PLEDGE WEEK: “Muleskinner Blues” by the Fendermen

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Rock and roll and roll above your

Today, we're going to look at one of the great one-hit wonders of all time.

A duo who made one fascinating single, made the top five with it, and then never managed to repeat their success.

Today, we're looking at Mule Skinner Blues by the Fendermen.

The Fendermen were originally from Wisconsin, though both of of them later moved to Minnesota, and were both born on the same date, November 26th, 1937.

Jim Sundquist and Phil Humphrey started out in their own bands, but after meeting up at university decided to perform together without any other musicians, both playing Fender guitars through the same amp, with Humphrey singing and Sundquist playing lead guitar.

They both liked Jimmy Rogers, and in particular they enjoyed his song Muleskinner Blues, also known as Blue Yodel No.

8.

Good morning, Captain.

Good morning, Shine.

Do you need another Muleskinner

out on your new mud line?

They recorded their own version of the song and took it to a tiny label called Kooka Records, who put out a pressing of 300 copies.

Good morning to you, Sa ha.

Good evening, motherfueled skinner

out

That started to get some airplay, and people started wanting to buy the record.

But Kuka Records weren't able to get any more copies pressed up for several weeks.

So another label stepped in.

Soma Records at first offered to lease the recording from Kooka, but when the two labels were unable to come to an agreement, Soma got the Fendermen in to re-record their song, this time at a professional studio, the same one that would later be used by the Trashmen to record Surfing Bird.

on your newborn run

Soma released that with a different B-side from the one Kooka had used, an instrumental called Torture, so that Soma could collect the publishing money.

Astonishingly, Muleskinner Blues, a cover of an old country song with falsetto leaps and only guitars for backing, made number five on the pop charts, aided by an appearance on American Bandstand.

They got a full backing band together and started touring nationally.

But then, Kooka sued Soma.

Eventually, the two labels reached an out-of-court settlement, but the vast majority of the money from the hit ended up going to Kooka, rather than Soma.

The next single featured the full band, rather than just the two guitarists, and was a cover version of Huey Piano Smith's Don't You Just Know It?

I love my girl, and she loves me well.

Don't you just know it?

Don't you just know it?

That didn't make the Hot 100, and after one more single, and an album featuring all their recordings, the band broke up.

Sundquist went back to Kooka Records, whereas Jimmy's Sun and the Radiants, he put out a version of Cocaine Blues, an old Western swing song that had recently been revived by Johnny Cash as Transfusion Blues.

Took a transfusion and away I run.

Made a good run, but a run too slow.

They overtook me down in Warren.

Sundquist's version restored the original Levix, but was otherwise modelled on Cash's version.

Early one morning while making the round, I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down.

I went right home and I went to bed.

I stopped at Lawrence 44 beneath my head.

Got up next morning and I grabbed that gun.

I took a shot of cocaine and away I run.

Made a good run, but I run too slow.

They overtook me down in Warhouse Mexico.

The Radiance also backed a singer called Dick Hearns on another record in the style of Muleskinner Blues, a surfed-up version of the old Hank Snow Country song.

I'm moving on.

The big eight wheeler going down the track Visual Lovin' Daddy ain't coming back.

I'm moving on.

I'm moving

on.

You will fly no high for my little old Skykeeper.

I'm moving on.

Despite that being a surprisingly good record, it was out of step with musical trends by 1961 and was unsuccessful.

The Radiants then renamed themselves the Mule Skinners and released a novelty record in the Monstermash style called The Wolfman.

Doctor, I just called to tell you that the serum you prepared for me doesn't seem to be working.

Only during the three-quarter moon last night did I begin to doubt it.

Doctor, I wanted to come over and see you personally tonight, but since since there is a full moon out, I thought it better to chain myself to the bedpost instead.

Doctor, the relief your serum has brought me up to know has been wonderful.

Phil Humphrey, meanwhile, remained on Soma Records as Phil Humphrey and the Fendermen, and released another version of Don't You Just Know It, coupled with his own novelty record, Popeye.

women, go-egg and women.

I might play them.

Both men eventually ended up running their own versions of the Fendermen, touring into the 2000s.

Sundquist's version put out a handful of recordings, and he also guested with the Minnesotan Rockabilly Revival band The Vibro Champs, on their remake of A Fendermen B-side, Beach Party, in 2000.

Sundquist also had a side career making gospel music, in a duo with his wife Shari, but I've been unable to find any recordings of them, though apparently they wrote over a hundred Christian songs together.

The Fendermen did reunite, briefly, in 2005, for two shows backed by the Vibro Champs, and had something of a cult following after the Kramps recorded their own version of Muleskinner Blues, based on the Fendermen's version.

They never had another hit, and left behind a tiny number of recordings.

But the Fendermen are now regarded as one of the most important precursors to the surf and garage rock sounds of the 60s, and their few recordings are regularly repackaged.

Sundquist died in 2013, and Humphrey in 2016.

We'll be swell

in the spell

of the rolling rock and rhythm of the sea.