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Whoa Mule (When the Band Begins to Play)
Bluegrass and Old-time breakdown; Widely known.
ARTIST: African-American versions by Howard Odum
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes
DATE: 1880’s; Earliest recordings 1924 Bill Chitwood & Bud Landress, Sid Turner
RECORDING INFO: Ashley, Clarence (Thomas/Tom). Galax Virginia; Old Fiddler's Convention, Folkways FA 2435, LP (1964), trk# A.02 [1961-63] Barrett, Dick (Texas). National Oldtime Fiddlers Contest & Festival. 1974, Century, LP (1974), trk# B.05 Bell Spur String Band. Bell Spur String Band, Heritage (Galax) 047, LP (1984), trk# A.05 [1963/08/12] (Kickin'/Kicking Mule) Boarman, Andrew F. Mountain State Music, June Appal JA 0025, LP (1978), trk# 4 Bullard, Mrs. M. M.. Morris, Alton C. / Folksongs of Florida, Univ. Florida, Bk (1950), p190/#106 [1934-39] Collins, Max. Thede, Marion (ed.) / The Fiddle Book, Oak, Bk (1967), p130 [1930s] Fairchild, Raymond. Raymond Fairchild Plays "Little Zane", Skyline SR 003, LP (1981), trk# A.06 (Woah Mule) Forbes, Walter. Ballads and Bluegrass, RCA (Victor) LPM-2472, LP (1962), trk# 1 Franklin, Major. Devil's Box, Devil's Box, Ser, 28/4, p12(1994) Georgia Yellow Hammers. Moonshine Hollow Band, Rounder 1032, LP (1979), trk# A.02 [1924/11/21] Howard, Clint; and Fred Price. Ballad of Finley Preston, Rounder 0009, LP (1972), trk# 11 Kimble Family. Carroll County Pioneers, Marimac 9036, Cas (1992), trk# 20 [1973-77] Kimble Family. Pine Knots School Rowdies, Marimac 9037, Cas (1992), trk# 4 King, Henry; and Family. Lomax, Alan / Folksongs of North America, Doubleday Dolphin, Sof (1975/1960), p441/#231 (Kickin'/Kicking Mule) Mainer, J. E. (Joseph Emmet). Legendary J. E. Mainer. Vol 4, Rural Rhythm RRJE 208, LP (196?), trk# B.08 Mainer's Mountaineers (J. E. Mainer's Mountaineers). Sounds of the South, Atlantic 7-82496-2, CD( (1993), trk# 4.03 [1959/07ca] Maloy, Frank. Devil's Box, Devil's Box, Ser, 23/2, p23(1989) [1940s] Morrison, Fate. Rackensack. Volume 1, Driftwood LP 278, LP (1972), trk# B.03 New River Ramblers. Fiddler's Grove. Old Time Fiddler's & Bluegrass ... 1975. Vol. 6, Galaxie, LP (1975), trk# 30 Orchard, Keith. Christeson, R. P. / Old Time Fiddlers Reportory, Vol. 2, University of Missouri, Bk (1984), #139 [1971ca] Pine Ridge Boys and Patsy. Stringband Music from Mt. Airy, Heritage (Galax) 029 (XXIX), LP (1981), trk# B.01 Price, Fred. Old-Time Music at Clarence Ashley's, Part 2, Folkways FA 2359, LP (1963), trk# 5 [1962/04] (Humpbacked Mule) Rosenbaum, Art (Arthur). Art of the Mountain Banjo, Kicking Mule KM 203, LP (1975), trk# 2.09 (Kickin'/Kicking Mule) Rosenbaum, Art (Arthur). Rosenbaum, Art / Art of the Mountain Banjo, Centerstream, Fol (1981), p14 (Kickin'/Kicking Mule) Seeger, Peggy. Seeger, Peggy / Five String Banjo American Folk Styles, Hargail, sof (1960), n 5 (Kickin'/Kicking Mule) Sexton, Lee "Boy". Whoa Mule, June Appal JA 0051, LP (1987), trk# 20 Smith, Ralph Lee. Dulcimer. Old Time and Traditional Music, Skyline DD-102, LP (1975), trk# 7 (Old Mule) Smokey Valley Boys. Smokey Valley Boys, Rounder 0029, LP (1974), trk# 3 Thomas, Lois "Granny". In an Arizona Town, AFF AFF 33-3, LP (197?), trk# 14 [1960s?] (Kickin'/Kicking Mule) Yadkin County Ramblers. 37th Old-Time Fiddler's Convention, Folkways FA 2434, LP (1962), trk# 7 Roy Acuff, "Whoa Mule" (Capitol 2738, 1954) Clarence Ashley & Tex Isley, "Whoa Mule" (on Ashley01) Loman D. Cansler, "Kickin' Maud [or Kickin' Maude]" (on Cansler1) Bill Chitwood & Bud Landress, "Whoa Mule" (Silvertone 3050, 1924; Brunswick 2811, 1925) Al Clauser & his Oklahoma Outlaws, "Whoa, Mule, Whoa" (Melotone 7-08-63, 1937) Elisha Cox, "Whoa Mule" (AAFS 547 A2) J. D. Dillingham & O. J. Light, "Whoa, Maude, Whoa" (AAFS 899 B2) Samuel Clay Dixon, "Whoa, Mule, Whoa" (AAFS 1749 B3/1750 A1) Leonard C. Fulwinder, "Whoa Mule, Whoa" (Aurora [Canadian] 238, c. 1932) The Hillbillies, "Whoa! Mule" (OKeh 40376, 1925) Hinson, Pitts & Coley, "Whoa Mule Whoa" (Bluebird B-7438, 1938) Paul Holland, "Whoa, Mule, Whoa" (AAFS 3217 A1) Al Hopkins & his Buckle Busters [or John Hopkins], "Whoa, Mule" (Brunswick 179, 1927) Matilda Keene, "Whoa, Larry, Whoa" (AAFS 979 B1) Bert Martin, "Whoa, Mule" (AAFS 1479 B2) Chubby Parker, "Whoa Mule, Whoa" (Gennett 6120, 1927; Supertone 9189, 1928) (Conqueror 7892, 1927) Hobart Ricker, "Whoa, Mule, Whoa" (AAFS 3904 B4) Roba Stanley [or Stanley Trio] "Whoa! Mule" (OKeh 40271, 1925)
RELATED TO: "Fortune" “Goin' down to Cairo” Floating lyrics “Huckleberry Picnic” by Frank Dumont 1877; “Slim Gal”
OTHER NAMES: “Whoa Mule, Whoa;” "The Kicking Mule;" “Hold onto the Sleigh;” “I know an Old Canaller;” “Simon Slick;” “Good bye Miss Liza Jane” (Floating title from African-American sources); “Buckin' Mule;” “My Old Coon Dog;” “Greenback”
SOURCES: Ford, Ira W. / Traditional Music in America, Folklore Associates, Bk (1965/1940), p295; Ford, Ira W. / Traditional Music in America, Folklore Associates, Bk (1965/1940), p440b BrownIII 513, "The Kicking Mule" (1 text); Scarborough-NegroFS, p. 186, "Whoa, Mule!" (1 text, 1 tune); Brewster 84, "Simon Slick" (2 texts, longer than most, 1 tune); Lomax-FSNA 231, "The Kickin' Mule" (1 text, 1 tune); Pankake-PHCFSB, pp. 62-63, "Whoa, Mule, Whoa" (1 text, tune referenced) Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, Vol. 2), 1984; pg. 87. The Devil's Box, pg. 23. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 130. From Ceolas: This "band" tune and tune title was characteristic of Patrick County, southwestern Va. (Tom Carter & Blanton Owen, 1976), and Surry County, North Carolina (Kerry Blech). Sources for notated versions: Bill Katon (Tebbetts, Missouri) [Christeson]: Max Collins (Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma) In the repertoire of Phil Reeve of the Georgia Yellow Hammers (north Ga.). Bluebird 5591B (78 RPM), Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers (north Ga.) {1934}. In the repertoire of the Kimble Family, Patrick County, Va., and Benton Flippen, Surry County, North Carolina.
NOTES: Whoa Mule/Kickin’ Mule originated from minstrel sources. William Shakespeare Hays "Whoa! I Tell You!" published in 1879 is the one of the original sources and earliest printings. The “Hold onto the sleigh” verse comes from Hays and was later adapted by Uncle Dave Macon (Hold on to the Sleigh) and appears in many different versions.
Some other early printed versions are entitled Simon Slick. John M. Turney's The Coons Around Our Block Songster, was issued in New York in 1879. Other printings include George S. Knight's Songs and Recitations (1880), Andy Collum's Latest and Best Banjo Songs (1881), John Walsh's Gems of the Emerald Isle Songster (188), and Murphy and Mack's Jolly Sailor's Songster (1883).
In most Whoa Mule songs the singer describes courting and the dangers of a kicking mule which "kicked the feathers off a goose," etc. The stubborn mule Simon Slick is often mentioned. The chorus will generally contain the instruction "Whoa, mule." The first printed African-American versions appeared in 1909 by Howard Odum. He talks about and gives the lyrics to a version entitled "De Band played On" which has the Whoa Mule text.
Whoa Mule is not the “Johnson’s/Thompson’s Old Grey Mule” songs which is a different song. Some versions have elements of both songs but they should be categorized separately. John Carson’s fiddle piece, "The Kickin' Mule" is a different melody. One Lomax version has floating lyrics from “Huckleberry Picnic” Frank Dumont in 1877.
Here are the lyrics to "Whoa Mule" Howard Odum:
THE JOURNAL OF AMERICAN FOLK-LORE
Vol. XXIV. —JULY-SEPTEMBER, 1911— No. XCIII
FOLK-SONG AND FOLK-POETRY AS FOUND IN THE
SECULAR SONGS OF THE SOUTHERN NEGROES
BY HOWARD W. ODUM
WHEN THE BAND BEGINS TO PLAY
Much has been said of the negro's love of music. It is needless to
repeat that a musical band in the community is enough to thoroughly
"demoralize" every negro within hearing distance. The song "When
the Band begins to Play" shows much of the complexity of feeling
possible. Here, again, the negro is at his best in clownish portrayal
of unusual scenes. His memory carries him back; his feeling idealizes
the present. The chorus, always sung after each stanza, serves to
unify the song; while the two-line refrain gives hilarity to the singing.
| : When de ban' begins to play, : | (three times as chorus)
See dat mule a-comin', ain't got half a load,
If you think he unruly mule, give him all de road,
Whoa, mule, whoa! Whoa dere, I say!
Keep yo' seat, Miss 'Liza Jane! Hold on to the sleigh!
Musketer fly high, musketer fly low;
If I git my foot on him, he won't fly no mo';
Well, it's whoa, mule, whoa! Whoa dere, I say!
Keep yo' seat, Miss Liza Jane! Hold on to the sleigh!
Had ole banjo one time, strings made out o' twine;
All song I could sing was "Wish dat Gal was Mine!"
An' it's whoa, mule, whoa! Whoa dere, I say, etc.
Sung like the above, each of the following stanzas of two long lines,
but sung with emphasis and pause as if four short lines, is followed
by the two lines as refrain, "whoa, mule," etc., with the original chorus,
"When the band begins to play," following each stanza. This, too, is
the negro's vaudeville song:
If you want to see dat mule kick,
If you want to hear him hollar,
Tie a knot in his tail,
An' poke his head through a collar,
Den you kin hollow, "Whoa, mule," etc.
Went runnin' down to turkey-roost,
Fell down on his knees,
Liked to kill'd hisself laughin',
'Cause he heard a turkey sneeze.
Ole Massa bought a yaller gal,
Brought her from de South;
He wrapped her hair so mazen tight,
She could not shut her mouth.
He taken her down to blacksmith shop,
To have her mouth cut smaller,
She made a whoop, she made a squall,
Den swallowed shop an' all.
On Sat'day night he stole a sheep,
On Sunday he was taken,
Monday was his trial day,
Tuesday he hung like bac'n.
Keep yo' seat, Miss Liza Jane!
Don't act jes' lak a fool.
Ain't got time to kiss you,
'Cause I'm tendin' to dis mule.
Ole marster he raise a cow,
He knowed de day when she wus bohn,
Hit took a jay-bird seventeen years
To fly from ho'n to ho'n.
Ole marster raised ole gray mule,
He knowed de day he wus born,
Ev'y tooth in his head
Would hold a barrel o' corn.
Ole master had little ole mule,
Name was Simon Slick,
Dey tied a knot in his tail,
Oh, how dat thing did kick!
Ole Mistus raised a little black hen,
Black as any crow;
She laid three eggs ev'y day,
On Sunday she laid fo'.
An' it's whoa, mule, whoa! Whoa dere, I say!
Keep yo' seat, Miss Liza Jane! Hold on to the sleigh,
When de ban' begins to play.
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