Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes.
Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honor.
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Muleskinner
Harry Belafonte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh well it's good mornin' captain, Good mornin' sun
Don't you need another Mule skinner out on your new mule run
I like to work, I'm rollin' all the time
Oh well now I like to work, rollin' all the time
I can carve my initials on any old mule's behind
Hey there little water boy
Oh well, It's hey there little water boy
Bring your bucket Âround
If you don't like your job
Better lay that bucket down
Workin' on the new road
Got a dollar and a dime a day
Oh well, I'm workin' on the new road
Dollar and a dime a day
I got sixteen women
Waitin' for to get my pay
The song "Muleskinner" by Harry Belafonte is a traditional American folk song that has been adapted several times over the years. The lyrics express the life of a muleskinner, a person who drives and trains mules, who works tirelessly every day to ensure a mule run operates efficiently. The song is used primarily as a work song, and the lyrics reflect the difficult work that muleskinners experience on a daily basis. The opening lines of the song are "Good morning Captain, Good morning sun. Don't you need another muleskinner on your new mule run?" These lines describe a typical morning when a muleskinner wakes up early to start work.
The lyrics express the hard work and long hours required to work on a mule run. The second verse, "I like to work, I'm rolling all the time," highlights the intense physical labor and determination necessary for a muleskinner to succeed. The third verse, "Hey there little water boy, bring your bucket 'round," emphasizes the importance of having someone to provide water for the mules' well-being during the long working hours. The fourth verse, "Working on the new road, got a dollar and a dime a day," speaks to the low wages and difficult working conditions faced by muleskinners during that time. Finally, the last verse expresses the motivation and anticipation that muleskinners often have when working hard for their livelihoods, as the muleskinner has "sixteen women waitin' for to get my pay."
Line by Line Meaning
Good mornin' Captain, Good mornin' sun
I greet the captain and the sun with a pleasant good morning
Don't you need another Mule skinner out on your new mule run
Do you require an extra mule driver for your new operation?
I like to work, I'm rollin' all the time
I enjoy laboring and am always on the move
I can carve my initials on any old mule's behind
I am capable of carving my name into any mule's backside
Hey there little water boy, Bring your bucket Âround
Water boy, please bring your vessel over here
If you don't like your job Better lay that bucket down
If you dislike your occupation, it is preferable that you abandon it
Workin' on the new road, Got a dollar and a dime a day
I am employed on this freshly constructed path and earn $1.10 daily
I got sixteen women Waitin' for to get my pay
Sixteen women are anticipating receiving their share of my wages
Writer(s): Belafonte Copyright: Clara Music Publishing Corp.
Contributed by Dominic E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Debra Dorsey
Harry Belafonte was always soo neat, handsome and talented!! It's really sooo wonderful to be able too watch this real gem performance...and the background singers are soo good!
Michael Lopez
They are. Does anyone know who they are?
lonestarfriend
That was really good. Definitely a change of pace from today’s popular music. So well sung.
Madly Odd Official
Harry Belafonte's influence on music and activism cannot be overstated. He was a trailblazer who inspired generations to use their voices to create positive change. His passing is a reminder of the power of music and the importance of fighting for what is right.
Edda Simon
🍀🌹❤️👍
Ken Williams
My parents had his album with this recording. Maybe my introduction to the blues.
Andrew Pinkard
First time I heard this song was by Dolly Parton. Every time I hear it, I hear her voice.
Walt E
In 1960 this song was a Top 10 hit by a duo called "The Fendermen." A lot more energetic.
Jason Hill
It was originally written and recorded by Jimmie Rodgers.