| "One Mint Julep" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single bythe Clovers | ||||
| B-side | "Middle Of The Night" | |||
| Released | March 1952 | |||
| Recorded | December 19, 1951 | |||
| Studio | Atlantic Studios,New York City | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 2:27 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Rudy Toombs | |||
| The Clovers singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| "One Mint Julep" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byRay Charles | ||||
| from the albumGenius + Soul = Jazz | ||||
| B-side | "Let's Go" | |||
| Released | February 1961 | |||
| Recorded | 1960 | |||
| Genre | Rhythm and blues | |||
| Length | 3:02 | |||
| Label | Impulse! | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Rudy Toombs | |||
| Ray Charles singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"One Mint Julep" is aR&B song, written and composed byRudy Toombs, that became a 1952 hit forthe Clovers.[1] The song has received over 100 cover versions, both with lyrics and as an instrumental.[2]
"One Mint Julep" was recorded on theAtlantic Records label in New York City on December 19, 1951, and released in March 1952. It was one of the first "drinking songs" to become a hit and one of the first to feature atenor saxophone solo. It was an important step in the history ofAhmet Ertegun and Atlantic Records in its quest to become a hot rhythm and blues label.[3] Stylistically, the Clovers were moving away from the sentimental lyrics of the romanticdoo-wop group songs and adapting a cooler group style, emphasizing rhythm more, nearing the style of ajump blues combo.[4]
Toombs had been hired by the Atlantic Records label to write and compose humorous up-tempo rhythm and bluesnovelty songs. 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 onmint juleps, traditionally thought of as an aristocratic southern white woman's drink.[3] The Atlantic B-side was "Middle of the Night" by "Nugetre",Ertegun spelled backwards.
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."[5][1]
"One Mint Julep" was the first of several successful up-tempo drinking songs by Toombs, who went on to write and compose "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer" forAmos Milburn, "Fat Back and Corn Likker" forLouis Jordan, and "Nip Sip" forthe Clovers.[4]
In 1961 "One Mint Julep" finally reached a mass audience whenRay Charles's organ-and-big-band instrumental version reached No. 1 on theR&B charts, and also reached No. 8 on thepop chart.[3]
| Studio albums | |
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| Posthumous studio creations | |
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| Notable compilations | |
| Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles | |
| OtherBillboard Charts #1 singles | |
| Grammy Awarded Works (not included above) | |
| See also | |
