One Mint Julep
Encyclopedia
"One Mint Julep" is a rhythm and blues
song written by Rudy Toombs
that became a hit for The Clovers
. It was recorded by Atlantic Records
in New York City on December 19, 1951 and released in March of 1952. It was one of the first "drinking songs" to become a hit and one of the first to feature a tenor sax solo. It was an important step in the history of Ahmet Ertegün
and Atlantic Records in its quest to become a hot rhythm and blues label. Stylistically the Clovers were moving away from the sentimental lyrics of the romantic doo-wop
group songs and adapting a cooler group style, emphasizing rhythm more, nearing the style of a jump blues
combo.
Toombs was hired by Atlantic to write humorous up-tempo rhythm and blues novelty song
s. Atlantic wanted material that was true to life but also funny. The humor in this song comes in part from the idea of a young black man getting drunk on mint julep
s, thought of as an aristocratic southern white woman's drink.
The last verse outlines the trap.
s to come out of the 1940s and 1950s. It was the first of several successful up tempo drinking songs by Toombs, who went on to write "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer" for Amos Milburn
, "Fat Back and Corn Likker" for Louis Jordan
and "Nip Sip" for The Clovers
.
's instrumental version reached No. 1 on the R&B charts and also No. 8 on the pop chart
.
Among the many who covered or remade this song are the following:
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
song written by Rudy Toombs
Rudy Toombs
Rudolph "Rudy" Toombs , born in Monroe, Louisiana, was an American black songwriter who wrote "Teardrops from My Eyes", Ruth Brown's first number one R&B successful song...
that became a hit for The Clovers
The Clovers
-History:The group formed in 1946 at Armstrong High School in Washington, D.C., with members Harold Lucas, Billy Shelton, and Thomas Woods. John "Buddy" Bailey was added soon after, and they began calling themselves the "Four Clovers", with Bailey on lead...
. It was recorded by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in New York City on December 19, 1951 and released in March of 1952. It was one of the first "drinking songs" to become a hit and one of the first to feature a tenor sax solo. It was an important step in the history of Ahmet Ertegün
Ahmet Ertegun
Ahmet Ertegün was a Turkish American musician and businessman, best known as the founder and president of Atlantic Records. He also wrote classic blues and pop songs and served as Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum...
and Atlantic Records in its quest to become a hot rhythm and blues label. Stylistically the Clovers were moving away from the sentimental lyrics of the romantic doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
group songs and adapting a cooler group style, emphasizing rhythm more, nearing the style of a jump blues
Jump blues
Jump blues is an up-tempo blues usually played by small groups and featuring horns. It was very popular in the 1940s, and the movement was a precursor to the arrival of rhythm and blues and rock and roll...
combo.
Toombs was hired by Atlantic to write humorous up-tempo rhythm and blues novelty song
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
s. Atlantic wanted material that was true to life but also funny. The humor in this song comes in part from the idea of a young black man getting drunk on mint julep
Mint Julep
The mint julep is a mixed alcoholic drink, or cocktail, associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States.- Preparation :A mint julep is traditionally made with four ingredients: mint leaf, bourbon, sugar, and water. Traditionally, spearmint is the mint of choiceused in Southern states, and...
s, thought of as an aristocratic southern white woman's drink.
Song
The story line is a classic one of a man who falls for the charms of a young woman only to realize a few years later that he has a ring on his finger. He remembers that it all started with "One Mint Julep".-
- "One early morning as I was walking,"
- "I met a woman, we started talking,"
The last verse outlines the trap.
-
- "I don't want to bore you, with my trouble,"
- "But from now on I'll be thinking double."
Drinking songs
This is one of many popular R&B drinking songDrinking song
A drinking song is a song sung while drinking alcohol. Most drinking songs are folk songs, and may be varied from person to person and region to region, in both the lyrics and in the music...
s to come out of the 1940s and 1950s. It was the first of several successful up tempo drinking songs by Toombs, who went on to write "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer" for Amos Milburn
Amos Milburn
Amos Milburn was an African American rhythm and blues singer and pianist, popular during the 1940s and 1950s...
, "Fat Back and Corn Likker" for Louis Jordan
Louis Jordan
Louis Thomas Jordan was a pioneering American jazz, blues and rhythm & blues musician, songwriter and bandleader who enjoyed his greatest popularity from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. Known as "The King of the Jukebox", Jordan was highly popular with both black and white audiences in the...
and "Nip Sip" for The Clovers
The Clovers
-History:The group formed in 1946 at Armstrong High School in Washington, D.C., with members Harold Lucas, Billy Shelton, and Thomas Woods. John "Buddy" Bailey was added soon after, and they began calling themselves the "Four Clovers", with Bailey on lead...
.
Key recordings
In 1961 "One Mint Julep" finally reached a mass audience when Ray CharlesRay Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
's instrumental version reached No. 1 on the R&B charts and also No. 8 on the pop chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Among the many who covered or remade this song are the following:
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- Ray StevensRay StevensRay Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...
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- Freddie HubbardFreddie HubbardFrederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
- Earl PalmerEarl PalmerEarl Cyril Palmer was an American rock & roll and rhythm and blues drummer, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....
- Bob James
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- Richard "Groove" Holmes
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- Booker T and the MGs
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- Tommy EmmanuelTommy EmmanuelWilliam Thomas "Tommy" Emmanuel AM is an Australian guitarist, best known for his complex fingerpicking style, energetic performances and the use of percussive effects on the guitar. In the May 2008 and 2010 issues of Guitar Player Magazine, he was named as "Best Acoustic Guitarist" in their...
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