Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus - Freedom

Freedom, by Charles Mingus (excerpt)

This mule ain't from Moscow,
this mule ain't from the South.
But this mule's had some learning,
mostly mouth-to-mouth.

The lyrics, "This mule ain't from Moscow", might be a reference to a Moscow Mule, a drink made of vodka and ginger beer popular in the 1950s, but is likely also referring to African-American slaves as the "mule".

Mingus performed a number of other songs with spoken poetry or narration:

  • "Scenes in the City"
  • "The Chill of Death"
  • "The Clown"
  • "Weary Blues" (read by Langston Hughes).

Several of his other pieces have lyrics:

  • "Fables of Faubus"
  • "Oh Lord, Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb on Me"
  • "Devil Woman"

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