Album: Genius + Soul = Jazz (1961)

Charted: 8

License This Song 

Songfacts®:

• A Mint Julep is a drink made with bourbon, sugar, and cracked ice. Served with a sprig of mint, it is a traditional drink at horse races.
• The Clovers did the original version in 1952 (with a cover by Louis Prima the same year), but Charles made it uniquely his own. Other artists to record the song include Sarah Vaughan, Duane Eddy, Count Basie, King Curtis and The Ventures.
• Released on ABC's Impulse! Jazz label, Charles' recording was a surprise hit. The producer was Creed Taylor, who started the Impulse! label. Charles' one and only album with Impulse! was due to their association with ABC Records, whom he was signed to.
• This song is mainly an instrumental, with room for some improvised vocals. Taylor takes credit for the one vocal line in Ray's version of the song, stating he told Charles that during the break in the instrumental, he wanted Charles to say, "Just a little bit of soda." Charles seemed hesitant for a bit, but complied... sort of. Instead, he said, "Just a little bit of SOUL, yeah!" Interestingly, this "incidental" line helped further fuel the Soul Music Movement of the 60s. In addition, several other acts began using the phrase in their own way, most noticeably Little Stevie Wonder in his first hit, "Fingertips (Part 2)." >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Faundell - Brooklyn, NJ, for above 2

Comments: 4

• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 29th 1959, "One Mint Julep" by Chet Atkins entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart for a six week stay, peaking at #82...
  Fourteen months later on February 28th, 1961 Ray Charles' version entered the Top 100; and on May 1st, 1961 it peaked at #8 (for 2 weeks) and stay on the Top 100 for 13 weeks...
  And on April 17th, 1961 Mr. Charles' version reached #1 (for 1 week) on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
  R.I.P. Mr. Atkins (1924 - 2001) and Mr. Charles (1930 - 2004).
• Barry from Sauquoit, Ny"One Mint Julep" was Ray Charles second instrumental record to make the Top 100; his first was "Rockhouse - Part Two", which peaked at #79 in 1958...
• Nick from London, United KingdomThe Clovers were Atlantic's biggest selling vocal group with twenty-one hits in the R&B chart including three #1s and four #2s. This success did not carry over into the pop charts; perhaps they were just too black for the mainstream. Ahmet Ertegun (b. Istanbul 1923-2006) founded Atlantic Records in 1947 with his partner and former owner of National Records, Herb Abramson. Ertegun had fallen in love with jazz at an early age and he set the company up with the aim of releasing straight ahead jazz recordings. But Ertegun was also canny enough to realise the long-term potential of rhythm and blues, which was then sweeping the airwaves. Moreover, he was a budding songwriter and using his nom-de-plume of Nugetre, he wrote four hits for the Clovers including their first hit, Don't You Know I Love You So. Arranger Jesse Stone was behind most of their records, and his slick jazzy productions became the trademark sound of Atlantic's early years. The Clovers updated their earlier Orioles-based style to produce a more bluesy, jump-influenced sound with latin influences to the fore. Writer of One Mint Julep, Rudy Toombs seemed to have an obsession with alcohol; his other liquor-based songs included Nip Sip, Serve Another Round and One Scotch-One Bourbon-One Beer.
  Nick Duckett
  http://www.rhythmandbluesrecords.co.uk/
  
• Shell from Riverdale, GaInvented in the South and part of the tradition of the Kentucky Derby, not of horse races in general.

More Songfacts:

I SwearAll-4-One

"I Swear" was a #1 country hit for John Michael Montgomery before All-4-One made it a #1 pop hit.

I Won't Back DownTom Petty

"I Won't Back Down" is a very personal song for Tom Petty. "I thought it wasn't that good because it was so naked," he said.

MargaritavilleJimmy Buffett

"Margaritaville" is a state of mind, but it's most associated with Key West, Florida, where Jimmy Buffett moved when he was 24.

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On MeElton John

Recording "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me," Elton John was frustrated and sang the line "don't discard me" with an exaggerated American accent, which is why is sounds strange.

Cult of PersonalityLiving Colour

"Cult of Personality" by Living Colour incorporates speeches by John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Street HassleLou Reed

Lou Reed's 11-minute "Street Hassle" features a spoken part by Bruce Springsteen.

Editor's Picks

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.