Muleskinner Blues

Lyrics: Jimmie Rodgers, George Vaughn
Music: Jimmie Rodgers, George Vaughn

Played by Jerry with Old And In The Way, and in pre-Dead days with the Wildwood Boys in 1973. Also played by Bob Weir with Kingfish and Ratdog, and with Wolf Bros when Ramblin' Jack Elliott sat in with them in 2021.

The Old And In The Way version is:

Good morning captain
Good morning shine
Do you need another muleskinner
Out on your new mud line
[yodel]

I'm an old muleskinner
Up from California way
I can make any mule listen
And I won't accept your pay
[yodel]

Hey, litle water boy
Won't won't you bring your water round
If you don't like your job
You can put your water bucket down
[yodel]

Well it's good morning captain
Good morning to you son, hey hey yeah
Do you need another muleskinner
Out on your new border run, hey hey yeah
[yodel]

Well I'm an old muleskinner
Way down Kentucky way, hey hey
And I can make any mule listen
For I won't accept your pay, hey hey yeah
[yodel]

Well I been working down in Georgia
Busting rock and pitching hay, hey hey yeah
Just to let a no-good woman
Draw every cent of my pay, hey hey yeah
[yodel]

Well it's good morning captain
Good morning to you son, hey hey yeah
Do you need another muleskinner
Out on your new border run, hey hey yeah
[yodel]

Well it's good morning captain
Good morning shine
Do you need another muleskinner
Out on your new mud line

I like to work
I'm rolling all the time
I can pop my initials
On a mule's behind

Hey little water boy
Bring that water round
If you don't like your job
Set that water bucket down

Workin' on the good road
Dollar and a half a day
My good girl's waiting on a Saturday night
Just to draw my pay

I'm going to town, honey
What you want me to bring you back?
Bring a pint of booze
And a John B Stetson hat

I smell your bread a-burning
Turn your damper down
If you ain't got a damper, good gal
Turn your bread around