513
The Kicking Mule
This miglit be considered a form of the 'Liza Jane' song, which
varies rather widely in content, taking up or dropping stanzas
with the individual singer; or of the 'Whoa, mule' song, which
suffers similar variations. Its origin, in either form, is not known,
but it is sung very widely, especially in the South. Many of the
texts recorded are from the singing of Negroes. Our version com-
bines the two elements ; so do texts reported from Tennessee
(FSSH 431-2), North Carolina (FSSH 430-1, 433, JAFL xlv
165), Mississippi (JAFL xxviii 180), from the Midwest (Ford
295-6, 440-1), and from the singing of southern Negroes (JAFL
XXIV 265, 371-3). Sometimes the 'Whoa, mule" motive appears
without the 'Liza Jane'; so in North Carolina (FSSH 433), Ala-
bama (ANFS 227, 229), Mississippi (JAFL xxvi 126), Texas
(TNFS 186), and Indiana (BSI 335-8). Once at least the 'Liza
Jane' element appears without the 'Whoa, mule' : in Tennessee
(FSSH 432-3). The sleigh-ride of our text appears also in Ten-
nessee (FSSH 431-2), in Mississippi (JAFL xxviii 180), in a text
reported by Odum (JAFL xxiv 371-2) from Southern Negroes,
and in the Ozark region (Ford 440-1). The name Simon Slick as
that of the owner (sometimes as that of the mule itself) seems to
occur only (except for the two texts from Indiana, BSI 335-8) in
Negro texts: from Alabama (ANFS 157, 227, 228) and in others
not definitely located (Talley 47-8, JAFL xxiv 373). This hst
sufficiently shows the shifting and composite character of the song.
'The Kicking Mule.' From the manuscripts of G. S. Rohinsnn of .A.shc-
ville, secured in August 1939.
I Once there was a man, his name was Simon Slick.
He had a mule with dreamy eyes — and how that nude
could kick !
He'd shut one eye and switch his tail and greet you with
a smile.
He'd gently raise you from the ground and kick you half
a mile.
568 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
Chorus:
\\ hoa, mule. I tell you.
Whoa, mule, I say !
Keep your seat. Miss Liza Jane,
And hold on to the sleigh.
2 I hitched that mule one morning to take my girl a ride.
He kicked both hind feet over the shalves^ and kicked
her in the sides ;
He kicked the feathers from a goose, he broke the ele-
phant's back,
He stopped the Texas railway train, and he kicked it off
the track.
3 Oh, hear the sleigh-bells ringing ! The snow is falling
fast.
Find a mule that's roomy, just give him all the road.
And don't get scared at nothing what you hear or see ;
Liza, I'll stay with this mule and you must stay with me.
4 Just see them snowflakes flying ! Look out, let them sail.
Watch them ears of his'n and see him wag his tail.
Going to the preacher's. Liza, you keep cool;
Hain't got time to kiss you now, I'm busy with this mule.
5 Little bee came flying around, came flying around the
wall ;
This little mule gave him one good kick, little bee didn't
feel so well.
Took him down to the blacksmith's shop, hitched him by
himself ;
He kicked both hind feet down his . . .- and kicked him-
self to death.
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513
The Kicking Mule
'The Kicking Mule.' Sung by G. S. Robinson, Asheville, July 18, 1939. This
recording evidently was made before the singer turned over his MS text to Dr,
Brown.
F-461
Once there was a man, his name was Si - mon Slick, He
had a mule with dream - y eyes — and how that mule could
kick! He'd shut one eye and switch his tail and greet you
with a smile, He'd gent- ly raise you from the ground and
kick you half a mile. Whoa, mule, I tell you, Whoa, mule, I
say! Keep your seat, Miss Li - za Jane, And hold on to the sleigh.
For melodic relationship cf. **BSI 336-7, No. 84B, compare measures
4 and 8 with our 7-8 and 15-6; SRA 185, chorus.
Scale: Hexachordal, plagal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: abcdaibcdefgd^
(2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2) = abashed (4,4,4,4,4,4) = mm^n (8,8,8).