No Mule's Fool is a song by the British progressive rock band

Family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

released in October 1969. It was the group's first single to chart in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, reaching number 29.British Hit Singles & Albums, (ed 17) 2004

Lyrics

As written by group leaders

Roger Chapman Roger Maxwell Chapman (born 8 April 1942 in Leicester), also known as Chappo, is an English rock vocalist. He is best known as a member of the progressive rock band Family, which he joined along with Charlie Whitney, in 1966 and also the rock ...

and

John "Charlie" Whitney Richard John Whitney (born 24 June 1944), also known as John "Charlie" Whitney, John Whitney and Charlie Whitney, is an English rock guitarist and a founder member of the rock bands Family, Streetwalkers and Axis Point. Career Whitney wa ...

, "No Mule's Fool" is a country-influenced rock song about a boy and his mule taking it easy on a hot day. The boy lies on the grass, daydreaming and concentrating on the only audible sound in proximity - the buzzing of a honeybee. With the temperature at 95 degrees (35 °C), the boy and his mule prefer to enjoy the warmth of the day by relaxing. Aware that people think the boy and the mule - both of which are expected to be more industrious - are lazy, the boy admits as much, but adds, "But one day they're going to see / We're only doing what makes us happy." No Mule's Fool is a quirky, fascinating, perfect little summer song, unlike any other. The grass is a drugs reference and in my mind the immoveable mule is the creature the partaker becomes when stoned ("I take the grass, he hits the hay …"). We ask nothing more than to be left alone to "spend our lazy days and ways just turning on". A country and western influence appears in the coda when the music conjures up a Quixotian image of man and mule plodding off into the sunset. A work of art.

Music

Charlie Whitney's acoustic guitar and a brief riff from the soprano saxophone of Jim King provide a pleasant backdrop, but the energy of the song is from the bass of

John Weider John Weider (born 21 April 1947) is an English rock musician who plays guitar, bass, and violin. He is best known as the guitarist for the Animals from 1966 to 1968. He was also the bass player for Family from 1969 to 1971. Biography Early c ...

, playing as a member of Family on record for the first time. Weider also provides a lilting violin solo in the middle eight. The song fades out with a quickly paced jam, with plenty of "pickin' and grinnin'" country and western guitar from Whitney. Roger Chapman's relaxed vocals add to the gentle nature of the lyrics.

Trivia

"No Mule's Fool" was not intended to appear on an album, but in the

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, United Artists Records placed it at the beginning of the U.S. edition of Family's 1970 album '' A Song For Me''. "No Mule's Fool" and its B-side, "Good Friend of Mine," were the last Family recordings to feature Jim King, who left the group shortly thereafter, as well as the first Family recordings to feature Weider.

References

Family (band) songs 1969 singles Songs written by Roger Chapman Songs written by John "Charlie" Whitney 1969 songs {{1960s-single-stub