Rogers or Bill Monroe sang it. Then in May 1957 The Control Tower Chief Controller at Suffolk County Air Force Base near Westhampton Beach New York (Long Island) T/Sgt Jody Gibson (me) recorded "Good Morning Captain" an entirely different way of singing this song, and with an entirely different melody. It was an instant "Hit". Only distributed in New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, it sold 400,000 + 45rpm records and 75,000 78 rpm's. One of the reasons for it's success is that Alan Freed was my manager's father in law so it got a lot of play on the AM "Pop" and "Rock and Roll" radio programs. It was instantly covered by Sheb Wooley, who sang it "word for word and note for note" exactly the same as I'd done it. Dolly Parton also recorded my version years later. Now, this is the way all the "Traditionalist" and "Folk Music Purists" (folk music fascists?) sing it. That is, until they read this post, then they'll be frantically searching for old Jimmy Rogers records.

Of course, my version is, now, "worthless", as I'm still alive. (72 years old this month) My TETRA record of "Good Morning Captain" is the first track on my new CD "Spanning the Decades" ($15.00, includes shipping) from ROSE ISLAND Recording and Music Co. 36 Charles St. Newport, Rhode Island 02840.

As Far as I know, Kat/Katlaughing has the straight poop as to what a Muleskinner is. "Captain" , of course, is the boss of the job and the one who does the hiring. The rest of the song is, I guess, the muleskinner's resume.

some of you have previous versions of "Spanning the Decades" that do not inclued "Good Morning Captain". If so, send me a PM with your mailing adress on it and I'll send you a tape of Good Morning Captain, 21 Years (the "B" side) and Worried Man Blues, a composite of TETRA and ROSE ISLAND (recent) recordings with the traditional "Worried Man Blues" lyrics. We used the 5-string banjo instrumental break for background to sing the traditional verses to. twice, and, sang harmony with myself on the choruses to cover up the "too much echo" on the original TETRA recording. This composite is track No. 3 on the CD. SINSULL and Dick Greenhouse have the new issue of Spanning the Decades, and I'm sending Rick Fielding one too.